Bozo Vodanovich (RIP) opened Bozo’s Oyster Bar & Beer Parlor in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans in 1928. Some of our supernumerated readers will recall that 10th Ward strongman Arthur J. O’Keefe was the mayor in that glorious era.

Like many Croatians who migrated to Louisiana, Vodanovich worked in the oyster industry and had a fleet of eight boats to serve the needs of his hungry customers.

We’d read about the legendary restaurant for years but it wasn’t until 2009 that we finally darkened the door. Bozo’s had left New Orleans in 1979 but it made little difference to his customers who regularly made the short drive to Metairie to patronize the legend.

What to order at Bozo’s had been on my mind for hours as I made the 500+ mile pilgrimage to Jefferson Parish from Austin, Texas. The menu read like a Louisiana fisherman’s dream with trout, redfish, catfish, shrimps and of course those sublime oysters trawled out of the nearby Plaquemines Parish fisheries.

To this day that oyster po boy is the finest I’ve ever eaten.

Bozo’s is now Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House.