The world can be divided into two factions: those who frequent salad bars and those who consider those people daring. I fall into that latter group. Although I am reasonably sure minimum food safety requirements are being met, salad bars are fraught with danger and require extraordinary, constant maintenance and supervision.
My number one problem with salad bars — and buffet lines in general — are other customers: those who put food back into the bins, use the same serving utensil for chopped egg and lettuce. Additionally sneeze guards only protect the food from the average sized person’s projectile spittle or nose droplets. But what about not-so-average-sized people and kids? I have seen many a small hand reach into a salad bar bin. Large hands, too. Items lacking proper identification, or places that weigh salads for the price, have items finger checked and/or consumed. Is this ranch or blue cheese? What type of olive?
A sensible alternative to these salad-free-for-alls is a delightful place like Crisp 7th Street Café.
The 40-seat Crisp, which opened in September 2007, is the product of restaurant veteran Jerry McCarthy. He once owned a bistro on Long Island, but relocated to the Charlotte area a few years ago. McCarthy spent considerable time renovating the space into a stylized neighborhood spot. The Elizabeth neighborhood seemed a “perfect fit” for McCarthy who additionally plans to open for dinner this spring. For dinner, the kitchen will enlarge the menu to include pastas and pizzas. An ABC license will allow McCarthy to expand into a wine bar featuring the wines from California, Washington, Oregon, Spain, Chile, Australia, and South Africa and domestic, imported and micro-crafted beers. Currently the only bottles behind the bar are Perrier.
Salads are the strong suit at Crisp. Behind the (protected) salad line are employees who assemble and mix the salads. All proteins are cooked to order in the kitchen manned by Chef David McLuckie, a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute.
Signature salads include the outstanding Cobb with crumbled blue cheese, grilled chicken, chopped egg and a Dijon vinaigrette; the Steakhouse with the flank steak cooked to order, with sliced portabellas, bits of blue cheese, tomatoes, grilled red onion and a balsamic vinaigrette; a Salad Nicoise; and the Asian with grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, and a soy ginger dressing. All dressings are made in-house. Salads can also be custom created and substitutions are allowed in the signature dishes.
Salads range from $6 to $8.25 and are served with herbed crostini, sometimes crispier than at other times. Salads can also vary by which employee is making it. A careful eye is handy. In addition to salads are sandwiches ($6.50-$8) including the Classic BLT with herbed aioli.
Salvador Deli & Market is a place right out of a time warp, albeit a stoner’s time warp. This quirky retro-painted NoDa deli features a panini grill in the storefront window and a small market area in the back. Only a few seats are offered inside and a bench or two brave the elements. Owner Stuart Sloan opened this nook in September 2006 and since then patronage has increased to, at times, crushing proportions. General Manager Jamel James said to handle large pre-event crowds the deli offers boxed sandwiches in the market section.
Why is this deli popular? The behind-the-line, last-moment “Masterpiece” sandwiches are a towering invention of taste and texture. Breads are from Nova’s, while Arto’s Bakery supplies the buns, and focaccia is used on the grill. On the meat side, the grilled Cubano, while not authentic (missing the sliced pork component), is a perfection of warmed ham, melted Swiss, a mustard threesome and the requisite pickle. You can customize the sandwiches on their list, but adding anything to the roast beef with thinly sliced Granny Smith apples and oozing brie would be like adding reality to the surreal. In most sandwiches the meat makes or breaks the deal. In Salvador’s Reuben, the Boar’s Head corned beef suffers from a lack of zest. A better sandwich is their namesake: The Salvador, a superb, lightly seasoned Italian sub. Flavors are gentle and crunchy on the Veggie Lover while the Mediterranean puts a Bohemian sensibility into this quasi burrito: a sun-dried tomato tortilla embracing a bevy of black beans and tangles of roasted red peppers slathered in hummus.
You can build your own sandwich ($5-$7) of meats, cheeses, egg or chicken salad, toppings, and nine types of bread. Signature sandwiches are $6 to $9. The market section can be spare at times, but has a selection of drinks, chips, and even proprietary dip mixes.
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This article appears in Feb 13-19, 2008.



