Midtown Lunch

Pumpkin restaurant on South Street is a classy “farm to table” style joint, with beautiful looking food that I can’t really afford. Next door, at Pumpkin Market, the sandwiches, soups, and salads are more accessible, but keep with the local wherever possible concept.  Order at the counter and seat yourself in the small downstairs area or outside in the mini garden abutting South Street. You may be a foot away from exhaust engines, but position yourself so you can focus on the cuteness of the flowers and herbs surrounding you.

Too cool off, the fresh, not too sweet lemonade and fruity, unsweetened iced tea are even better when mixed together.

We ordered two sandwiches, both were on large seeded rolls and plated with beets and a dill pickle. The chicken salad sandwich ($8.50) came with tomatoes, grapes, and lettuce. The light mayo coating was simple and satisfying, though it could have used a kick of something spicy to balance the sweet grapes.

The pork banh mi ($8.50) is the thing to get here. It is awesome because it contains the things I love about banh mi, the traditional cilantro, cucumber, and lightly pickled carrots, plus house roasted pork in place  of some sketchy pate or cold cuts. The balance of the pickled vegetables and chunks of tender pork with the spicy aioli is pretty perfect. Long live banh mi interpretations!

Though there are only a handful of sandwich on the menu, and I have already tried 2, the success of the banh mi will have me back here. A future visit might have to include the crab cake sandwich, but it has a high bar to live up to.

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

• Local products
• Concise but tempting menu
• Highly recommended roast pork banh mi

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

• Not super cheap

Pumpkin Market, 1610 South St.,  215 545 3924