In 2012, Cam Boudreaux and April Bellow reinvented the po’boy with their restaurant, Killer Po’boys. The two native New Orleanians took internationally inspired flavors, combined them with local ingredients, and with their culinary experience, they were able to create something completely out of the box and changed the way po’boys are made.
The restaurant’s location is a little out of the box, also. You have to move past the regulars at the small Erin Rose bar, which is located at 811 Conti Street in the French Quarter, and beneath the sign with a skull and two crossed baguettes. There you’ll find either Cam or April working in the small kitchen. The two met while working together at Arnaud’s in the 1990s and have worked in some of the finest restaurants in New Orleans before coming up with the idea of non-traditional po’boy pop-up.
With all their experience and imagination, Cam and April crafted sandwiches you won’t find anywhere else. Instead of serving the traditional fried shrimp, hot sausage or fall apart tender roast beef po’boy, topped with shredded iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes, you’ll find a Sweet Potato Po’boy with a black-eyed peas and pecan spread, pickled shallots and greens. You’ll also find the Seared Gulf Shrimp Po’boy with marinated carrot, daikon, cucumber, herbs, and a sriracha aioli; the Glazed Pork Belly Po’boy with NOLA rum and ginger can syrup, lime slaw and a garlic aioli; Grass-fed Beef Meatloaf Po’boy with bbq sauce, pickles and a housemade ranch; Jameson Grilled Cheese with aged cheddar and Jameson on a whole grain bread. Along with the changing daily specials, one of these may become your new “traditional” po’boy while in New Orleans.
The restaurant has been highly acclaimed since it opened. GoNOLA.com compares what Cam and April did with po’boys to what Antoines did with Oysters Rockefeller in 1899. It has also been compared to what Central Grocery did with the muffuletta in 1906 as well as what the Martin brother’s did with the original po’boy in 1929.
New Orleans Magazine named it one of the best places to get “cheap eats” in the city. Travel and Leisure said it has the best po’boy in New Orleans ranking the Coriander-Lime Gulf Shrimp Po’boy number one – ahead of all the traditional po’boys! BuzzFeed.com named the Roasted Sweet Potato Po’boy one of the “23 Truly Unbelievable Dishes Only Found In NOLA“.
I asked Cam Boudreaux, “How Do You Red Bean?”
1. Where’s your favorite place to order red beans and rice?
My favorite place to order Red Beans and Rice would probably be Popeye’s Fried Chicken, due to sheer convenience. I remember when I lived uptown, the Balcony bar used to have free red beans on Mondays. That was it for sure.
Also, local band King James and the Special Men serve an excellent pot of Red Beans and rice at their Monday weekly show at BJ’s bar in the Bywater.
2. Do you put any unique ingredients in your pot of red beans? Do you prefer dried or canned beans?
Dry Camellia brand beans of course. A very unique ingredient that my wife puts in our Red Beans is dried Fenugreek leaf. Shocker.
3. What do you eat with red beans and rice?
Hot sauce, green onions and when I was growing up, my mom used to serve minced white onions as a garnish on the side. Oh, and bread, French bread if possible, but even corn tortillas will do in a pinch. Carbs for the win! Also, the rice must be served on top. Never ever serve my red beans on top of my rice. Never.
4. Do you only eat red beans and rice on traditional Mondays or any day of the week?
Any old day of the week, we cook ‘em in a crock pot overnight so we get to smell ‘em cooking all night.
5. What are you currently working on?
We are currently working on having the best year ever at our wee po’boy shop!!!
For more information on Killer Po’boys and the current menu, you can visit their website at KillerPoBoys.com. You can also find Cam and April on their Facebook page and on Twitter @killerpoboys. Killer Po’boys is in the back of the Erin Rose Bar at 811 Conti Street.