Middendorf's

30160 Highway 51, Akers, LA - (985) 386-6666

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Posted By Michael Stern on 5/9/2004 5:27:00 AM

Catfish is the reason to eat at Middendorf's. There is none this good in New Orleans; and there are times, when we crunch into a thin catfish filet at a Middendorf's table after a long spell away from Louisiana, that we are willing to say there is none this good anywhere in America.

It is sold thick or thin. Thick catfish is a meaty cross-section of fish, similar to a steak wrapped in breading. It is sweet-smelling and has resounding vim that is unlike any seawater fish. Thin catfish is more elegant than thick. Sliced into a diaphanous strip that is sharply seasoned, lightly breaded, and quickly fried, a thin cat filet crunches loudly when you sink your teeth into its brittle crust, which is sheer enough to let the rich flavor of the fish resonate. With the catfish, thick or thin, there are perfectly good and unsurprising companions: French fries, hushpuppies, and cole slaw salad.

After catfish, just about any seafood on the menu is well worth eating. We have had some great gumbo here, made with shrimp and crab meat, which was surprisingly delicate compared to the more overpowering versions sold in the city's best gumbo houses. There are sautéed soft-shelled crabs, po-boy sandwiches, and Italian salads loaded with olives and spice. And there is fried seafood of all kinds. In some parts of the country it is easy to believe that fried seafood is bad; Middendorf's will restore you faith in just how scrumptious it can be -- not only freshwater catfish, but butter-rich fried oysters and brittle-crusted shrimp as well. And, too, there are oysters on the half shell, raw or broiled, for appetizers, and lengths of French bread to accompany any seafood dinner.

As you might expect at a Tangipahoa Parish seafood house situated among a string of bait shops and take-out stands, Middendorf's is extremely casual, noisy, and fun. Even with more space added next door to the original restaurant, a wait can be expected at suppertime, especially on weekends. This has long been the great country catfish restaurant of New Orleans, favored by the city's fried seafood connoisseurs, and reason enough to drive forty five minutes north of town, then stand in line waiting to eat.

Scorecard

Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace

Barbecued Oysters	Fried Oysters
Barbecued Shrimp	Fried Softshell Crabs
Thin Catfish Dinner	Peach Bread Pudding
Crawfish Cakes	Shrimp Remoulade

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"A close-up of Middendorf's signature dish: fried thin catfish filets. They crunch as much as a potato chip, yet the ribbon of meat inside is moist and succulent."
Michael Stern

"What a way to start a meal: six barbecued oysters on the half shell."
Michael Stern

"Here's another good way to start a meal, or a nice little meal all itself: a line of barbecued shrimp."
Michael Stern

"Louis Middendorf built his place in the midst of the Depression using his World War I veteran's bonus of $500 and a $500 loan from the mayor of New Orleans."
Michael Stern

"Nice-size chunks of crawfish make these crusty, hand-pattied cakes a joy to eat."
Michael Stern

"A South Louisiana tradition: shrimp Remoulade. There's a lot of good sauce there ... and a lot of shrimp, too."
Michael Stern

"A close view of peach bread pudding shows its sweet striations."
Michael Stern

"This view from the side of Middendorf's shows I-55, which is elevated through the bayous north of I-10."
Michael Stern