From The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Revised July, 2009 Cafe Maspero Sandwiches. French Quarter: 601 Decatur. 504-523-6250. Map. Lunch and dinner continuously seven days. Very Casual Cash only.   WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY   How it is that visitors to New Orleans somehow hear about this cafe is a mystery. It looks like any of dozens of other sandwich-and-platter shops in the French Quarter. But they do, and although the lines aren't as consistent as they once were, it's still always busy. The sandwiches are somewhere between poor boys and deli. The prices would be a bargain even outside the French Quarter. t   WHY IT'S GOOD   Cafe Maspero is not as good as it once was, but it still chucks out excellent sandwiches, served on an unusual bun-shaped variation of French bread. The best are the deli meats, notably the pastrami, corned beef, and ham. The hamburgers are celebrated but just okay. The menu has expended over the years to include all the dishes from the local pantheon that begins with red beans and gumbo--not bad, but other nearby restaurants are better.   BACKSTORY   In 1971, Charlie Malachias took over a historic restaurant space in a late-1700s building on the corner of Chartres and St. Louis. The cafe was operated from by Pierre Maspero, and was a meeting place of some of the most famous and colorful figures in early New Orleans history. Malachias began serving much the same menu there now--which, in those days, was offbeat in New Orleans. Cafe Maspero moved to its present location--the square root of two blocks from the old one--in the 1980s. (It has no connection with the Pierre Maspero's that took over the old place.)   DINING ROOM   On large room with an open kitchen and tile floors, with an open kitchen in the back and big tables jammed in maximum numbers. Although large French doors open to the street corner on both sides, the restaurant is a little dark even in daytime. The service staff is always on the run, but gets the orders in and out efficiently.   ESSENTIAL DISHES   Red beans and rice. Ham sandwich. Corned beef sandwich. Pastrami sandwich. Grilled seafood sandwich. Fried oyster sandwich. Seafood platter.   FOR BEST RESULTS   If the line is long, go elsewhere. It's good, but not that good. Unless the undeniably fine value is of importance to you.   OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT   It's time for renovation. The meats are sliced a bit too thick for maximum flavor. Thwere's no good reason anymore for any restaurant to refuse credit cards.   FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD   Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter. Dining Environment -1 Consistency +1 Service +1 Value +2 Attitude Wine and Bar Hipness -1 Local Color +1   SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES    Open Sunday Open Monday Open all afternoon Quick, good meal Unusually large servings Good for children Click here for an index to current reviews of the 200 Essential Restaurants, and others. Click here for an index of all restaurant reviews. © 2009 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com.