Midtown Lunch

A few years ago I loved my sandwiches and sides at Plenty on E. Passyunk. I was all for the opening of its 2nd location at 16th and Spruce. Its 2 floor space gets pretty busy at peak hours, so you might had to plan on a take out order. The menu has the same coffee bar, breakfast, sandwich and salad configuration as the Passyunk spot. Though the ownership changed a year after my visit and the sides are no longer on the menu, the two sandwiches I loved are still there. But I wanted to try some new things.

I selected the chicken salad with whole grain mustard, cranberries, and greens, on toasted multigrain ($8.75). It was certainly a solid chicken salad sandwich, with large non gross chunks of chicken. The bread was not quite solid enough to contain the inner components after a few bites. Compared to the tasso ham or brisket sandwiches (each only a dollar more) , it was not nearly as memorable. Lesson learned, stick to the smoked meats.

A better bet during the revisit was the pancetta hash breakfast sandwich, featuring 2 organic fried eggs, pancetta, potatoes, peppers, fontina, on a sturdy French roll ($6.75). The crispy, salty pancetta and oozy egg combo is satisfying any time of day.

What I really want to know is if the tasso and brisket that I loved so much are still as good under the new management. Can anyone vouch for them?

Plenty, 1602 Spruce St, 215-560-8684