Joe's Butcher Shop (Joe's Next Door)

I was getting my hair cut in Carmel the other day on Main Street, and was starving by the time I finished. My hairdresser is well-versed about all the options around, and seems to have a healthy interest in food (you can’t trust just anyone) so when she recommended Joe’s Butcher Shop and its deli (actually called Joe’s Next Door), I gave it a try (it is right across the street as well). They don’t have anywhere to sit in there though (unless it’s warm outside, they have a couple of tables), so I grabbed it to go.

Based on her recommendation, and my mood, I went with the House BLT ($8.99). This was a very good sandwich. She was telling me they use different kinds of bread for each sandwich and that the bread alone is really good and she was right. This was on toasted sourdough, but it was a really large loaf and was toasted just perfectly crunchy. And I should mention, this thing is huge. It is smeared with garlic aioli, and is topped with avocado, slices of heirloom tomatoes (no idea where they are getting these right now but I am not arguing), butter lettuce and lots and lots of their house cured bacon. The bacon is really interesting. It has a distinctive sweet taste to it-like it is almost caramelized in maple syrup or brown sugar. It is so crisp some bites are almost brittle. I really enjoyed the texture. When I first bit into the sandwich, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the sweetness, but it was really addictive after a few bites (sorry about the pics, I was eating in my car on the way home—I told you, I was hungry). It was a perfect combination of my kinds of flavors. I like avocado on anything and the tomato was sweet but acidic. That and the aioli were a nice balance to the bacon.

I could only eat half, but hubby was happy to take care of the rest. I would totally try more of their options when I am over there again.  I also got some of their house made gravlax to take home, which was quite tasty, and I tried their egg salad while I was waiting. It was really good too. Lots of dill. Have you been? And what have you had?

Joes’s Butcher Shop (Joe’s Next Door)

111 West Main Street, Suite 110

Carmel, IN 46032

317/846-8877

www.joesbutchershop.com