You've probably heard of Middendorf's, the world-famous restaurant located in the Pass Manchac area. If not, you need to have your brain checked! Middendorf's was opened in 1934 by a German couple, and it has been passed down through two generations of the family. In 2006, the Lamonte family (the current owners), sold Middendorf's to the German-born chef Horst Pfeifer. Since the Pfeifers bought the restaurant, they have preserved the traditional menu, which includes a mix of three special cuisines: Creole, Cajun, and Southern. Middendorf's most famous food is the thin-fried catfish, and take it from me: I think it is the best fried catfish I've had in my whole life. Southern Living stated that the catfish at Middendorf's is "possibly the best fried fish in the whole world." Now that is saying something!
I went to Middendorf's on a Saturday night. I was tired and very hungry. I had been at a party in Ponchatoula, hadn't eaten anything there, and I lacked a good dinner. Hearing that Middendorf's was world-famous, and that I was close to it, I immediately drove that way and pulled into the restaurant's driveway in a blink.
It was extremely crowded when I arrived. Lots and lots of people were standing around, holding coasters, which flashed when a table was available for you. The nice young lady managing the reservations gave me my coaster and said it would flash in about 20 minutes. The coaster flashed in 10 minutes, which I was very happy about. I was led to a table by a member of staff, and she made sure I was seated comfortably and had my drink before she left to attend to the other millions of people waiting! I was seated in the upstairs dining room; it was big, loud, and had a cheerful atmosphere. I relaxed immediately. After I ordered my food (I, of course, had to choose the catfish), I was served a basket of warm bread and butter. I thought the bread was homemade; it was deliciously soft, hot, and comforting. It tasted homemade anyway, and not like some stale, manufactured loaf.
For an appetizer, I chose crawfish cakes with remoulade sauce. They came beautifully presented on a blue plate that was shaped like a fish. The cakes were small, and sitting side by side on the plate. A little puddle of sauce was plated beside them. I picked up my fork and dove in. The cakes, which were fried, had that marvelous crisp-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside contrast. The crawfish was perfectly cooked and flavorful, and the outside was amazingly crispy and golden. The sauce was packed with flavor, and it was nicely chunky (not the smooth, listless soup you get at some places). I thought it was the perfect way to begin my "world-famous" meal.
Finally, heaven came in the form of an oval plate piled high with golden catfish. After the waitress brought me my food, I studied it carefully. There was a bed of French fries beneath the fish, and two hushpuppies sitting beside it. There was also a Styrofoam bowl filled with coleslaw next to all the fried stuff. I couldn't wait any longer. Instead of using my fork and knife, I just picked up a piece of fish, dipped it in the complimentary cup of cocktail sauce, and took a bite. My mind went blank. I saw stars. The crunch of the crispy golden crust was loud enough, I reckoned, to be heard all over the state. The crust was so light and crisp, and the fish was incredibly moist, flaky, and mind-blowingly wonderful. I was crunching away enthusiastically now, not caring about double-dipping (it was my own spit, folks). I also ate both hushpuppies, which were crisp on the outside, and fluffy on the inside (they were a teeny tiny itsy-bitsy bit dry). What I really liked about them was that there were shallots in the batter—a great flavor! The French fries were...well...really just French fries, which were great because I love French fries. No sense in that, no?
Dessert was offered to me, but I was so full I couldn't eat anything more. The check was modest, and I was completely satisfied. The service and atmosphere at Middendorf's were perfect, and the food is superb. If you go you're undoubtedly in for a treat: the catfish is absolutely KILLER. So when you're trucking about Pass Manchac, hungry and tired, I highly recommend stopping by Middendorf's, and you'll get a meal to remember!
