There are many days when I wish I had a job where a lunch hour was a real thing. As a teacher, we have a lunch 20 minutes and that’s if you don’t need to use the restroom, call a parent, run some copies, reply to emails- you know, all the things that office people do in an office, we do on our “breaks”. So, summer is my lunch hour. And when you do the math, I think that works out just about right.
When lunching downtown there is a steady stream of women in power dresses and men in white button downs. There are also high heels and dress shoes nestled under tables with beers and cocktails on top. Lunch hour/ happy hour. I could get down with this.
Today’s lunch hour was spent at the Secret Sandwich Society where I met an out of town friend and ate way too many carbs at one time. In my summer lunch hour ventures I feel pressured to eat all the crave-able things that aren’t available to me during the school year. This meant switching out the chips for fries covered in melted pimento cheese. Yes, please!
My pimento cheese smothered fries complemented my “Taft” sandwich (all sandwiches are named for presidents) which sported slow-roasted pork shoulder, braised kale, provolone, and a rosemary mayo on a tasted baguette. The sandwich had me at pork shoulder and rosemary mayo. But, thinking I’d dip the fries, I ordered a side of roasted garlic aioli. It turns out that the rosemary in the mayo did not sing enough for me and I ended up dipping my sandwich into the garlic aioli. This turned the sandwich into a winner and should possibly be added to it. The bread though, on sharp-as-a-tack point with enough crispy, chewiness to satisfy, but not too much so that you have to wrestle with your sandwich to take a bite.
My health conscious friend replaced her chips with a salad. I was giving her the side eye until I tasted it. It turns out that the Secret Sandwich Society does a bang up job with salads too.* I should have understood that the salads would be on point too when I saw several of them being delivered to tables during our 15 minute wait. But, I just assumed these were skinny women who couldn’t afford the carbs of a sandwich who were ordering them. I was wrong. There is nothing skinny about these salads and their amazing, fat filled dressings. Still, worth it.
I need to mention that the housemate pickle that comes with each sandwich is amazing. It’s crisp with a tangy, sweet, savory, peppery, tart, citrusy, dilly taste. It’s unlike any pickle I’ve had and it’s a flavor bomb. I’m not sure that I loved it, but I ate the whole thing because I kept trying to understand the flavors. It’s good like what-is-happening-to-my-tastebuds good. Now, only if they battered and fried them…hmmmm.
There are two locations for this wholly wind powered brand. Fayetteville, WV and Richmond, VA get the pleasure of their sandwich making specialities. If you can spare the carbs go and eat, but even if you have no carb to spare, get a salad- you won’t be sacrificing anything.
*Note to self- order the salad next time.
Colleen says
This looks fantastic…I’m always up for pimento cheese on my fries!!! Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck – Colleen