Ella's Salad

DAY 7: HANNAH'S BRETZEL

 

If given the opportunity to eat organic, I will. And if given the choice to patronize an independently owned eatery over a big corporate chain, I'll go the indy route.

 

At Hannah's Bretzel, I can do both. It's a local Chicago chain of lovely artisan sandwich shops that make me feel like I'm somewhere in Europe. Or at least in IKEA, but with something other than meatballs.

Imagine a bright, modern, airy space with sleek furniture, shining glass and metal surfaces, lots of natural light and a pop of color. Then imagine loads of interesting organic ingredients that go way beyond what you'll find at any national chain. Finally, imagine trays of fresh baked pretzel and wheat breads. Got that? You're in Hannah's.

 

Hannah's is one of my go-to spots if I'm trying to eat a lower-cal lunch. You can get a soup and salad combo that will fill you up without packing on calories. All items are made to order, and you can add extra vegetables, cheese, meat, and other ingredients for small upcharges. The line can be long, but it moves quickly. Plus it winds through the sandwich prep area, so you can eyeball all of the ingredients and watch the sandwiches being assembled. 



Ella's Salad with Vegetable Barley Soup

That's where I went today. I ordered my usual combo, the Ella's Salad and Vegetable Barley Soup. The meal registers 310 calories, which is amazingly low considering it's not a tiny amount of food.

First, the soup. Unlike some soups, you won't get halfway through the bowl and be out of everything but broth. Every bowl is thick with barley, celery, leeks, carrots and onions. The fresh vegetables are perfectly cooked and nowhere near mushy. The nutty barley is plentiful and adds a texture that reminds me of risotto. The only thing I think this soup needs is salt, which I always add. I suppose if you're watching your sodium intake, you'll appreciate this.

 

As for the salad, it's packed with organic greens and accented with Belgian endive, cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese, roasted grape tomatoes, white beans, chopped rosemary-infused asparagus and cashews. Greens are fresh and plentiful, cheese is smooth and chilled, tomatoes are roasted just enough to bring out the sweetness, and the asparagus is crisp and bright. The beans and nuts are unexpected but delicious additions.

The dressing is a homemade white balsamic vinaigrette that is both sweet and sour. This vinaigrette isn't oily at all, and it adds a lot of flavor to a salad that would be rather bland with a milder dressing.

Now if you're on a tight budget, you might not appreciate Hannah's. With tax, my combo set me back more than $10. On the other hand, everything is fresh, not loaded with fillers and preservatives. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I think Hannah's is worth the splurge.

 

ITEM
Ella's Salad with Vegetable Barley Soup

EATERY
Hannah's Bretzel, 555 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL  60661

MENU DESCRIPTION
Salad: Organic mixed greens, Belgian endives, fresh mozzarella, roasted grape tomatoes, white beans, rosemary-infused asparagus and roasted cashews served with housemade white  balsamic vinaigrette.

Soup: Organic whole grain barley with celery, leeks, organic carrots and organic onions.

CALORIES:
310 (220 for salad and 90 for soup)
 

COST

$9.49 without tax

RECOMMEND?
Definitely