Oyster po' boy sandwich
Matthew Lewis’ “Where ya At” is a snapshot into New Orleans gastronomy, history and culture at its finest. I reckon it is the best New Orleans food in Seattle. Oh, and did I mention the culinary food delights are served out of a truck? Matt and his crew drive around to one of five locations each day to serve up authentic New Orleans Soul food to the hungry lunchers of Seattle’s west side.
Lewis’ menu is inspired by all of his childhood memories of eating food in his hometown, where he claims people are uber-friendly. His food and mantra for his business are inspired by New Orleans. “Where ya At” is a common friendly greeting used to signify what’s up and how are you doing.
The term soul food became popular during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s as African Americans looked to draw a prideful distinction for the authentic style of cooking that originated in Africa.
Congenial Matt takes your order while making you feel like you are old college buddies hanging out at a friend’s backyard. Within two minutes, we are cracking jokes back and forth with a comfortable familiarity.
For my New Orleans adventure, I start off with an appetizer of beignets which come in a trio (Matt has the foresight to know no one can eat just one) served in a white paper bag. Dessert before the main meal, you may ask? Oh yes. As part of the beignet handoff ritual, Matt gives the bag a proper send-off shake which coats them in powdered sugar. As I open the bag, a surge of steam hits my face. These bad boys are emanating heat as each batch is made to order (no microwaving in Matt’s dojo).
Matt arises at 6am every morning to roll out the dough for his Louisiana-style donuts. Matt creates everything from scratch – even the mayonnaise for his sandwiches. My initial beignet bite starts off with a sweet doughy goodness, but once I get to the center, there’s a slight bit of salt that leaves every part of my body wanting more. I lick my powder sugar-lined lips and remind myself to take it easy. This meal is just getting started.
After dessert, I check out the lunch menu. Many of us associate New Orleans cuisine with the Po’ Boy, so naturally everyone’s first question is – How’s the Po’ Boy? Matt’s gargantuan Po’ Boys are delicious and he serves up seven variations of the famed sandwich: shrimp, oyster, roast beef, big bold creole pork, andouille sausage, portobello mushroom, and the Peacemaker (oyster + bacon + lots of fixins).
Although all several variations of the Po’ boy are remarkable, New Orleans cuisine and Matt’s food truck are much more than just about the Po’ Boy. The Oyster Po’ Boy is my favorite, but today I decide to go sandwich-less and order the shrimp and grits.
Matt has a well thought out tent-set-up where I can enjoy my southern food goodness protected from all of the outdoor elements, but today I decide to dominate lunch from the comforts of my own home. Seattle food truck eating in the winter can be tough. Oftentimes, I find myself shivering in the rain and shoveling down food as quickly as I can before the drizzles, wind and overall cold air alter the composition of the food and start to make me question why I live in Seattle. A lot of food trucks are simply not equipped for long-range takeout orders.
But Matt has it all figured out. My shrimp and grits come out piping hot in the perfect takeaway lid container. I get my order and race home, grinning like a Cheshire cat when I realize my food is still plenty hot. No reheating required, which means I get to dig in right away. The dish sends me to a state of euphoria – with tender nickel-sized shrimp floating atop buttery grits. The shrimp are submerged in a pool of creole hot sauce and sprinkled with chives. And there is no skimping on the shrimp. Sometimes at other trucks, the ratio of grains (aka-fillers) to meat (aka – precious protein) is cruelly disproportionate and leaves you feeling ripped off and sad. But not at Where Ya At. Not only is the dish adorned with plenty of shrimp, the grits are anything but a filler. They are spiced to perfection and the texture is spot on, not too thick, not too runny.
A number of food trucks have surfaced in Seattle in the past year, but I think Where Ya At is in a class all its own. Keep an eye on Matt. He’s on the move in more ways than one.
MMM!! Just returned from a trip to Where Ya At on the MS campus. Two other ‘Softies and I loved Matt and his food. Matt’s truck was by far the most popular in the 3 truck line up, so we waited patiently for our turn to order. Between the 3 of us, there was a Shrimp Po-Boy, Smothered Chicken Po-Boy, and Oyster Po-Boy, along with beignets and King Cake.
The Po-Boys were all devoured quickly, and while we’re typically good at offering each other bites, no one offers anyone else a morsel of their delicious sandwich.
The beignets were fabulous, and dressed with so much powder sugar that I inadvertently covered my co-worker’s beautiful black coat with specs of goodness in the warm February breeze. King Cake was probably the weakest item, but it was still passed around and eaten with enthusiasm.
We all agreed to track Where Ya At so we can try the shrimp and grits, corn bread, pecan pie, and maybe even another Po-Boy or two…
Thanks, Jen, for the great write up and tip to Where Ya At!
Thanks K for reporting back. I feel like you and your gang covered off a lot of the menu. Nice work!