Full disclosure: Parran's is a longtime, heavy advertiser on my radio show. My ratings and reviews are approximately as they were years before that relationship began, but for those to whom this is an issue I must mention it.
The correct spelling of the French word for "godfather" is actually "parrain." But after thirty-six years it's too late to change the name now.
During the holidays, Parran's does a big business with frying turkeys and assembling all the traditional side dishes for those who don't want to cook. Throughout the year, it's a good source for trays of mini-muffulettas and finger sandwiches for meetings or parties.
Few restaurants in the style of the old New Orleans neighborhood cafe exist in Metairie. Such restaurants are zoned out of neighborhoods.Even though it's in a strip mall in the Veterans Boulevard sprawl, Parran's is a fine example of the old-style poor boy shop. Indeed, it's been around longer than many shops in the old neighborhoods. And its style of cooking, surroundings and prices are all reminiscent of the great old poor boy makers of decades ago.
In New Orleans, your godfather is your parran (pah-RANH) if you have even a shred of French heritage. The original parran here was Dominick Impastato, a high school classmate of mine. He opened the place in 1975. Al Hornbrook has owned it for many years now, and much improved the food. Parran's claims to have invented the seafood muffuletta--a standard fried seafood sandwich on a muffuletta loaf.
Parran's renovation a few years ago made the dining areas brighter and more pleasant, but this has never been what you'd call a fancy place in which to dine. In this it has the perfect neighborhood cafe look. A small ordering area up front expands into a spacious, utilitarian dining room in the rear. Service is geared more to efficiency than nicety.
Don't come in a hurry. Made-to-order poor boys are not fast food. The Italian dishes are strictly for those who are really, really hungry. If you get the seafood muffuletta, inquire into the dressing possibilities. I like the bread toasted and covered with pickle slices, but almost any way is better than the standard Cajun mayo they'll apply if you don't state otherwise.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 0 |
| Hipness | 0 |
| Local Color | 0 |
| Service | 0 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 0 |
