Midtown Lunch

Friends from NYC came to visit our humble city to take advantage of the fact that so many of our bars serve amazing beer without pretension or annoying crowds. I mostly take that perk for granted, but my taste buds and liver were quickly reminded with the help of my friends.

One of our stops for beer and food was American Sardine Beer, because I can count on it for a good meal and interesting beer. Plus the patio is open, equipped with bright flowers and a tomato plant I may have stolen from. 

I like that the menu at Sardine Bar changes often. There is usually at least one new item on the menu that stands out for me. This time it was “Jorgito’s Torta Ahogada,” a drowned sandwich. Our friendly waiter had to provide the description and vehemently recommended it.  Roast pork, avocado, and ricotta served on a greased and grilled ciabatta roll covered (drowned) in a lime chipotle sauce and topped with pickled onions. Everything about that sounded good, and as it turned out, everything about it was good. The creamy avocado and ricotta duo is unexpected and quite decadent, working well with the spicy tomato based sauce. The bread was sufficiently grilled to stand up to the sauce without getting soggy. Its a  bit hard to tell the size from the photo, but the sandwich is huge. And somehow, some way, I finished it all. I am mostly proud of that fact, but a little embarrassed. I highly recommend ordering this sandwich while it is still available.

American Sardine Bar, 1800 Federal Street, 215 334-2337