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Pontchartrain Po-Boys
Mandeville: 318 Dalwill Dr. 985-626-8188. Map.
Casual.
AE DS MC V
Website
WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The best culinary development on the North Shore in the twenty-three years I've lived there is the proliferation of old-style neighborhood cafes. They're usually in strip malls instead of in the neighborhoods, but the food is immediately recognizable as bone-fide everyday New Orleans eats. This well-hidden cafe is one of the better such additions to the scene, with first-class poor boys and the classic platters.
WHAT'S GOOD
This is a serious kitchen that cooks all the important items (roast beef, red sauce, gumbo, red beans, etc.) in house, and serves them up generously and well. The half-size poor boys (they claim six inches as the length, but they're actually bigger) are plenty enough for even a big appetite. The frying is conducted on a case-by-case basis, resulting in not only good seafood but excellent onion rings. (An order of the latter is enough for at least four people.)
BACKSTORY
Pontchartrain's story is a familiar one: the owner, an evacuee from St. Bernard Parish, moved here and started his shop in 2007. Until 2013, it was in a tiny mall space not nearly big enough for the volume. Then moved to a larger home in a bigger mall straddling the gap between LA 22 and the West Causeway Approach.
DINING ROOM
The new place is a great improvement over the old, if only because the line doesn't have to begin outside. But still nothing fancy, befitting a good poor boy shop.
ESSENTIAL DISHES
Sides & starters
French fries
Sweet potato fries.
»Onion rings
Eggplant sticks.
Potato salad
Baked macaroni & cheese
Seafood gumbo
Poor boy sandwiches
»Fried shrimp, oysters or catfish
»Peacemaker (shrimp & oysters)
»»Roast beef
Ferdi (grilled ham, roast beef & swiss)
»Hot sausage
Italian sausage
Hamburger
»Hot burger
Veal cutlet
Grilled or fried chicken breast .
»Ham (grilled or cold)
Turkey
»Meatball
»Eggplant, chicken or veal parmesan
French fry & gravy poor boy
Other sandwiches
Club sandwich
Tuna or chicken salad sandwich
BLT
Muffuletta
Salads
House salad or caesar salad
Italian salad
Tuna or chicken salad stuffed tomato .
Daily specials
Monday
»Red beans or butter beans and rice, with smoked sausage, pork chop, fried catfish, or veal cutlets
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, baked macaroni
Tuesday
»Lasagna, caesar salad
Breaded veal cutlets, baked macaroni
Wednesday
Meatballs & spaghetti
Stuffed bell pepper, baked macaroni
Thursday
Hamburger steak, mashed potatoes or baked macaroni
Breaded pork chop, baked macaroni
Entrees
»Fried chicken
Grilled chicken breast.
Breaded pork chops
Hamburger steak
Breaded veal cutlets
Above with choice of mashed potatoes, potato salad, fries, baked macaroni, or broccoli
Seafood plates
Fried shrimp, catfish, oysters, or combinations, choice of french fries, potato salad, or baked macaroni
Italian plates
Meatballs
Eggplant, chicken or veal parmesan
Above with angel hair pasta, side caesar salad, garlic bread
FOR BEST RESULTS
No matter how much of the menu appeals to you, order light. Come back another time for the other stuff. Portions are very large.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Some of the daily special platters are a little too homestyle.
FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
- Dining Environment
- Consistency +1
- Service
- Value +1
- Attitude +1
- Wine & Bar
- Hipness
- Local Color
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
- Good for business meetings
- Open Monday lunch and dinner
- Dinner ends early (8 p.m.)
- Open all afternoon
- Unusually large servings
- Quick, good meal
- Good for children
- Easy, nearby parking
- No reservations
