View Full Version : Best Muffuletta
scojo
02-06-2007, 05:45 PM
I have been to New Orleans many times over the past 20 years and have enjoyed the local cuisine very much. Somehow though I never ran across the Muffuletta sandwich. One night on Racheal Ray's show she was enjoying one. After doing a little reading on the history of this sandwich.......I am now on a mission to give this a try during this years JF. Any recommendations on where the best Muffulettas are made would be greatly appreciated!
steffie
02-06-2007, 05:48 PM
Napoleon House and eat your Muffuletta with an Abita of course!:D
Napoleon House and eat your Muffuletta with an Abita of course!:DCentral Grocery's ain' damn bad! Didn't they invent it?
rosetree
02-06-2007, 05:53 PM
...come ova to the Westbank and go to Dimartino's...better than Central IMHO ;)
PaulC
02-06-2007, 05:55 PM
Central Grocery's ain' damn bad!
If he meant to say "it's damn good"" then Howard Johnson is right!!!!!!!!!!!.....
The Cafe Maspero version always hit the spot....
A few doors down from the Central (an Italian joint),.. one could find a tasty muff samich too.....
steeleye
02-06-2007, 05:57 PM
I'm with Steffie on the Napoleon House...many will say that it's not traditional to serve a muffaletta warm like they do...but it's darn good. I wash it down with a few Pimm's Cups while admiring that great old building.
scojo
02-06-2007, 06:00 PM
Thank you. In my research online both of those places came up. If either of you have been to both places.....why would you pick one over the other? I know this isn't real important but I figure I would rather go to a highly recommended place than the first place I happen to stop by.
Yes I will have a cold Abita with my first Muff!!!
MzJoey
02-06-2007, 06:01 PM
...come ova to the Westbank and go to Dimartino's...better than Central IMHO ;)
I'm a grocery store voyeur.....haha...which includes deli's too! I'm going to have to check this out fo shure!!
Michelino
02-06-2007, 06:19 PM
Central Grocery or the now defunct Progress Grocery supposedly created it and fought amongst themselves who was right.
I think your first one should be from Central...I'm not a fan of the Napoleon House's version although I love the place and always get a Pimm's Cup when I can make it there. Cafe Maspero's version ain't bad but the fried oyster sandwich there always gets the nod instead. Plus if you like the one from Central, then you can immediately get a quart of the olive salad from them to take home and experiment with your own version.
And I also thought the preferred beverage for a Muffalatta was a cold Barqs..especially when splitting one with the one you love on a park bench in Jackson square.
Now I must try the Westbank version as local recommendations are to be taken very very seriously when looking for good eats in NOLA.
rosetree
02-06-2007, 06:23 PM
Just let me know when you want to go and I'll take you there ;) :D
If you want a great neighborhood Po-boy shop, the best is Domilise's uptown, again, IMHO..;)
PaulC
02-06-2007, 06:26 PM
And I also thought the preferred beverage for a Muffalatta was a cold Barqs..especially when splitting one with the one you love on a park bench in Jackson square.
The wife and always park bench it when enjoyin' the Central product... We always end up given' half away to one (or two) the homeless peeps who share the park space (it's cut into quarters, very easy to do)...
Ib,.. ya' remember the name of the Italian rest. and deli (they had sit down too) just beyond the Central???... They also made a very good samich...
mightyradgumbo
02-06-2007, 06:30 PM
...come ova to the Westbank and go to Dimartino's...better than Central IMHO ;)
RT, gonna have to try Dimartino's-Is it near your shop? I am planning to get over to your place and figure why do the whole killing two birds thing. I am a fan of Central and used to love Progress's version as well. Thanks for the tip.
scojo
02-06-2007, 06:35 PM
Thank you all for your help. I agree that local recommendations are to be taken VERY seriously! I'm sure most of you have already checked out "The Gumbo Pages". If not here is the link http://www.gumbopages.com/food/samwiches/muff.html
I take my food/cooking very serious and have always found the recipes and information here very helpful. Thanks again for your help. I think I will start with the Central Grocery and then maybe try Napoleans for something different.
mightyradgumbo
02-06-2007, 06:51 PM
Thank you all for your help. I agree that local recommendations are to be taken VERY seriously! I'm sure most of you have already checked out "The Gumbo Pages". If not here is the link http://www.gumbopages.com/food/samwiches/muff.html
I take my food/cooking very serious and have always found the recipes and information here very helpful. Thanks again for your help. I think I will start with the Central Grocery and then maybe try Napoleans for something different.
