The Gut Check One Hundred is our accounting of the 100 dishes in St. Louis that you must eat right now. These are the best dishes at the newest restaurants and the newest dishes at the best restaurants. These are the 100 dishes that define St. Louis dining in 2013. Our list culminates this fall when the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2013 names the "Best Dish" of the year.
The "Organic Banh Mi" at the downtown location of Local Harvest Cafe & Catering (815 Olive Street; 314-241-3196) entered the orbit of my attention with two strikes already against it -- not counting the fact that it forced me to mix my metaphors just now.
One, it features tofu, which even when I want a meal that is vegetarian or vegan (or, at least, isn't meat-based) is never my first choice.
Two, it's a "take" on a classic dish, the Vietnamese sandwich which, in its purest form, is pork on pork on pork (plus pickled vegetables).
See Also: - Tidbits: Chef Shuffle at Salt, Local Harvest - Fork & Stix's Sai Oua with Naam Prik Nuum: One of 100 St. Louis Dishes You Must Eat Right Now
Still, they pay me to try things even when I don't want to try them, and my preconceptions aide, the "Organic Banh Mi" was the most intriguing dish on the lunch menu at Local Harvest's downtown satellite.
In fact, it's a terrific dish. Three slabs of tofu offer a texture that is soft but not mushy -- a fair approximation, really, of the pâté that is an essential ingredient in a traditional banh mi.
Atop the tofu sits a mix of carrot, onion and cilantro. Spiked with lime juice, it provides a bright contrast to the tofu. Though the sandwich might lack the heat (not to mention the porkitude) of a true banh mi, it makes for a satisfying and not too heavy meal.
Is there a dish that you think belongs among the Gut Check One Hundred 2013? Let us know!
