Thin Fried Catfish in Pass Manchac

One of the best things about traveling is finding those out-of-the-way places that specialize in something unique to the area.  It is so at Middendorf’s in Pass Manchac, Louisiana.

I found Middendorf’s through Road Food.com. You have to get off I-10 on the way to Baton Rouge (one of America’s great cities) from New Orleans (another of America’s great cities – visit NOLA and support its recovery) onto I-55 and go about 14 miles. Pass Manchac is a spit in the middle of water. There’s hardly anything there but the restaurant. Worth it, worth it, worth it.

On my way to Baton Rouge yesterday I veered off I-10 and headed for Middendorf’s. For reasons unknown, they began shaving their catfish to about 1/8th inch thick, coating it in a great cornmeal mixture and frying it. The result is kind of like a catfish potato chip in texture.

The platter comes with hushpuppies, cole slaw with a single pickle slice perched on top and really good French fries (the kind that are soft in the middle and have the sheerest crispy outer coating redolent of grease).

There are lots of other seafood options on the menu, but I always gravitate to the thin-fried catfish because I can’t get it anywhere else. And here’s the amazing thing. I got there earlier than I had anticipated. It was only 10:15 in the morning and the restaurant opened at 10:30. I couldn’t imagine anyone showing up at 10:30 in the morning to eat catfish in a restaurant literally in the middle of nowhere, but as soon as the “open” sign appeared, so did multitudes of people! Catfish for breakfast. Who knew.