ACME OYSTER HOUSE

He says:
Before heading to New Orleans, I consulted several online sites seeking the best cheap eats in the city. Apparently so did every other tourist visiting the Big Easy, which explains why the line outside Acme Oyster Company stretched all the way down the block. It was a truly random crowd, as pretentious East Coasters in bug-eyed sunglasses mixed uneasily with good old boys sporting eyepatches (no joke). Ah, the price we pay for inexpensive seafood!

And in the end, was the thirty minute worth it? In a word, no. Like most eateries that cater to gullible tourists who believe everything they read on the internets, Acme Oyster Company does the bare minimum to stay in business.

My fried peace maker po-boy was a mixed bag. Half the sandwich came with fried shrimp as rubbery as pencil erasers. The fried oyster side was much better, creamy and crunchy in all the right ways. The Tabasco-infused mayo added a welcome bite, though it couldn’t raise this sandwich from mediocrity.

She says:
Eager for a traditional Creole dish, I opted for the gumbo. Bland, bland, bland. Isn’t Creole cuisine supposed to be fiery? The shrimp were all small and insipid, and the rest of the soup just tasted like indistinct brown gravy.

Downtown Boy and I also shared a side of jambalaya, which thankfully did have some kick. Isn’t it sad when a bowl of rice becomes the highlight of a meal?

We say:
You see that long line of people waiting to get inside the Acme Oyster House? Don't join them.




Acme Oyster House
724 Iberville Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
http://www.acmeoyster.com/