Sept
5, 2002 — Until
recently, I worked out of my home as a full-time freelance
writer. But when a too-tantalizing-to-turn-down job offer materialized, I grabbed
it. With the change in lifestyle has come a change in my lunch
habits. I now venture out for my midday meal a couple times a
week. After all, even the most disciplined brown-bagger tires of
carrot sticks and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches once in
awhile. Here's a roundup of a few of my new favorites.
Bandito's Burritos
My new co-workers are fans of Bandito's Burritos, so a
recent Thursday found a handful of us climbing into Brian's VW
bus (also known as "the company car" because it can
hold a gaggle of hungry workers) and heading there. It was a
sunny day, perfect for sitting outside and enjoying a filling,
inexpensive, tasty lunch.
According to the menu, written in colorful lettering on
chalkboards behind the counter, deep-fat frying and grilling are
not an option at Bandito's. All of its food is slow cooked or
steamed, assuring high-quality flavor with lower fat content.
Bandito's uses healthy ingredients when preparing its burritos,
avoiding lard, MSG, preservatives, coloring or additives.
Bandito's touts an impressive complimentary salsa bar that it
claims is the best north of Seattle. You'll find no argument
from me.
A variety of 12 salsas is clearly marked to denote the heat
quotient, ranging from "wimpy" to "I'm on
fire." All the salsas are original recipes, with names like
"mango tango," "green apple burn" and
"house o' pain." An array of hot sauces rests on a
shelf above the salsa. If you like spicy, you won't be
disappointed.
The majority of my lunch partners chose their usual
favorites: a variation on the jumbo, super or deluxe burrito.
Each burrito is filled with a choice of chicken, beef or pork
and rice, beans, fresh salsa and cheese. Depending on which
variety you choose, you can also have it stuffed with guacamole,
sour cream, lettuce, tomato and black olives. A veggie burrito
is also available. Oven-baked red herbed potatoes can be added
to any item for an additional 50 cents.
True to its word, Bandito's uses low-fat vegetarian beans,
high-fiber brown rice and low-fat cheese and sour cream.
I tried the quesadilla with beef, which was so massive I
couldn't begin to finish it. I succeeded in eating half and
enjoyed every bite. Cheese, black olives, tomatoes, lettuce,
green chilies, guacamole, sour cream and fresh salsa were
sandwiched between two soft tortillas and baked to just the
right mix of crisp and soft.
Bandito's entire menu can be seen at its Web site, at www.banditosburritos.com;
delivery is free with a minimum purchase of $7.
Avenue Bread & Deli
The kitchen counter in my house nearly always has a loaf
from Avenue Bread sitting on it. Made fresh daily and available
in many area grocery stores, its loaves are simply my favorite.
Their downtown eatery lives up to my every expectation.
Avenue Bread & Deli makes more than 16 specialty
sandwiches, with ever-changing daily specials. Or you can choose
from ham, roast beef, or turkey and select one of seven bread
types, from sourdough or focaccia to rye or rosemary bread. If
you can dream it, you can build it.
On the day of my recent visit, I opted for the turkey pesto
sandwich on a ciabatta roll, which offers a somewhat crusty
exterior, but is soft and chewy inside. Slight slices of
flavorful turkey are built up into a flavorful, filling
sandwich, topped with paper-thin slices of red bell pepper,
Swiss cheese, lettuce and the piece de resistance, a magnificent
pesto spread.
I also grabbed the pasta dish of the day from the
help-yourself cooler near the counter, a cold lemon thyme pasta.
Tiny tubes of pasta were lightly covered with olive oil, and
mixed with celery, red bell pepper and red onion. Garnished with
fresh sprigs of thyme and a lemon wedge, the side dish was a
steal at only 75 cents.
Avenue Bread & Deli now offers downtown delivery between
11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Café
Toulouse
If you're interested in a more languid sit-down lunch, Café
Toulouse offers well-prepared dishes made from scratch with
fresh ingredients.
A recent solo lunch found me perusing its sandwiches, salads,
wood-fired pizzas and pasta entrees. It keeps things interesting
at Café Toulouse, offering a few unexpected lunch items
alongside the tried-and-true favorites, like a lamb burger,
curried chicken salad with almonds, or pasta capra formaggio, a
penne pasta sautéed with fresh garlic, kalamata olives,
sun-dried tomatoes, chevre cheese cream sauce and crushed
pepper.
I settled on a pepperoni calzone, then sat back and watched
people and cars meander by on Magnolia Street.
My piping-hot calzone arrived quickly, presented with a crisp
pickle spear and a piquant pepperoncini. A colorful dark-green
salad shared the plate, topped with a creamy Italian dressing,
slivers of carrot and chunks of fresh tomato.
The calzone was baked in a wood-fire oven just long enough to
brown the crust. It encased a flavorful mix of pepperoni,
mushrooms, homemade marinara, roasted red bell pepper, red onion
and mozzarella cheese. Tendrils of melted cheese stretched and
pulled with each raising of the fork.
Downtown Bellingham offers a plethora of satisfying,
affordable lunchtime eateries. As I continue to readjust to the
workaday world, I look forward to discovering many more
magnificent midday menus.
