Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Eating up the Hill: French Dip Roast Beef Sandwich with Chips and Coleslaw

Yesterday's Roast Beef sandwich will be my last lunch in the Parliamentary precinct in 2016, although I do have several past lunches that I have yet to chronicle. It was a fittingly meaty ending to 2016, and likely my last lunch in Confederation before moving across the street to the Wellington Building early in the New Year -- looking forward to sampling the swanky new cafeteria there.

A good french dip starts with the bread, and this was a fresh and crusty French baguette. I went off script and asked them to toast the bread on the grill for me first, and this was done without hesitation. I think it really made a difference, allowing the bread to hold together better when dipped and giving it a nice crunch.

I began though with the Cream of Leek soup, sold separately. Not my favourite of their soups that I regularly buy, but it did the job on a semi-chilly Ottawa day -- it was only -12C, that's practically shorts weather.



The main, my French Dip Roast Beef Sandwich, came with chips and coleslaw for $6.45 before tax. Let's deal with the sides first. The slaw was standard slaw and tasted freshly-prepared, as opposed to that industrial slaw you'll get some places. The only negative was the vinegar dressing base; I prefer a creamy slaw. Still, it was a needed splash of colour -- and veggies -- on my plate. The chips were tasty when dipped in the Beef Jus.

But on to the sandwich. It may not look like it in the picture, but the beef was generously provided given the price. It was good, if lacking in a bit of spice. And I wouldn't have minded it a bit more pink, although I'm not one of those rare dripping blood roast-beef people. )Not that there's anything wrong with that.) With some toast on the bun, it was delicious when dipped in the jus -- which was flavourful, but would have been better were it pipping hot.

I give it a 4/5 --half-point deductions for not being a creamy slaw and the beef not being rarer.

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