We’ve pigeonholed Blondie’s Coffee and Wine Bar into the “date night” and “girls’ night out” categories for too long. Add “vegetarian” and “lunch” to the mix because the upscale cafe located downtown on Washington Avenue more than satisfied with noontime meatless fare.
There are a few vegetarian salads on the menu, but we were hungry, which means that we went the sandwich route and ordered the JuJu Veggie – sliced avocado and cucumber, mixed greens and Swiss cheese between slices of toasted honey-wheat bread smeared with pesto. Sandwiches can be ordered cold, hot or in a wrap and come with a side order of fresh fruit, chips or a pasta salad. For a lighter meal, order a half-sandwich and pair it with any half-order of salad or soup for $7.50.
Speaking of soup, we also opted for a bowl of roasted red pepper and Gouda. Sweet tomato and herbs shone through and warmed our bellies on an unseasonably chilly spring day. Not feeling the usual sandwich-and-soup combo? Try the hummus, a generous portion of the chickpea dip flecked with feta and accompanied by sliced cucumbers and warm, oil-brushed pita.
For this lunch run, we indulged in a basket of popovers, the restaurant’s specialty. Among sweet and savory spreads to pair with that puffy goodness, we picked the seasonal marmalade. Currently, it’s orange – and sensational.
Even though Blondie’s stays open on Mondays until 4 p.m., the kitchen closes at 2 p.m., so make lunch the meatless meal of your day.
This article appears in May 2014.