407 West Franklin Street
Downtown Chapel Hill, NC
Website
Sandwiches: $6.50–$9.50
Sandwhich is a lunch spot in downtown Chapel Hill that is known for their high quality, local ingredients and the price tag to go with it. At present, they are located in the Courtyard of Chapel Hill, right behind Penang. However, they are moving very soon to a location down the road, and they will be offering dinner, brunch, and late night dining on Saturdays after their expansion. After this meal, I have no doubt that Sandwhich's tasty, good food will do well with a dinner focus, and I think I will be able to better stomach the prices for it in the evening. This move sounds like a great idea all-around.
On to their present location, for the next week at least:
If you can get to Sandwhich before they move, you should, because their outdoor seating area, shared with a new crepe place next door, is really lovely for a weekday lunch. I went with two friends, and we all ordered something different from the menu. I chose the meatloaf sandwich that is made with Moroccan spices, roasted tomatoes, bacon, and cheddar on sourdough.
First, I will say that this was really, really good. The thick meatloaf slice was exceptionally moist and the fresh, sometimes whole, spices were a great blend. The cheese and warm roasted tomatoes were perfect. However, the bread was very buttery, making the whole sandwich, along with the meat's oils, rather greasy. The bacon was superfluous—I don't remember tasting it at all.
The Moroccan carrot salad, their staple side item, is a cold salad with carrot slices roasted longer than I like and yummy parsley mixed in. I think I liked it, but it was about three tablespoons' worth of food, so it's hard to know for sure.
I also had their Moroccan-style iced tea.
It's green tea steeped with mint and sage and not a hint of sugar, just how I like it. Definitely a refreshing beverage.
My friend Erika ordered the daily special: half a chicken salad sandwich with a cookie, soup, and chips for the same price as a whole sandwich. That was definitely a steal.
She was very happy with all of her choices. I tried the chips, freshly cut and fried of course. They were fried in peanut oil, which gave them a great flavor that I'll admit I thought was olive oil, and were tossed with parsley and kosher salt. They were a bit too greasy for me, also, but I'd definitely have munched a few more.
My friend Laura went for the BAM sandwich, which has cheddar cheese, apples, cremini mushrooms, and smoked bacon on sourdough.
She was not that impressed. The ingredients didn't meld well together, and for the price, she thought that more than one type of cheese would have been better.
All in all, I think Sandwhich is producing quality grub. You just have to be in the mind-set that that grub is worth the price tag for your meal. This is why I think I'll become a bigger fan when they expand to dinner, since you expect steeper prices later in the day. I know that what we are paying for is the fresh, local ingredients, but I still can't help but feel like a penny pincher about it. However, I have a feeling that if I try one of their avocado sandwiches, I will no longer have any reservations. Avocado can work wonders—almost as many as dark chocolate and raspberry truffles.
with great potential for
Reviewed 3.17.10.
