Some say that the name is from the 1929 strike in which the Martin Brothers promised a free meal to the Union Streetcar Protesters “Poor Boys” who were protesting the Transit’s decision to bring in criminals to run the streetcars. Although the exact origin of the name is unknown, the making of this delicious Louisiana sandwich is consistent. Shredded meat or fried seafood with shredded lettuce and a tomato on top of fresh french bread is famously coined a Po’Boy.
One of my food stops from our trip was to try out this legendary sandwich. With no particular place in mind, we tried Johnny’s, a small diner style sandwich shop with a HUGE menu of Po’Boys. After deliberating over which type of seafood to have in our sandwich, we settled on fried shrimp.
When the sandwich came out, I couldn’t believe the size! These are certainly shareable, but I understand if a person wants to have it all to himself. It was a tasty combination of crispy shrimp and lettuce with soft french bread. After leaving, I was certainly full. No need for any sides.
If you are looking for a time to visit New Orleans, try checking out the Oak Street Po’Boy Festival mid October. This festival features the unique Po’Boy creations from vendors with original artwork and live music.
For more about the history about the Po’Boy, the festival has its own webpage dedicated to the most well known origin of this sandwich which you can view here.
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Have you had this sandwich before? What was your favorite kind? As always, feel free to add a comment below. I love to hear from you.
365 Days of New 