The BLT Quest: Chicago's Southport Grocery

July 21, 8:03 PMBacon Examinermk Eagle

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That's one sultry sandwich. (And the salad ain't half bad, either.)

Searching for the perfect BLT isn't an easy task. It takes long hours, dedication, a certain amount of discretionary spending, and a hunger for greatness. Also a hunger for bacon.

On its surface, the BLT may seem like one of the simplest sandwiches to make—just slap together some bacon, any old tomato, and a few lettuce leaves, right? Wrong. Any schmuck can make a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich. It takes genius to make a memorable BLT.

The culinary minds at Southport Grocery & Cafe may, in fact, be geniuses, if the famous cupcake is any indication. But how does their BLT stack up?

Starting with Applewood smoked bacon is always a good start. Adding a ripe tomato, some mayo and perfectly grilled challah kicks things up a notch. The avocado isn't an unexpected twist—avocado and bacon always play nicely—but it certainly puts Southport in the category of People Who Know To Put Avocado On A BLT. Add some house-made apricot compote, and stuff just got crazy up in here.

The one hiccup standing in the way of Southport achieving the perfect BLT: this BLT is insanely messy. Structural integrity isn't necessarily a prerequisite to a good sandwich, but for some, the ability to eat a sandwich with one's hands (as opposed to a spoon) certainly is.