A Sandwich a Day: BLT at Austrian Bakery

[Photograph: Lindsey Becker]

With the exception of the recent Footloose remake, I'm all for updating a classic. People have been adding avocado to their BLT's for years and calling them BALT's or the slightly less appetizing BLAT. I hear The Brown Sack took that idea to the next level with their BLAST, which includes both avocado and shrimp. Even a restaurant named after the humble sandwich (sort of), offers a "Deluxe" version that boasts the intriguing combination of truffle paste and jalapeno. Although it can be exciting to mess around with a classic, variations frequently just end up making you all the more appreciative of the original.

There's no better classic to return to than the BLT offered at Austrian Bakery, where their double-decker ironically boasts American-sized proportions. The expected lettuce and tomato join copious amounts of mayo coating three slices of hearty white bread with crispy and chewy bacon in amounts you might be embarrassed to indulge in at home, much in the same way you might be embarrassed to admit you enjoyed another kind of Bacon.

Austrian Bakery

2523 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614 (map)
773-244-9922
austrianbakery.com/