You are in the right place if you take your food seriously :D The locals have provided me with a great amount of information as well. Welcome to the fray, scojo
Blitzzzzz
02-06-2007, 07:02 PM
I vote for the Central for the first time, the store and the folks in line, as well as the counter guys are always a trip! With a cold Barq's or a cold Abita, I always trudge across the street to the Moonwalk. Sitting by the river, eating a Muff and watching the boats go by is something everyone should do at least once!:cool:
marignygreg
02-06-2007, 07:37 PM
Had one from Central last week for the first time in years. After I got over the $13 dollar sticker shock it was damn good and fed me for 2 days. I still prefer Nap House with a side of jumbalaya and a Guiness. Yummy;}
pokerchick66
02-06-2007, 07:40 PM
Central Grocery all the way. I'd like Jeff to prove me wrong, though. ;)
funkkjunkie
02-06-2007, 07:46 PM
Now that Fiorella's has crashed and burned, I'm on a search for the yummiest shrimp poboy. I've heard domilise's for the roast beef. Shrimp too, rosetree? I tried Johnnys in the quarter and thought the shriimp tasted like they'd been cooked in old grease.
ibjamn
02-06-2007, 07:47 PM
The wife and always park bench it when enjoyin' the Central product... We always end up given' half away to one (or two) the homeless peeps who share the park space (it's cut into quarters, very easy to do)...
Ib,.. ya' remember the name of the Italian rest. and deli (they had sit down too) just beyond the Central???... They also made a very good samich...
I think Mich mentioned it on the previous page, Progresso? I like Napoleon House version, because I prefer the untraditional warmed muff. (Shut UP, you oinkers!)
grisgris
02-06-2007, 07:58 PM
Ib,.. ya' remember the name of the Italian rest. and deli (they had sit down too) just beyond the Central???... They also made a very good samich...
Could that be Frank's, a couple of doors down? Me & Swampie had lunch there at Festgiving & it was wonderful.
Try Nor- Joe's just over the Parish line in Metairie. Real olives, meat and cheeses. Central cuts their olive salad with tons of celery.
pokerchick66
02-06-2007, 08:11 PM
I think Mich mentioned it on the previous page, Progresso? I like Napoleon House version, because I prefer the untraditional warmed muff. (Shut UP, you oinkers!)
I like my muff warm, too. :D
Corona
02-06-2007, 08:14 PM
oh my lol!!!
Central Grocery hands down for the best muff I've had in N.O. :)
Papins
02-06-2007, 08:15 PM
I'll take more than one from Central Grocery...as for Po Boy's; Johnny's! Their pastrami po boy rules.
rosetree
02-06-2007, 08:35 PM
Looks like we may have to have a few Dimartino's muffs at the studio for the patry....first come, first served!;)
KK--I used to get the RB poboy and also the swimps. Both HIGHLY recommended!:D
breambob
02-06-2007, 08:39 PM
Central Grocery or the now defunct Progress Grocery supposedly created it and fought amongst themselves who was right.
I think your first one should be from Central...I'm not a fan of the Napoleon House's version although I love the place and always get a Pimm's Cup when I can make it there. Cafe Maspero's version ain't bad but the fried oyster sandwich there always gets the nod instead. Plus if you like the one from Central, then you can immediately get a quart of the olive salad from them to take home and experiment with your own version.
And I also thought the preferred beverage for a Muffalatta was a cold Barqs..especially when splitting one with the one you love on a park bench in Jackson square.
Now I must try the Westbank version as local recommendations are to be taken very very seriously when looking for good eats in NOLA.
