It's no news that the potato from Marechal has become one of this neighborhood's main attractions, drawing people from various parts of Rio de Janeiro and sparking curiosity because of its unique characteristics.
The famous "batata" recipe features a generous portion of fried potatoes with add-ons like fried chicken, bacon, and sausage, but what makes it so special, besides the quantity that fills a plastic bag to the top, is the experience and service provided by merchant Ademar de Barros Moreira.
Accompanied by chicken, bacon, and calabrese sausage, the Batata de Marechal fills a plastic bag. Photo: Diário do Rio
Image description: This is a photograph of a person preparing french fries with a sausage at a snack cart. The image shows a hand holding a wooden spoon, mixing french fries with a red sausage. In the background, there is an open toaster and bottles of sauces in different colors, including yellow, green, and pink. On the left, there is a white plastic bag. The spatial arrangement is from left to right, with the hand and wooden spoon in the foreground, the toaster and sauces in the background, and the plastic bag on the left.When interviewed, Mr. Ademar spoke about how quiet the neighborhood where he has worked for 33 years is, and about his memories of dear people who once passed through there. "This place doesn't change! It's like a joke!".
Ademar de Barros Moreira, founder of Batata de Marechal. Photo: Jornal Extra
Image description: This is a photograph of a man smiling, holding a large portion of hamburger with french fries. He is wearing an open white shirt. In the background, there is a red wall and a window with metal bars. On the left side of the image, there is part of a coffee machine and a white towel hanging.What's really hard is finding someone who works or studies in Marechal and has never visited the famous "batata" stand. It has even caught the attention of newspapers and TV stations, being considered by some as a "heritage of Rio's suburbs."
Among the visitors, the public is made up, for the most part, of students, who make the place a meeting point and a space to "exchange ideas and de-stress," as some of them say.
So it's easy to say that what makes the fries so special, more than the food itself, is the experience of being there with loved ones and turning the place into a landmark of shared memories, exchanged conversations, and moments lived.
Personal collection
Image description: This is a photograph of a gathering of friends in an indoor setting, likely a café or restaurant. The image is tilted, making it difficult to follow the exact arrangement of the people. However, we can see that there are five people sitting around a round table. On the left, a woman with long black hair is smiling at the camera. In the center, a person is holding a soda bottle and appears to be talking with the others. On the right, two women are smiling at the camera, one of them with curly hair. At the bottom of the image, a man is also smiling. The background features a red wall with square tiles.
