Gastronome

Lambwich   JAIMIE KIM PHOTOS

Lambwich
JAIMIE KIM PHOTOS

BEVY MARKET
675 Auahi St.
Honolulu, HI
Phone number (808) 594-7445
website bevyhawaii.com/bevymarket

It took absolutely no convincing from anyone to get me to walk over to SALT at Our Kakaako one recent lunchtime to check out Bevy Market.

You see, I’ve long been a fan of Bevy — the bar next door. The atmosphere there is always chill, the drinks are superb and the food is a few steps up from the usual bar fare. Bevy is sort of like having that one friend who is a little too cool for you, but manages to be totally genuine and down to earth, too.

Portobello sandwich

Portobello sandwich

It’s this slightly fancier-than-what-exists concept that also can be found at Bevy Market. There are no sandwich assembly lines or basic turkey-on-wheat creations here. No, what Bevy Market offers is a selection of hand-crafted sandwiches that, well, are much more refined.

There’s a Mortadella, made with Dijon, mortadella (Italian sausage), provolone and pickled onions served on a ciabatta roll. Or a Smoked Salmon Melt with smoked salmon rilette (a salmon spread made with sour cream and other seasonings) and smoked Gouda on rye bread. Or, what I thoroughly enjoyed: the Portobello, which was sandwiched between slices of avocado and topped with arugula, served on ciabatta bread. (Normal people able to process dairy can order it with mozzarella cheese as well.)

It was a flavorful sandwich, with hints of balsamic and a mushroom that was easy to bite into — none of those fraying edges you sometimes struggle with while eating a Portobello mushroom. The arugula added a hint of pepperiness, and the avocado was sweet and creamy.

Yes, I would order it again in a heartbeat.

Metro staff writer Paige Takeya journeyed with me that day and ordered the Lambwich — shaved lamb, anchovy aioli, watercress and pecorino atop a baguette, and thoroughly enjoyed her selection, too.

“I was expecting something heavy when I ordered the Lambwich, but I was surprised that it was instead light yet filling, with a rich anchovy flavor and tender meat,” she tells me. “The crusty bread was a good counterpoint to the meat, though it could’ve used a touch more garnishes. But it’s plain and hearty, as a Lambwich should be.”

Sandwiches at Bevy Market range from $9 to $12 and don’t include sides — though taro chips and roasted roots are available for an additional $4. It might be a little on the pricier side for a sandwich, but was completely worth it. Especially when the experience at Bevy Market was much like Bevy: laidback, delicious and memorable.

JAIMIE SAYS:

AL FRESCO Take advantage of tables outside and grab a chair
SERVICE So, so friendly
TIMES I’D LIKE TO RETURN Infinite

FOOD JAIMIE CAN’T EAT

As avid Gastronome readers may already know, I have a very sensitive stomach. So sensitive that within the past year, I’ve had to give up one of my greatest loves: dairy.

Well, it’s all reached a climax, folks, because after meeting with my primary care doctor, he sent me on my way to a gastroenterologist, who recommended I try a diet and keep a food journal. Not so bad, you say? Wrong.

I can’t eat much of anything — for the next six weeks, at least. After that, I get to reintroduce things I love, with caution. It’s all part of this thing called a low-FODMAP diet .

Relegated to specific vegetables, fruits, and gluten-free breads and cereals, it at least has made me a little more creative with what I’m eating. (Although, I am so hungry right now I can’t even.)

Fear not, Gastronome still will be here to entertain — who said food is only about what you eat? There is a whole world of food-related books, movies, local chefs and other assortments we’ve yet to explore.

So sit back, relax and maybe if you know of any low-FODMAP-friendly recipes, please, please shoot me an email. I am starving.

FOOD JAIMIE WANTS TO EAT

Before deciding to cure my stomach, I did manage to sneak in a few solid last meals. One of them: A trip back to Piggy Smalls, this time armed with more than enough Lactaid.

Metro-012017-Gastronome-Sidebar-Piggy-Smalls

As such, I ended my meal with the Milk & Honey — and oh, it is a good memory to have during these troubling times.

It was a beautiful creation, really. I had to take a reverent moment of silence before digging in. The Milk & Honey is an incredibly decadent dessert that features a fat slice of sponge cake soaked in four different kinds of milk, then topped with honeycomb candy, locally sourced bee pollen, whipped Frangelico and edible flowers.

Seriously, once this strict diet ends and my body readjusts to normal foods, Piggy Smalls is one of my first stops.