Unique Indeed

My boss and his wife love to visit this little eatery tucked away on Trousdale Dr. (Crieve Hall) near our office. He refers to it as his "little sandwich place that I like" but it's actually called Unique Flavors Cafe.  As the restaurant branch of the company's catering business of the same name, Unique Flavors offers up a daily sandwich/soup special, along with a generous menu of sandwiches, salads, and soups. Each is named with a little bit of local flair, a la Bread & Co. but without the painful price tag. (Most sandwiches are less than $6.)

Co-worker Laura and I went yesterday for a lunch meeting, desperate to break the Berry Hill/100 Oaks cycle of luncheon spots. What a treat! Tip: arrive early, because the line builds quickly. Eating here is easy: Pick up a menu, order your sandwich at the counter, get your tea out of the Igloo cooler on the rolling tea cart, and pick up your sammy at the window when you hear your order called out.

The set-up may be simple, but the atmosphere and food are far from it. The decor marries an industrial "I know I'm eating in a catering business" feel with a cozy "I can meet my friends, business associates, etc. here" vibe. Perfect setting to enjoy a creation like the Steeplechase: ham, granny smith apples, brie, and apricot spread; or the Edmonson: roast beef, cheddar cheese, onion, lettuce, and herbed cream cheese, both served on warm French bread. We upgraded to the special pasta salad, a cucumber dill tossed with penne. Yum! My favorite part of these sandwiches is the unexpected sauce or dressing choice they use to add extra flavor to their creations. An average roast beef sandwich became the reason I resurrected this project because of the addition of some herbed cream cheese.

OK, truth the told, the real reason I felt the need to blog again, besides the nagging I received for not posting, was the peach pie.

My grandparents live in Chilton County, Alabama, a place pretty famous for its peaches. You've probably seen them for sale at farm stands up and down I-65. Because of this, I'm pretty partial to any dish created with fresh peaches. Laura and I decided we couldn't resist one of Unique Flavors' artful cupcakes, cookies as big as dinner plates, or ruby-colored red velvet cake. I was having trouble deciding what to order, when the girl taking our order mentioned the availability of a browned butter peach pie.

Wow. Buttery, flaky crust holding layers of sweet fresh peaches, brown sugar, and sliced almonds. It was such an unexpected combination of flavors and made the perfect summer afternoon dessert. It wasn't heavy despite the generous usage of butter. I could tell the pie was fresh, though it probably would have been even better served warm. The price was nice too. A thick slice of homemade pie was only $2.25. That's less than those Mexican popsicles or a cupcake from Nashville's resident cupcake queen.

If you're looking for something different but delicious that won't break the bank, head on over to Unique Flavors Cafe. You won't see a sign out front but you won't want to miss the chance to try this lunch spot.