The First Super 46!

see how this all started at: http://bkatranch.blogspot.com/2012/01/bc-and-kathies-excellent-adventure-to.html

The first Super Sandwich! Picking the first sandwich to start our challenge of trying all of the Super 46 sandwiches listed on http://www.super46.com/ was a very difficult decision. I wanted to set the tone right for my lovely wife, because if the first sandwich adventure went poorly – she would have a bad attitude for the whole contest. I also wanted to start with something different, something with some spark, if you will. As I scanned the list for a potential sandwich, Papa Roux immediately jumped off the page.

I had read something about Papa Roux several years ago. A customer was upset that Papa Roux was out of shrimp and was heard saying “What type of Cajun restaurant runs out of shrimp?” Understand that I run a very successful grooming salon with my wife in which I answer the telephone and often have to inform people that we do not have a grooming appointment available. That usually causes a response like “what type of grooming salon doesn’t have appointments available?” Then I usually try to explain that the type would be one that doesn’t want to have a large production shop where every single pet couldn’t receive the absolute best! I guessed the type of Cajun restaurant that would run out of shrimp, was a restaurant who would not settle for just any shrimp, and I was right. I read his thoughts on the subject and more on his blog http://paparouxindy.com/papablogs/ and realized that he was my type of entrepreneur, the type that would not settle, the type that would work and work and work, and the type that was doing his own thing out of passion for his restaurant and not because he thought that it would make him a fortune. There are a lot of small business owners in the world but there is only a small percentage that really has a passion for what they do. Papa Roux was the choice!

I picked their location at City Market because Kathie just loves the City Market. I guess that way back when, Kathie and her mom would visit the City Market and even before that, her grandfather would sell his produce at market – there – at city market! A lot of history in her family. Okay, Papa Roux at the City Market, I can’t wait!

Papa Roux @ City Market is open Mon – Saturday for Lunch 10:30 – 3:00 and dinner 5:00 – 9:00. If you don’t know where the City Market is – just head to the center of Indianapolis and head a block or two east and there it is!

The sandwich on the Super 46 list is the Roast Pork Po’ Boy which I have to admit, would not have been my first choice. I’m not much of a pork guy. I like pork, especially on some ribs with a spicy bbq sauce slathered over them, but pulled pork on a sandwich would not be my top choice – grilled sausage would have been, or maybe catfish, or even BACON. Holy cow with those choices, I am glad that my decision was predetermined. I stepped up to the counter that is covered in signatures which is a nod to their flagship location on East 10th Street. From what I understand, Papa had read on-line that his plain walls were a little boring. The next day he started encouraging people to sign the walls and now the place is covered with fun graffiti. I ordered the Pork Po’ Boy and then my wife ordered a sausage Po’ Boy, without me even asking her to. I guess great food minds think alike! The sandwich includes a side and a bottle of Abita Root Beer which is made by Abita Brewing Company just 30 miles north of New Orleans. Kathie and I both chose red beans and rice for our side. I would think that this will be the best value on the list! You get a HUGE sandwich (over a pound), a side, and a drink for $7.50.

What the heck is a Po’ Boy, anyway? Wiki to the rescue! A po’ boy is a traditional submarine sandwich from Louisiana. It is served on New Orleans French bread, known for its crisp crust and fluffy center. The bread is really what makes it different than other sandwiches, according to the great Wikipedia.

Kathie and I received our food and she insisted that we sit in a certain spot in the market. It was a location that she and her mother would sit. I do not know the words to accurately describe the meal. The sandwich was good. The combination of creamy coleslaw heaped onto pulled pork and then there was a tang of spice which I assumed was from the “vouxdoux” mayo. I will warn you – this is not a sandwich for someone who tries to always be prim and proper when eating (like my mother!). The juices from the pulled pork combines with the creamy sauce of the slaw and soaks into the bread making it a task just to pick up the monster to take a bite! I enjoyed this sandwich and the half from Kathie’s sausage Po’ Boy. It definitely lives up to the Po’ Boy wiki definition because the bread was incredible! Kathie LOVED both sandwiches as she thought the slaw was awesome. The side of red beans and rice was probably the best red beans and rice that I had ever had.

When I first had the thought of the Super 46 review I was hoping to come across as a food reviewer/writer like Scott Hutcheson and get to use terms like “the complexity of the flavors layered together” or “the blend of spices was very balanced against the acidity” but as you can probably tell by now, that is not me. I am not a food reviewer which is good because it is more than just about the food for me. It is about the package, and Papa Roux has the package. A great location with some history. A great story about a family that has such passion for their creation. A damn good sandwich. Papa Roux is on my list and I will visit again, soon.