Lunch at Local Loaf

We started going to the 7th Street Market almost as soon as it first opened, and as such, we have a tendency to stick with our favorite vendors. The market occupies the space that was once a Reid’s Fine Foods at the 7th St. LYNX station, and is home to a variety of vendors from the Meat & Fish Company to Not Just Coffee and Pure Pizza.  The space by the 7th St. entrance changed vendors a few times, but we hope its current occupant is here to stay.  Local Loaf has a variety of delectable soup and sandwich offerings, but as the name implies, artisan breads and baked goods are their specialty.

EZ and I went together a while back, and we enjoyed our first taste of their menu. They were incredibly busy so we didn’t have an opportunity to talk with the chef.  However, I recently returned on a solo fact-finding mission, and fortunately, Chef Adam had a few minutes to tell me about their operation and give me a tour of the space. He and Chef Michael do all the baking daily, each with their own specialty.  Adam specializes in the lean dough, free of any enrichments, such as oil, butter, lard, or eggs, and Michael’s specialty is the dough for the croissants, pastries, and sticky buns.  I am no expert, but the baguette he let me sample looked and tasted great both by itself and on my steak and egg sandwich.

After speaking with Adam for a bit, I ordered that steak and egg baguette with a cup of their cajun crawfish cauliflower soup, and took my table number to a seat by the window. After a brief wait, someone came by to swap my number for my meal on one of their signature wooden boards.  The soup and sandwich looked delicious, and I excitedly dove right in to the brunchwich.

The baguette was an excellent combination of a crunchy crust with a soft, airy center, providing a perfect base for the steak and eggs. The jalepeño horseradish sauce pulled the flavors of the fluffy eggs and tender skirt steak together beautifully within the hand-rolled baguette. I must say, this is definitely one of my all time favorite sandwiches.

It was a cold afternoon, and I was excited to finish warming up with a hot cup of soup, after my hot sandwich.  EZ had a tasty tomato soup previously so I had high hopes for the cup of cajun crawfish and cauliflower in front of me. As expected, it was a creamy melange of peppery goodness that I will most certainly order again if it is on the menu.

In short, Local Loaf has been newly added to our list of local favorites, and we will be returning soon.