Chickpea to Cook

There are two secrets to an exceptional sandwich in my book.

1. Good, fresh bread,
2. Condiments that enhance, not over-power.

The rest is just details. Don’t get me wrong, it helps to have quality turkey or lettuce, or whatever else you like. But the above two components are crucial.

Want to put my theory to work? Go into any sandwich shop and order a veggie sandwich. If a restaurant can make a veggie sandwich tasty, imagine what they can do with a meat lover’s concoction.

And that’s why any way you slice it, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop is a cut above the rest. In fact their veggie sandwiches are so good, that’s all I order.

They pile on the sprouts, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and cheese with a special twist–creamy avocado spread on the cheese slices which are then folded in half.

I first started going to JJ’s as a college undergrad in St. Paul, Minn. There was a branch on Grand Avenue that was open until 3 a.m.

Even on my drunken Saturday nights I could still appreciate a good sandwich. And is there anything better than the smell of a fresh sandwich? “Free Smells”, as the neon sign in the window suggests.

Ordinarily I would turn my nose at restaurant chains, but in this case I’m hoping they keep expanding. I have yet to see one in Los Angeles, which is sorely lacking a good sandwich shop.

Sometimes it’s the old favorites that call your name.

While dining at Kincaid’s, an upscale steak and seafood eatery in Bloomington, Minnesota, I promised my friend Jessica that if she passed on their famous steak offerings and ordered the Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese her experience would appear in my blog.

So here it is…a gourmet twist on the unglamorous American comfort food that usually comes in a blue box from Kraft.

With a melted medley of Gruyere, Cheddar, and Fontina cheeses, this dish is so sumptuous you’ll polish off the last bite quicker than you can say, “Velveeta.”

Mixed in with the macaroni are bite-sized pieces of lobster. The dish is also served with two small skewers of the shellfish.

And, just so there’s no confusion that this isn’t the mac ‘n’ cheese of your childhood, the pasta is drizzled with truffle oil.

Still don’t see the difference? You will when the check arrives: $23 for Kincaid’s Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese–enough to buy 20 boxes of the other K’s variety.

But sometimes it’s worth it to indulge your inner child with some food the grown-up will enjoy as well.