If you're anything like me, you've probably had menu anxiety before. It's that panicky feeling you get when presented with a novella-thick menu with so many options you feel as if your head is going to explode from the array of choices. That's why the sparse offerings at Eddy's Bicycle Bistro are kind of comforting.
The 3-year-old breakfast/lunch spot in the old Baltimore & Ohio freight terminal inside historic Longworth Hall - near Paul Brown Stadium - doesn't overwhelm you with options while also offering a nice break from the same old for office workers sick of the burgers and rubbery subs routine. When we slipped in on a rainy Thursday recently and gazed up at the giant chalk board behind the counter with the day's offerings, it took only a minute or so to make our selection.
With a bicycle theme inspired by five-time Tour de France winning Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx - a personal hero to building manager Mike Schweitzer - the interior is accented with cycling-inspired photos and art illuminated by windows on the north wall that overlook an outdoor patio.
The lunch menu has few hot offerings, some cold sandwiches, a handful of wraps, as well as a daily soup and meal special. The day we visited the special was thick, hearty slices of meat loaf ($6.50) that weighed down the plastic plates with homemade goodness and might have been even better than mom makes. As with all the meals, the special came with a selection of pasta salads or a bag of chips and a soda for an extra 75 cents.
"We try to keep it pretty simple," manager Leeanne Sullivan says. "People know we make everything from scratch, the soups, the meatloaf and our taco salads, which are really popular. It's not like we open up a container and scoop out some chicken or tuna salad ($5.85), there's nothing out of a can or a bag."
The grilled roast beef panini, a generous portion of sliced beef on white bread with a tangy mayo sauce and your choice of fresh veggie toppings ($6.25), was pressed to crispy goodness and helped take the chill off a damp day, especially with a side of homemade thick chicken soup. The menu also features a grilled ham and Swiss ($6.25), a turkey BLT ($6), ham and cheese ($6) and house salad ($5.25) made from hand-picked veggies from a local distributor.
In addition to chicken Caesar and turkey ranch wraps ($6), there is also a veggie wrap ($4.95). Daily specials ($6.25-$6.50) range from chicken tenders and fries to pork and provolone sandwiches with apple cinnamon sauce to grilled sandwiches on pretzel rolls and mashed potatoes. Sullivan says instead of using pre-packaged turkey, she slow-roasts her own on site every day, which helps give the sandwiches a home-cooked feel.
Unfortunately, in an effort to keep prices down, Sullivan had to stop offering the Belgian-style "frites" (fries) and if you go, make sure you let the person behind the counter know how much dressing you want on your sandwich, because he likes to lay it on thick. Eddy's also serves breakfast, with a daily selection of Danishes and muffins ($1.50) and egg, bacon and cheese ($3) and ham, egg and cheese ($3) sandwiches.
If you work downtown and want a break from the usual fast-food sandwiches in a bag, or just need to stretch your legs and stomach a bit, Eddy's is a fine choice.
E-mail gilkco@aol.com
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