Parkway Bakery: A Favorite Neighborhood Po' Boy Shop

There aren't a lot of places I walk into and think, "I can imagine what this place was like 100 years ago." But when I step into Parkway Bakery, I immediately sense a warm community vibe, something that I imagine hasn't changed much since it opened in 1911. The neighborhood joint has a bar that's typically quite crowded, and, in addition to individual tables, the dining area has several community tables where I often find myself sitting comfortably next to someone I don't know.

Parkway is definitely a favorite among locals. The key to a good po' boy is the bread, and Parkway's is one of the best. It's crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside, and there's not so much that it overwhelms the po' boy. (You'll notice that Parkway calls them "poor boys." The legend of the po' boy's origin is an interesting one. Many think brothers Benny and Martin Clovis invented the sandwich in 1929 to feed striking streetcar conductors, whom Benny called "poor boys." But there's plenty of evidence to refute that theory.)

It's hard for me to resist the shrimp po' boy. It comes loaded with a generous portion of crispy, perfectly fried Louisiana shrimp. This is definitely one of the best shrimp po' boys in the city.

I'd read a lot about the surf 'n turf po' boy, which ordinarily wouldn't catch my attention since I'm not the biggest roast beef fan. But I knew that the roast beef is house-made and a local favorite, so I went for it. As expected, the result is pretty messy given the gravy, and the bread and the batter on the shrimp can get quite soggy. The roast beef itself is delicious—very tender and great flavor. The perfect amount of tasty, flavorful gravy ensures the beef isn't dry but without overpowering the sandwich. The portions of roast beef and shrimp are large enough to allow you to taste the beef and the shrimp in each bite.

Parkway offers oyster po' boys only on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you love oysters, you know that many places overcook them. Luckily, Parkway flash fries them perfectly—no chewy oysters here. Parkway also gives a generous portion of oysters (sensing a pattern?)—the most I've ever seen on a single po' boy.

The catfish po' boy has moist local catfish that is lightly battered and flash fried. Delicious!

I'd never had an alligator sausage po' boy before, but I love gator so I had to give it a try. I much prefer seafood po' boys in general, but the locally made gator sausage is tasty. It's lean and mixed with some red pepper flakes for a nice but very subtle kick.

If you can manage to eat dessert after scarfing down a po' boy, props to you. I had to—for blog purposes, of course. (I'm so dedicated!) The bread pudding is a very pleasant surprise because it is delicious. It's served warm, as it should be, and has delectable hints of cinnamon and vanilla. The rum sauce is sweet and appropriately boozy (but don't worry, you'll make it back to the office).

I'd pass on the banana pudding, though, which tastes like your standard Snack Pack vanilla pudding with some soggy bananas mixed in and even soggier Nilla wafers placed on top.

Given the number and variety of delicious po' boys available, the extremely generous portions of local seafood, the warm community vibe, and the rich history, Parkway Bakery is definitely one of my favorite po' boy shops in the city.

#poboys #local #seafood #dive