Eat Arkansas

Say what you will about the inevitable wait, but good things can be found at Boulevard Bread Company in the River Market's Oppenheimer Hall.  It never fails; the hankering for one of those big salads or plates will come over me and I'll find myself in line behind half a dozen or more people, some of which can't make up their minds on what to get.  Of course, that's no big fault of their own -- the menu is huge, and there's all sorts of combinations.

For me?  While I like the pastrami sandwich ($6.50), if I have time to sit down and enjoy a leisurely lunch the Greek Sampler ($7.50) is the way to go -- with chunks of tomato and lots of olives, pepperoncini peppers and Feta cheese, dolmas, hummus, and that fresh bread... ah, throw in a passion fruit iced tea and find a corner to sit in, and there's a good lunch hour of people watching and munching for ya.

The coffee choices are also quite excellent.  I just wish the line was a lot shorter... because (with the exception of one rare morning a couple of years ago when I was in the building before 6am) I don't believe I've ever seen the place without a line.  (501) 374-1232.