The Vegetarian Option: Roasted Carrot Sandwich at Floriole

[Photograph: Amber Gibson]

I'm apparently a little bit obsessed with Floriole. I don't live anywhere near the place, but I was lucky that a couple days in a row this week I've been in the area. So I had four meals in a row at the bakery/cafe. I have never even met the owners, Sandra and Mathieu Holl, so my love for their food is based purely on the quality, along with great service and ambiance. I haven't had anything here that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

On the sandwich menu for lunch, a roasted carrot sandwich ($9.75) recently replaced the mushroom and swiss chard as the vegetarian option. Both are served between earthy slices of miche, which I love for the toothsome crust. If you twist my arm and make me pick a favorite, I'd go with the carrot. Roasted carrot puree, which tastes almost like pumpkin, is interspersed with shredded crunchy fresh carrots as the main ingredient. Sweet dried currants contrast nicely with saltiness from thin slices of ricotta salata. Housemade harissa adds just a bit of heat to finish off the sandwich along with fresh watercress.

P.S. Don't skip dessert.

Floriole

1220 W Webster Avenue, Chicago IL 60614 (map)
773-883-1313
floriole.com

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