Good points, Mich. There was a big fight over the muffaletta "name", and Central won. Besides the Progress fight there were a number of Italian delis in the state around the turn of the last century that featured the meats, cheeses and spread on round bread. The oldest known photo is on the wall at Fertitta's here in Shreveport, dated two years before Central opened. They call it "Muffy" lest they get sued again by Central. Here it's the basic same ingrediants but served hot, with the cheeses almost melted and a more toasted loaf.
In New Orleans I'd have to go with Dimartino's, I just like their spread better.
http://www.papafertitta.com/index.html
rosetree
02-06-2007, 08:41 PM
Another vote for Dimartino's!!!!:D
WHOO-HOO!!!!
Blitzzzzz
02-06-2007, 08:42 PM
Could that be Frank's, a couple of doors down? Me & Swampie had lunch there at Festgiving & it was wonderful.
Frank's is quite a treat! Progress was the other Italian Grocery next to Central. No longer there. I was told it is on the web, but when I searched it, I found an opening page that redirected me to a web mall, but their store page wasn't there??:cool:
Michelino
02-06-2007, 08:56 PM
Looks like we may have to have a few Dimartino's muffs at the studio for the patry....first come, first served!;)
KK--I used to get the RB poboy and also the swimps. Both HIGHLY recommended!:D
What time does it start again?
I've heard good things about Domilise's but haven't gotten there yet.. mainly because at lunch time it's in the same direction as Casamento's (http://www.casamentosrestaurant.com/menu/menu.html) and, well you know about the softshell crab thing. Although it's really the oysters that I seek.
Michelino
02-06-2007, 09:08 PM
Try Nor- Joe's just over the Parish line in Metairie. Real olives, meat and cheeses. Central cuts their olive salad with tons of celery.
Now don't you be dissin the celery in olive salad...all my Sicilian relatives and all the delis up here that make a good one always include some good crisp celery as part of it. Better yet is some thinly sliced fresh fennel. But these are olives salads you eat with bread on the side...not use just as a condiment.
I have perfected a variation on one of the best dishes that consists mainly of just olives. I may have mentioned it before..starting with about a pound of pitted oil-cured olives, you bake these for 45 minutes with a mixture of about a cup of red wine,a little orange juice, a few large twigs of fresh rosemary, a bit of thinly slice garlic and zest of a large orange. What is really cool about the dish to me is that after about 45 years of trying to get my kid sister to like olives, she finally said "that was good" after trying this one.
funkkjunkie
02-06-2007, 09:08 PM
OMG. I adore crab claws. Almost forgot to mention Bon Ton Cafe. They have the best crab au gratin.
stlbarb
02-06-2007, 09:26 PM
If he meant to say "it's damn good"" then Howard Johnson is right!!!!!!!!!!!.....
The Cafe Maspero version always hit the spot....
A few doors down from the Central (an Italian joint),.. one could find a tasty muff samich too.....
Cafe Maspero has lots of yummy sandwiches, good french onion soup, and is easy on the budget.
we used to get good muffuletta's at the little Intalian place next to one of the grocers on Decatur. it was a tiny place downstairs, with a smaill room upstairs. Name? still around? they would serve them heated which is the way i prefer.
what i like about a muffulleta's is a whole serves 2 for a meal, 4 for a snack. we used to get them from the grocer before flying home. you'd open it up on the plane and everyone would starting asking 'where'd you get that', do they have those at the airport'. couldn't reply, my mouth was full.
i've also gotten pretty decent versions at the regular grocery stores in the NOLA area.
stlbarb
02-06-2007, 09:28 PM
The wife and always park bench it when enjoyin' the Central product... We always end up given' half away to one (or two) the homeless peeps who share the park space (it's cut into quarters, very easy to do)...
