re: City Pork is opening a 2nd location...

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Rickety Cricket City Pork is opening a 2nd location... You'd think. And isn't City Pork just trying to piggy back off of what Butcher has done so well?

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Butcher does a great job, but they did not invent this style of place. I mean come on

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I understand. Why is there automatically no money (or less money) in a true specialty foods purveyor in Baton Rouge? At some point, won't a certain segment of the population want something more than watered down sameness?

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The thing is, people raved about City Pork from the beginning. If people are raving about your food, no matter how popular you get, why would you change it? All the people that loved it are going to stop loving it.

I could see them being successful on Jefferson if they keep high end products.. Not so much if they don't.

Also, after working in that location for 3 years, I can tell you they need to do a REAL remodel. Keeping it as is won't attract people. Too dumpy. Make it look nice, serve good charcuterie, and you have a nice date spot.

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Dempseys closed? Their portions were out of control.

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Other two locations are still open.

I look forward to their new location. It's a 2 minute walk from my office.

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I could see them being successful on Jefferson if they keep high end products.. Not so much if they don't.

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Maybe but apparently they have already gotten away from high end, small batch product.

And I agree the building is a shithole. Five sandwiches, couple soups and a gumbo isn't going to set the world on fire. I'm not so sure about this new owner, restaurant group.

I had the pleasure of stopping by Frankie's Dawg House a couple weeks ago and while I waited the fifteen minutes for Archie and Jughead to make my six dollar carolina dog I had the opportunity to read the Sysco grocery list on the counter. 8 cans of chili was first on the list. Bleach, buns and sauerkraut were next.

City Pork goes that route and what a shame it will be. I'm afraid it's heading down that slippery slope.

Sysco has its place in restaurant service. Napkins, forks and toilet paper.

Depends on the proteins, but there are a lot of smaller ranchers and pig farmers in the state supplying restaurants with all matter of fowl and four legged beasts. If we can find good pigs, beef, and chicken at farmer's markets, a restaurant making its name on its cold cuts and charcuterie should be able to do so as well.

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Having said that, City Pork is not the same. They don't make anything in house anymore it seems. Nobody there knows how to do it.

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That is pretty much my point. It's close to just another sandwich shop. From their website:

"City Pork is a neighborhood deli, sandwich shop, and charcuterie specializing in house-made meats, pickles, condiments and sides. Along with local favorites such as boudin, tasso, and andouille sausage, we also feature European specialties like confits, pâtés and dry-cured meats.

Inspired by old-world meat markets who emphasized a handcrafted approach, City Pork produces scratch-made goods in small batches ensuring proper care and attention to detail. All of our deli meats are either slow-roasted, braised or smoked imparting unique and bold flavors to our sandwiches. Our goal is simply to provide customers with great-tasting, made-from-scratch food from a creative, evolving and seasonal-driven menu."

And as I said Sysco has its place in food service but City Pork should consider itself and what it set out to do and where it is now just a few months down the road. And as you said the guy that knew it left, hence just another sandwich shop. Nothing wrong with that but nothing special either.

And let's face it a small local hot dog joint that can't even make its own hot dog chili isn't any better than Exxon on the Run and the "push button" chili. You don't have to be on loan from NASA to make it. They aren't even mailing it in.

Really I'm an enthusiast like most on this board and when these things happen to restaurants I tend to if not lose respect, lose interest and certainly spend my money elsewhere. And before anyone says I'm a snob that's not true. I just appreciate good things, most of which are simple and relatively inexpensive.

holy shite. I'm sure 1 pot of chili can feed all of their customers for the week.

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