Off the EATEN Path_WIN23_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 11/25/23 8:28 PM Page 22
food | off the eaten path
Off the
Path
with Kevin Gibson
PHOTOS BY DAN DRY
Starving Artist: A Different Sandwich Universe
F
rom a consumer perspective, it seems the term “sandwich shop” comes with modest expectations. We picture a clean, basic environment where one can procure fairly simple sus-
tenance, a bag of chips, and possibly a cup of soup to-go to accent the simple reason we walked through the door — the sandwich. And by this point in culinary history, it’s generally accepted that it doesn’t necessarily take a lot of creativity or verve to create, say, a decent club sandwich. But then… one walks into Starving Artist in Lyndon, and it feels like stepping into another sandwich universe. And that’s by design.
Starving Artist is a place that pops with unexpected colors of teal and purple amidst a tapestry of visuals that harken to the hippie culture of the 1960s. Peace signs, shimmering artwork, and a mural of a red, pink and orange Volkswagen bus, beneath the simple phrase “Peace and Love,” set the mood for a meal that renders the merely decent club sandwich completely irrelevant. For starters, the menu captures attention from the first word. Sandwiches are named for artists and rock stars. Starving Artist’s take on a club is the Monet. If you’re craving an Italian sub, make it a Leonardo DaVinci, stuffed with ham, pepperoni, salami and mozzarella. To spice things up, have yourself a Rick James, featuring grilled chicken breast, pepper jack cheese and jalapeno peppers. All sandwiches are $9 and come with a bag of chips and a pickle, but you can also upgrade to a cup of soup, macaroni salad or fries. And that never-ending selection of homemade soups all come from the mind of co-founder Angie Marshall, who makes every sandwich and pot of soup with her own hands. She says she has 145 different soups she makes from memory — none of the recipes are written down.
Starving Artist Cafe & Deli
8034 New La Grange Rd.
502.412.1599 22 Winter 2023 www.foodanddine.com