1201 Royal Street, French Quarter, New Orleans Open 24 hrs, 7 days a week phone 525-4767
Any kitchen can stay open 24 hours, but it takes special one to become a bonafide temple of drunkfood.
Located in the quiet section of the Vieux Carre, the Verti Marte is a somewhat claustrophobic, approachably seedy takeaway establishment that never gave up its grocery store roots. The busy kitchen hits its stride in the post-post-midnight hours and churns out an impressive range of cheap and satisfying fare — greasy, cheesy, saucy or crunchy; served on French bread or in transparent plastic containers; sweet, savory or salty. Whatever your post-crawl craving, the Verti Marte can usually satisfy it.
The Verti’s wide list of options caters to various states of impairment — point-and-serve dishes liked cheesy au gratin potatoes or smothered cabbage speak to the visual crowd, while customized poboys favor those who can string their preferred list of ingredients into a coherent order.
One of my favorite poboys is an inspired Verti Marte classic: fried oysters with crispy bacon and cheddar, dressed. The tender, subtly salty shellfish merges with crunchy cured pigflesh, a layer of iceberg and tomato; the whole magilla smoothed out with a layer of tangy cheese and a generous dollop of mayo. It’s one of those combinations that could only be created by a off-duty cooks midway through a post-shift bender.
For all its local fame, the Verti Marte has got to be a mixed blessing for its neighbors.
On the up side, there’s the advantages of an outstanding 24-hour neighborhood grocery at walking-distance disposal. The benefit of a hard-working neighborhood kitchen that never shuts down; a deep poboy list, a cooler filled with prepared vegetable dishes, and a full breakfast menu served anytime. Free delivery in the French Quarter and the nearby Faubourg Marigny.
On the down side, there’s the constant stream of night owls who seek out this renowned drunkfood destination. Wobbly crews of eighth-round bar hoppers seeking a little early morning sustenance. Marathon pub crawlers who manage to turn any horizontal surface into a nocturnal picnic area.
Now, I’m not saying that you’d do this stuff yourself, mind you, but for the sake of neighborhood harmony, take your macaroni and cheese away from the Marte before you start oohing and aaaahing over its ballast-providing magic. Poboy lovers are a bit luckier, since they can munch and moan in motion.
Whatever your pleasure, be respectful of the temple so it’ll be there the next time you need to make a late night pilgrimage. Otherwise, you might just have to settle for slice pizza or Neon Zone slider-burgers, and nobody really wants that, do they?