My goal with this blog is to share lunch foods that I return to a restaurant to enjoy again and again.  Some restaurants make this task difficult by having too many great items on the menu.  Urban Cookhouse falls into this catagory.  Too many good things to choose.  Its also very busy at lunch and more of a chick place.  Two characteristics which normally would keep me away but I just keep going back. 

Although I classify it as a chick place they have some man style food.  The Chipotle Braised Pork is hearty and the yeast rolls they use to make the sandwiches rock.  This was my first meal at Urban Cookhouse and it is responsible for my many returns.  The Broccoli Salad is a great way to enjoy the nutrient rich veggie. Combine these two and you feel like you ate a healthy meal.  If you don’t care to feel healthy order the Hot Cheddar Pasta instead of the Broccoli Salad.  It’s some great stick to your ribs mac and cheese, delicious.

You already have enough reasons to go but I want to recomend another healthy combo,  the Turkey Crunch w/ Roasted Veggies.  Its unlike anything out there and it feels healthy.  The sandwich has a hot-sweet mustard on it which gives it a kick.  The turkey is jucy and smokey, I love it.  The roasted veggies have a wonderful garlic flavor and are served al dente.  These two locally grown options are awesome together and will have you returning for more.

Urban Cookhouse is cool, very local and sustainable.  I call it a chick joint but that probably is not fair, it’s not a tea room.  They have a great menu of all types of items that will appeal to anyone with taste buds.  They are prepared for a long line and they make it move fast.  This place is well worth the fight for parking and a little time in line to eat.  If those issues turn you off; go eat at 11:15am, just before the rush begins.

I was introduced to Chappy’s via a tailgating box.  It included 2 quarters of double decker sandwiches, a pair of chicken fingers, some chips and a cookie.  This caused me to eat something I would not normally order.  A double decker sandwich on pumpernickel with pastrami and slaw as lead ingredients.  There is plenty of cheese, swiss and munster.  This little jewel was delicious and a great paring for the chicken.  It took me a few years to figure out how to order the sandwich because it is not on the menu.  One day a waiter recognized my recollection and said “you mean the affair”.  Ever since that day I cure my craving for vinegar-based slaw on a sandwich by ordering “the affair”.

 I still like it as part of the tailgating box most of all.  The box of food is perfect and I order them whenever I need a group meal to go.  It’s great for meetings or outings where food needs to be catered.

 If you do not like vinegar based slaw this sandwich is not for you.  There are plenty of other thing on the menu at Chappy’s so dont be afraid, the breakfast is great too and its never crowded for breakfast.  I like Chappy’s because it’s fast lunch but you get a waiter.  This deli also does fries unlike some others around town.

Chappy’s Deli
2737 Hwy 280 S
Birmingham, AL 35223
(205) 871-0887

This is a step out, the Momma’s Love had called me back for decades but today I am recommending the Gobbler. You can’t go wrong with either. Ever since the late 80′s Momma Goldberg’s has held a special place in my heart. Rarely would I go past Auburn and not stop in for a Momma’s Love. The little run down house, broken furniture, pool table and the smell of last nights beer spills would start calling my name as soon as I was East of Lochapoka. When I was told one would open in Homewood (where I work) I could not wait.

I will admit a franchise Momma Goldberg’s is a different experience (no pool table and no last nights beer smell) but the steamed sandwiches are a welcome treat anywhere. For a brief period I was very frustrated with the way you order and get your food. It’s very unnerving. It leaves you feeling like you just had a MickeyD’s drive thru conversation and not sure if they were speaking English. But after a year or so I have it under control.

BIG TIP (for those who need assurance): Find someone behind the counter and make eye contact. Tell them your order and repeat it if you feel they were talking to someone while you ordered. Then go and pay. Sit down in a place where you can reestablish eye contact with the guy who has your order. Keep looking at him. Eventually he will call out your sandwich and place it on the counter. If he is cooking Nachos for you keep and eye on him. He will make a trip over to the Nacho steamer and come back with your Nachos. Again he will call out Nachos and it’s your time to go and get them. It’s critical to keep making eye contact. That’s your reassurance. If he thinks you’re through and you keep looking he will verify you have everything. If he missed something he will make it quickly.

Why the Gobbler? It’s a combination of turkey, pepperoni and American cheese on a honey wheat bun – with the spicy mustard, lettuce, tomato, mayo and momma’s sauce (similar to Italian dressing). You can leave the mayo off if you want to feel better about having pepperoni on your turkey sandwich. The whole thing is steamed to a moist perfection. I ordered it one day to be healthy, turkey is healthy right? But that pepperoni and honey wheat combo keeps calling me back. Enjoy!

 One day I noticed “Cuban” pop up as a category on the urbanspoon iphone app. It lead me to an Atlanta transplant, Kool Korner Sandwiches in Vestavia. I think this is an old Firehouse Sub Shop that has been overrun by a Cuban family. Some evenings and weekends they prepare traditional Cuban dinners. FB friend them and you can keep up to date on the specials.

What brings me back is the Classic Cuban Sandwich – roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mayo, mustard, mojo and dill pickles. I opt for all the options, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and jalapeno peppers. All these ingredients are pressed on Cuban Style bread, a soft but toasty loaf. If you dont like jalapeno’s skip them, these are diced peppers and can be very hot.

My wife likes to get the plantain chips but I can’t recommend them because I think they suck. I had rather opt for the large sandwich and skip the chips. If you want more than a sandwich grab a tamale or some black bean soup, they are both great.

Kool Korer Sandwiches
790 Montgomery Hwy
Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
www.koolkornersandwiches.com

I had the Ruben for lunch today and forgot to get photos.  It has to be the best Ruben south of the Carnegie Deli.  Max’s is only  a year or so old but these guy’s lay it on thick.  You might be shocked at the $9.99 price tag but if your in here at 12:15pm and can’t get a table you will realize it’s worth the money.  I am not a ruben expert but I think they use a rye that is very mild with no seeds.  If its not Rye it is sourdough or as I see it – buttered toast.  It has that salad dressing on it and sour kraut.  None of that matters.  It’s the piled high corned beef that brings me back, over and over.  The beef is like butter.  Soft and tender, if you can get it in your mouth it just melts.

The resturant is really cool.  It’s next to Johnny Ray’s where Lenny’s was.  They have great PR and always have a special.  Sometimes they will do a Ruben 2 for 1!  The first time I ate here I thought they were doomed – too expensive and too hard to find.  I am glad to say in our free market economy hard work and quality always get rewarded.  This place will be here for a long time.