The pig ear sandwich is a popular item at Kingfish Soulfood Bistro, but you won’t see folks eating it on a daily basis down South. At least that’s what the restaurant’s owner, who goes by simply “Kingfish,” tells me during my recent trip to the East Lawrence eatery.

“We call it an aphrodisiac,” says Kingfish, who boasts “blood roots” in rural Louisiana. “It’s not something you eat every day.”

Pig ear sandwich at Kingfish Soulfood Bistro, 1910 Haskell Ave.

At Kingfish, it’s grilled and doctored up with house-made seasoning, sauteed onions, mustard and jalapenos. The peppers, along with a drizzle on horseradish on the bun, give it a little kick.

The pig ear, Kingfish admits, is fairly divisive — people either love it or hate it. He describes the natural texture as “gristle-y,” which is pretty accurate. Grilling gives the ear’s outer layers an almost-brittle firmness that’s surprisingly easy to bite through, while the inner cartilage remains gelatinous and chewy.

Where to get it:Kingfish Soulfood Bistro, 1910 Haskell Ave. It’s open noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

What you’ll pay: $8.99, plus tax. It should be noted that Kingfish’s credit-card system is down at the moment, so make sure to bring some cash.

Try it with: A side of greens for $3.29

Also on the menu: A handful of other Southern delicacies such as liver and onions, neck bones, fried green beans, catfish nuggets, fried chicken, pork chops, hamburgers and the like. We also sampled the meatloaf entree, which arrives with two hefty slices of meatloaf and your choice of two sides (we chose greens and fried potatoes and onions, at Kingfish’s suggestion) plus corn bread or dinner rolls. Desserts include peach cobbler (which we ordered) to the “Better than Sex Chocolate Cake” (we’ll have to save that one for a later trip).

— Off The Beaten Plate highlights some of the more exotic, oddly named or inventively concocted dishes from local menus. Know of an offbeat item we should check out? Email reporter Joanna Hlavacek at jhlavacek@ljworld.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/hlavacekjoanna.