I have a new favorite lunch spot.
Can you guess what it is?
Yes, Local Foods has now joined the ranks with the big guns of my favorite Houston lunch places: Benjy's, Chatter's, Bowl Cafe, Brasil, and the [beautiful memory of] Sorrel Urban Bistro.
But before we get to that, everyone needs to know that my dog is now an international celebrity. He was featured in The Daily Mail as the dog who peed on a couch.
I couldn't be more proud.
Also, is anyone watching The Bachelor? I have mixed feelings about it. On the plus side, I think Farmer Chris is legitimately a nice person. On the down side, I think this is going to result in a pretty boring season where the producers try to fake dramatic situations out of nothing even more than usual. On the relatable side, there was a girl who kept running her head into a brick wall while wearing a motorcycle helmet during this week's episode.
Life, you are one great paradox sometimes.
So my mom and I had lunch recently at Local Foods, and we both fell in love with it hard. The interior is open, airy, industrial, chic, funky, and welcoming. Enthralled by the decor, we walked up to the counter to order our food (and wine since it was almost noon, #helpme).
All sandwiches come with a choice of two sides or a cup of soup, so we decided to split two of the amazing looking sammies on the menu. My mom ordered the truffled egg salad sandwich with a cup of lemongrass soup.
When I tell you this is the best sandwich I have had in at least a year, I promise you I'm not being dramatic. The creamy, decadent, haunting egg salad contained the perfect, playful amount of truffle. The crisp tomato and lettuce and the crunchy, fresh pretzel bun were exactly the right counterparts to the egg salad. The whole sandwich was absolutely exquisite, warm, and enveloping. This was a diamond bracelet, a hug, and falling in love with a new Netflix original television series all wrapped into sandwich form. Believe me when I say the truffled egg salad sandwich at Local Foods is...........
p h e n o m e n a l .
(^ necessary)
My mom reported that the lemongrass soup, filled with chicken, wonton crisps, and cilantro is the the best soup she's ever had. <~~(who does she sound like?) She even ranked it above the chicken soup at PF Chang's, which she's totally obsessed with.
For my meal, I ordered the garden sammie with a side of quinoa and acorn squash.
The garden sammie, though not as jaw-dropping as the truffled egg salad, was also top-notch. In between two fresh slices of ciabatta bread lives a layer of avocado, brussels sprouts, hummus, oven dried tomato, sprouts, cauliflower, and pickled onions. The first major standout in the sandwich was the layer of avocado, which was really in my opinion a light, zesty guacamole. It balanced out superbly with the smokiness of the brussels sprouts (whoever invented brussels sprouts on a sandwich, I'd like to give you a fat kiss on the mouth) and fluffiness of the cauliflower (which for the record, is not listed as one of the ingredients on the online menu, hello magical surprise!).
The quinoa contained cauliflower, lentils, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. The sweet pomegranate seeds added a nice zing against the more prominent nutty, earthy, peppery flavors of the dish. It was an interesting and unique side, but I'd probably try a different one next time.
The acorn squash was combined with green beans and red potatoes in a ginger curry base. This was definitely my favorite of the two sides. It was rich, soft, intricate, and absolutely delightful.
The folks at Local Foods have really hit it out of the park. The space is inviting and fun, the crowd is buzzing and vibrant, and the food is fresh, complex, perfectly executed, and downright amazing!
I wonder if they'd let me bring my dog in.
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