1700 N. Rampart St. (Marigny) Kitchen open: 8am-8pm. Closed on Sunday. No Credit Cards. Food stamps for cold food only. 504.944.7777. Sure, the walls might be a little grease-stained or some of the customers with dilated pupils might be a little too energetic, talkative, and mentally alert or it might take an extra 20 minutes for your order to arrive, but the Rampart Street Food Store (right outside the French Quarter) serves the best shrimp poboy in New Orleans. The shrimp are plump, wok-fried and double-stacked on flaky fresh Vietnamese bread. It's smooshed all together with lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo and tomatoes. Everything is cooked on the spot -- even the tomatoes are sliced fresh -- so it takes time. By itself, this shrimp poboy is a reason enough to visit this screwed up city. And the price? $5.09 plus tax. Update: Also the Mandarian Chicken, a single portion will serve three, is crunchy deep fried delicious, piled with green onions (under $6.00).
