To happily marry the sandwich and the soup, may we suggest these two lovely luncheries:
CALGAYRY
Caffe Mauro (Sal’s)
between the Bay downtown and the TRUCK Gallery
Salvatore openly curses people who are on the Atkins diet and defiantly bakes Caffe Mauro’s signature foccacia every morning. These dense, chewy slices of bread are the foundation for his sandwiches which also include homemade versions of roasted veggie spread or olive tapenade, thick slices of boccocini, perfectly squidgy roasted red peppers and eggplants as well as sauteed mushrooms, fresh romas, or even homemade meatballs if you’re into that sort of thing.
For soup fans worth their salt, you’ll know that the best way to make vegetable soup stock is by deglazing roasting pans, and this is precisely how Sal begins his soups. The caramelized brown bits of red and green peppers, eggplants, carrots and garlic from each day’s sandwich fillings lend depth and sweetness to each soup, from the Tomato Risoni to the Three Cheese Tortellini that features homemade pasta from a local Italian grandma.
MONTREAL
Soupe Soup
across from Reservoir somewhere near the corner of Duluth and St.Laurent
Where the ubiquitous Tomato Basil soup dominates many menus in the West, Quebec’s daily French Carrot soup is yet another reason to be culinarily charmed there. Soupe Soup features several soups each day, together with thoughtful sandwich combos. The portabello mushroom, sauteed spinach and herby creamcheese dotted with tiny bits of red onion sandwich had such a delicately balanced mix of ingredients. I had 1/2 for frantic takeaway on a romantic spring afternoon and finished the rest on the plane home, surrounded by jealous onlookers.
