Midtown Lunch

It has taken me far too long to get to Plenty, the sandwich and prepared foods shop on Passyunk. The glare of the sun almost made me miss the awning. Inside, it is a lovely space to dine in; the cheery, jar lined shelves are the antithesis to those found in the basement in American Horror Story. Plenty is about local, sustainable, organic and all that jazz. Most importantly, they are about taste.

The Texas Brisket panini ($9) even pleased my voracious Texan dining companion. As the picture shows, this was not a sandwich of Texan proportions, but the flavor of the barbecue sauce and pickled onions melded with the meat blew me away. The fat on the brisket had melted down from its solid form, this was probably the only Texas-like element of the thing. The blistered panini bread was an appropriately muted bookend for the contents.

The tasso ham was the reason Plenty was on my list. Ever since my trip to New Orleans, I have wanted to find tasso in Philly. In this panini ($9) the tasso slices are cured in a way that resembles pastrami. The creole mayo and guyere only highlight the salty and spiciness of the tasso. It is the star. It really… “hams” it up.

What the mac and cheese lacks in crustiness, it makes up for in liquid cheese perfection.  For $4, the small side order was generous.

The brussel sprouts, a healthier side dish, come browned and topped with shaved pecorino.  Might as well have some green with all that meat.

This stuff is Plenty good. The only problem would be coming here alone and having to pick only one sandwich, so bring a friend.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Cheerful space with big windows for people watching
• Choosing between the tasso and the brisket sandwich is one deliciously hard choice to make

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• For $9 I want my sandwich to be supersized

Plenty, 1710 E Passyunk Ave (@ 12th St), 267 909-8033