Top of The Block Sandwich Shoppe – Southwest Chicken wrap

Top of The Block Sandwich Shoppe - Burlington Vermont

In honor of my iPhone 3G no longer being broken,  I thought I would update the blog. I like Top of the Block Sandwich Shoppe for two reasons:

1) Excellent chicken wraps

2) part of a weird internal mall.

It’s located ironically at the top block of Church Street in Burlington Vermont.

Top of The Block Sandwich Shoppe - Southwest chicken wrap

This was a special of the day: spiced chicken, black beans, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, corn, cheddar, all on a toasted/grilled wrap. $7.43 with tax and it’s yours.

I didn’t take any pictures of the internal mall, but the “Shoppe” and seating area opened up to a basement and second level containing various “shops”, very interesting.

Junior’s Downtown Pizzeria – Veggie and Pepperoni Slices

Junior's Downtown - Burlington Vermont

Junior’s expanded a while ago from their Colchester location. They have 6-9ish pies ready for reheating, for lunch / dinner / late night at their downtown Burlington Vermont location.

Junior's Downtown - Veggie and Pepperoni Slices

Caramelized onions, zucchini, summer squash?, red pepper, fresh garlic, EVOO and mozzarella round out this creation. Everything is in balance, and all of the ingredients lend a nice sweetness.

The pepperoni slice is just classic, some grease, but not overwhelming with trade mark fresh sauce and parmesan sprinkled over it.

The crust, as usual, is crisp and chewy.

Oddly Junior’s pies aren’t particulary good cold, it’s best to reheat them.

$6.64 for these two slices. You can find better prices on pizza, but not better quality (for tradional style, I think Flatbread is a different catagory)

Mirabelles, “Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese, Bacon Panini” & “Coconut Macaroon”

Mirabelles is a cafe / bakery on main st in Burlington Vermont. I was first introduced to them via City Market in Burlington, which carries some of their deserts. Their baked goods are outstanding, but they also do lunch / breakfast.

Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese and Bacon Panini, with complimentary garden salad.

It’s nice to get something this visually interesting for lunch. The panini is nice and crispy, the button mushrooms are sliced nice and thin so they don’t slide out of the sandwich, the roasted red peppers are sweet and just slightly bitter. The cheese was nice and creamy, and the smoky bacon was a delicious surprise. I think this may be local Vermont Smoke and Cure bacon. Mirabelles managed to get the bacon crispy with is a challenge I’ve had with this thicker-cut bacon.

The complimentary salad was also a surprise, beet juliennes, half peeled cucumber, and a mix of romaine and boston lettuce, added to the more pedestrian red pepper / carrot juliennes. The balsamic dressing had a nice herby depth to it.

Don’t skip desert at Mirabelles, don’t do it! This coconut macaroon is probably the best I’ve every had. Not too sweet and the coconut really comes through in texture and taste. The outside it slightly crispy, and the inside is slightly chewy.. awesome.

Panini and salad was $8.50, Coconut macaroon was $.75, I’ll be back to try more sandwich and bakery items.