Ib,.. ya' remember the name of the Italian rest. and deli (they had sit down too) just beyond the Central???... They also made a very good samich...
i just posted about that place. but can't remember the name. i can picture the exact palce - not sure i ever knew the name. good stuff.
specialed
02-06-2007, 09:42 PM
It was 1991, or 1992, a bunch of us came to NOLA for the weekend with plans to go over to Red Stick for the GA/LSU game(Go Dawgs!). Ended up with twelve drinkin' at Pat OBrien's on Thursday night. I decided we should rent a 15 passenger van-3 seats for food and beer, 12 people. All agreed. I was gonna get Popeye's for 12. One guy says, "I'll bring some sammiches." Saturday morning with a two day hangover, I'm in front of the St. Louis Hotel loading the van when I see this guy coming with his two brothers and these tremendous boxes! He had bought 12 muffaletas from Central Grocery! We finally managed to get them all in the van. By the time we got to Red Stick, we smelled like the sandwiches! We made a lot of frineds up there as we fed people for miles around us! btw, Dawgs won!
Amyloves...
02-06-2007, 09:49 PM
...come ova to the Westbank and go to Dimartino's...better than Central IMHO ;)
You blasphemer! :p Central Grocery! CENTRAL GROCERY!!
Michelino
02-06-2007, 09:54 PM
You blasphemer! :p Central Grocery! CENTRAL GROCERY!!
Plus Central Grocery has Stuffed Artichokes on the counter...not as good as my momma used to make..but still, where else do you find that?
MzJoey
02-06-2007, 09:55 PM
...they have so much wonderful stuff...i'm sure they got dose stuffed artichokes...and that olive dish sounds like heaven on earth...
rosetree
02-06-2007, 09:57 PM
You blasphemer! :p Central Grocery! CENTRAL GROCERY!!
Have you ever been there???? (Dimartino's) Don't knock it 'til you tried it:p :p
rosetree
02-06-2007, 09:59 PM
Plus Central Grocery has Stuffed Artichokes on the counter...not as good as my momma used to make..but still, where else do you find that?
Doesn't every good sandwich shop/deli have stuffed 'chokes???;) ...oh maybe only in NOLA!!!:D
Michelino
02-06-2007, 10:01 PM
Have you ever been there???? (Dimartino's) Don't knock it 'til you tried it:p :p
Ok, you two...send me one of each next day delivery and I'll let you know by Friday which one gets finished first.
steffie
02-06-2007, 10:01 PM
You blasphemer! :p Central Grocery! CENTRAL GROCERY!!
Could someone please note the address to Central Grocery so I may try a Muffaletta from there :)
Zydekitten
02-06-2007, 10:02 PM
Okay, as I don't like Muffalettas (sorry, y'all - Kitten just doesn't like olives) - how about the Best Po-Boy sammich . . . a question MUCH more near and dear to my heart/tummy!!!
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o67/Zydekitten/vicnnatly.jpg
rosetree
02-06-2007, 10:05 PM
....already stated mine....Domelise's:D :D
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=141&RefID=141
Michelino
02-06-2007, 10:07 PM
Doesn't every good sandwich shop/deli have stuffed 'chokes???;) ...oh maybe only in NOLA!!!:D
That is sort of the litmus test as to whether you are in Italian deli heaven or not. An open barrel of cici and fave is also a good sign.
Zydekitten
02-06-2007, 10:10 PM
....already stated mine....Domelise's:D :D
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.:Daspx?ReviewID=141&RefID=141 (http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=141&RefID=141)
Rosy: True dat - Domelise's DOES have excellent Po-Boys and the last time I was there (before the storm) I got to share my lunch hour with Nicholas Payton!
pokerchick66
02-06-2007, 10:14 PM
You blasphemer! :p Central Grocery! CENTRAL GROCERY!!
ROFLMAO!
pokerchick66
02-06-2007, 10:16 PM
Rosy: True dat - Domelise's DOES have excellent Po-Boys and the last time I was there (before the storm) I got to share my lunch hour with Nicholas Payton!
Kitten, which restaurant were you telling us to get a seat in the garden/courtyard?
