You don’t have to own a boat to be able to get to Middendorf’s Restaurant.
Located on the Lake Maurepas end of Pass Manchac (which connects Lake Maurepas to Lake Pontchartrain), Middendorf’s is accessible by car, but it definitely adds to the experience of eating at this “old school” seafood restaurant if you can tie your boat up, be that a bateau or a yacht, and make your way up one of the docks to the best catfish ever!
We have eaten at Middendorf’s several times, but not recently, and we were delightfully surprised by same changes to the nearly 77-year-old establishment.
The boat docks, which are “staged” with nets, crab traps and other nautical objects, lead to a new, large covered waterfront deck that has a bar and tables for dining and/or cocktails. This area would make Jimmy Buffet proud with its tropical frozen drink menu and fan-misters. There’s also a sandpit for children to play in.
Following damage from Hurricane Ike in September of 2008, the restaurant building itself was renovated. The new dining room, called the Sunset Room, is light-filled and has a large artificial tree in one corner. We were seated in the old dining room which, while freshened up a bit, still retains that formica-topped-table charm.
For an appetizer we inhaled crawfish cakes. Crispy, but not oily, on the outside, tender, but not overly-bready, on the inside, I think I might like these better than less-flavorful crab cakes.
For my entrée, I ordered the fried shrimp, and if you read the previous posting, you know how I feel about shrimp. These weren’t the best I’ve ever eaten (I’ll have to write about Catfish Charlie’s some time), but they were in the “top ten,” and the portion was very generous. I think I counted fourteen shrimp!
Usually, I pass on the nest of French fries on which fried shrimp are usually served. Maybe it was all the fresh air from the boat ride there, but I ate all those obviously homemade fries. I did pass on the rather bland coleslaw.
Middendorf’s is known far and wide for its catfish which is available thick cut or thin cut. Now, I need to state that in all honesty catfish is not my favorite fish—maybe it was all that Walleye I ate during my formative years in northern Wisconsin. To me, catfish sometimes has a dirty or muddy taste.
If you feel the same, try Middendorf’s thin-cut fried catfish and prepare to be converted. After your teeth bite through the piping hot crispy crust, the fish is so delicate and tender it almost melts in your mouth.
Here’s the other wonder about their thin-cut catfish. It tastes as good, if not better, cold! I always think leftover fried fish is somewhat disappointing, but not Middendorf’s. In fact, that evening my husband and I took turns sneaking a bite from the refrigerator until the Styrofoam box was empty.
You won’t find an extensive wine list, although you will find some good homemade desserst, such as bread pudding and cheesecake.
But go to Middendorf’s for the catfish—and if you can, go by boat.
