Big Lou's

We went to explore Big Lou's Butcher Shop for lunch on Friday.


My recent eating habits have been teetering on vegetarianism, but there is no denying I still love meat.


Cows and pigs are nice animals, but damn they can taste good too.

But it's ok. They employ nose-to-tail style butchery here, and the seasonal meats come from small and sustainable local farms.


Here's some of what their refrigerators have to offer.


I was looking at these like they were pieces of meat!


We got to the butcher shop around 1, and already the two sandwiches I most wanted to try -- the Turducken and the pork belly Porchetta -- were sold out. But we ordered three sandwiches between the two of us anyway, which meant that I pretty much didn't have to eat for the rest of the day.


The Banh Mi: pickled veggies, pork shoulder, house-made pâté, spicy mayo and cilantro. This tasted like a Vietnamese sub, except with delicious high-quality meat.


The Shooter: seared steak, mushrooms, shallots and hot mustard served with a pickle on top. The steak was really tasty, though I might have liked this one better if it were served warm like the others.


Big Lou's Chicago Style: house-made sausage, pickles, onions, peppers, tomato mayo, mustard and celery salt. A super-fancy hot dog.


On the side: some Crispy Bacon Macaroni Salad. Mmmmm, that crispy bacon. So crispy and bacony.


I'm sure I'll be going back soon. No sandwich shall go untasted.