On the Mount Rushmore of sandwiches, the almighty BLT is at least a Washington.
One of the most iconic, timeworn sandwiches in America, it’s often a crossroads for a restaurant.
Beyond that, though, the sky is the limit.
Photo: Friendly’s. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Sometimes, the sky proves to be too high, though.
I credit that lesson toCracker Barrel, a folksy quasi-Southern chain that generally tends to go bigsometimes too big.
Which is never the most appetizing way to kick off a meal.
Photo: Matt Kiroauc, Eat This, Not That!
Nothing about it looked even remotely traditional, or recognizable as a BLT in any way.
The chicken looked…fine?
The taste:Indeed, this thing tasted as messy as it looked.
Photo: Matt Kiroauc, Eat This, Not That!
The maple flavor was truly confounding.
It was a weird choice that didn’t work at all.
Had the bread been lighter and the lettuce more pronounced, this could have ranked even higher.
Photo: Matt Kiroauc, Eat This, Not That!
In other words, simpler is always better.
The taste:The award for best use of bread definitely goes to Panera.
It also slipped off the sandwich too easily, and made things messier than expected.
Photo: Matt Kiroauc, Eat This, Not That!
But all in all, the individuality of this sandwichand the overall flavor profilewas impressive.
And there’s boldness in keeping things this simple, and this classic.
The sourdough was just thick enough, and toasted to a buttery golden-brown.
Photo: Matt Kiroauc, Eat This, Not That!
None of it tasted greasy, and the mayo rounded things out with a delicate slick of creaminess.
Eschewing needless additions, Friendly’s keeps things simple, and hits it out of the park.
