Fork it Over

Fork:etc. went unnoticed by my eyes until a few weeks ago, even though it has been in existence since 2004 and I have peered into it’s neighboring and mother restaurant, Fork.

Fork:etc. is a prepared foods offshoot of Fork. It’s sort of like a deli where you can order pre-made sides and sandwiches from the counter or snag a prepackaged salad, wrap or dessert from the refrigerated display. Take home the sides and serve them like you made it yourself or sit and eat a quick bite at their minimal, yet homey, chic digs.

Since the weather was so nice this weekend, I decided to grab a sandwich to go and eat it in a park. I ordered the standard one vegetarian sandwich option. That day they were offering a fried eggplant sandwich on their homemade focaccia. At least it wasn't the usual non-meat option of hummus or portabello - great friends, but a bit overdone.

They slid the pre-made sandwich out of the deli case and grilled it to warm it up. The sandwich was good, if not a bit greasy, but we’ll blame that on the ingredients – fried eggplant and focaccia. They could have skipped the leaf of bitter endive, but the sandwich hit the spot and quelled my mid-afternoon hunger.

Here’s my rant: Where’s the sauce?

I’ve always been a proponent of “special sauce” or “secret sauce.” A sauce so good you just want to sop every drop up with your bread can turn a sandwich made with every day ingredients like lettuce and tomato into something divine.

Don’t put enough sauce on a sandwich and, I don’t care how good it is, it will get lost amongst the bread and filling. Of course, a sandwich with no sauce is hard to swallow. Glass of water, please.

This sandwich did have sauce, but since it was pre-made the sauce soaked into the bread. Not putting a lot of sauce on a sandwich that may sit a while is a good idea, since soggy bread in unpalatable. I’ll give them credit for thinking ahead on that construction detail, but could they have not thrown a little sauce on the sandwich to revive the flavors before they gave it to me.

I realize this is an absurd request for pre-made sandwiches at gas stations, busy delis and grocers, but Fork Etc. is essentially an upscale deli/sandwich shop. They did go through the trouble of heating, cutting and wrapping the sandwich for me, so maybe they could have a little ramekin of sauce to throw on the sandwich before it passes across the counter.

Rant aside, the sandwich was good, all of their offerings looked appetizing, their prices are reasonable and their baked breads are soft and yummy.

See what I did with their olive loaf on the next post.

Fork:etc.
308 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 19106
215-625-9425