Michelino
02-06-2007, 10:18 PM
Could someone please note the address to Central Grocery so I may try a Muffaletta from there :)
Right here (http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=122)....923 Decatur St...about two minutes from Jackson Square
Zydekitten
02-06-2007, 10:23 PM
Kitten, which restaurant were you telling us to get a seat in the garden/courtyard?
Bayona, babeee!!!! It is one of the *most* romantic and lush places in which I've ever eaten a meal (dinner in this case) and I've eaten in some romantic and lush joints, I'll have you know!
;)
pokerchick66
02-06-2007, 10:31 PM
Bayona, babeee!!!! It is one of the *most* romantic and lush places in which I've ever eaten a meal (dinner in this case) and I've eaten in some romantic and lush joints, I'll have you know!
;)
Baby, you're the greatest. :D
steffie
02-06-2007, 10:33 PM
Right here (http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=122)....923 Decatur St...about two minutes from Jackson Square
Thanks !!!!!:)
MzJoey
02-06-2007, 10:34 PM
Been wanting to go to Bayona's in forever! But if it's dinner for two...hey i'll need a rolling partner!!
johnstp
02-06-2007, 10:40 PM
Central Grocery, all the way! :D
Zydekitten
02-06-2007, 11:18 PM
Baby, you're the greatest. :D
It's just 'cause I loves you, baby! :D
Zydekitten
02-06-2007, 11:19 PM
Been wanting to go to Bayona's in forever! But if it's dinner for two...hey i'll need a rolling partner!!
It's worth it, MzJoey!!! Bayona is off da hook!
NeenAtlanta
02-07-2007, 07:52 AM
Every year I always stop at Central Grocery before heading to the airport to catch my plane. I bring home 2-3 of those heavy, yummy muff's so I can still have a taste of NOLA after I'm back in Atlanta. Not sure about the new plane rules now, whether I'd be able to carry them on anymore.
But boy, they sure smelled my section of the plane up GOOOOOOD.
scojo
02-07-2007, 08:13 AM
Wow thanks for all the advise everyone. Can't wait to "dive" in to a good.....sammich.....What did you think I was going to say...........
BigDag
02-07-2007, 08:44 AM
Wow, what a popular topic. My two cents, if it's your first, go to Central Grocery. It's probably the closest thing to "the original". Then, branch out to the other places. After your first muff, you''ll want more!
nolanole
02-07-2007, 09:11 AM
Central Grocery, mos def. But if you're hanging out at Cooter Browns sometime, their warm version is suprisingly good.
dank_bass
02-07-2007, 09:30 AM
OK, you guys did me in. I read somewhere once upon a time that Central Grocery Ships Sandwiches, and now I need to have one, so who knows the info for this?
Festvet
02-07-2007, 11:31 AM
If he meant to say "it's damn good"" then Howard Johnson is right!!!!!!!!!!!.....
The Cafe Maspero version always hit the spot....
A few doors down from the Central (an Italian joint),.. one could find a tasty muff samich too.....
is it Johnnie's? Liked theirs much better than Central. Liuzza's (mid-city) has their version called a Frenchaletta (on traditional po-boy bread. Goes well with a hug-ass frosty and some fired pickles! Katy's across the street was good too but not sure if they've re-opened.
marignygreg
02-07-2007, 11:41 AM
Damn,I'm getting hungry. It's freezing up here in Chicago. I wish I could sink my mouth into a warm muff, er....you know what I mean ;)
Lostcajun
02-07-2007, 12:00 PM
My vote for best muffalatta is Central fer sur, and Domelise's for poorboys. I NEVER go to NOLA without stopping in Domelise's. Sadly the only time I missed their oyster poboy was in October 2005 (were closed due to the thing), but I was back in January 2006 and made up for it.
aaaaaaaaaaaaayeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeei!!!!!!!!!
Amy Winette
02-07-2007, 07:49 PM
Mich, is that a crab on your face??
windowman
02-07-2007, 11:16 PM
The Central is the original with imported meats and cheeses, a truly unique taste. I've been told that the olive salad actually comes from NYC...
There are many tasty and meatier versions around town, including DiMartino's, but nothing tastes like the Central.