Middendorf's

Restaurant Review

Anecdotes & Analysis

Appropriate to its history in colonial times, Middendorf's marks the farthest outpost of NOMenu's restaurant-rating purview. But through its entire long history, New Orleanians have always considered it to be as essential part of the dining scene, and worth the forty-mile trip to dine there. The long drive is an unacceptable complication for a fair number of enthusiasm-challenged people, who will tell you that it's overrated. Ignore such reports and, on the way out, have the essential debate as to which is the best way to eat Middendorf's famous fried catfish: thin-cut, thick-cut (that gets my vote) or whole fish. Then work on your appetite with images of the great raw and broiled oysters, the stuffed crabs, and the soft-shell crabs in their season (warm months). [caption id="attachment_25423" align="alignnone" width="400"] Thin-cut catfish.[/caption]

Why It's Essential

Say the word "catfish," and most avid New Orleans eaters (as well as those between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and as far away as Jackson, Mississippi) think of this funny German name. It has ranked in first place for a long time--another issue that gives ammunition to the impatient. But the goodness of its fried seafood can't be denied. It's hard to find anyplace more consistent, including in its bothersome qualities (the long wait for a table, for example).

Backstory

The site of Middendorf's has a rich history. It's on the northern littoral of Pass Manchac, way out in the marshes between Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain, which in the 1700s was the frontier between the United States and the Spanish Isle of Orleans. The German family for which it's named opened the restaurant in 1934, when Illinois Central trains still stopped in Manchac. The family operated and expanded the place as its fame grew. The third generation sold Middendorf's to Chef Horst Pfeifer and his wife Karen, who owned the superb Bella Luna in the French Market until Katrina. Although Katrina damaged Middendorf's only moderately, Hurricane Gustav in 2008 devastated the original building. That allowed for a major restoration of that structure and its kitchen. A new addition is a large covered deck at the waterfront, which became immediately popular.

Dining Room

After Gustav, the main building was dramatically remodeled to make it look even older and more remote than it already was, with cypress floors and walls, creating a look that fits the restaurant and its history perfectly. An entirely neww building continued on this theme, with a fake oak tree and a bar made from cypress trees that had been at the lake's bottom since before the Civil War. The service staff is always been stressed, and while they deliver everything on time, they don't visit the table as much as you might expect.

For Best Results

Get the thick fish, not the thin--at least the first time. (The thin fish is very thin indeed, and not for everybody.) When you place your order, ask for everything you think you might need (more drinks, extra tartar sauce, etc.), because you might not be able to get it quickly later. And ignore the buzz about how Middendorf's isn't as good as it used to be. In its essential aspects, it hasn't changed at all.