In our Lunching in Little Rock blog series, Michael Kirkpatrick will explore and review the city’s best restaurants – all in time to get back to the office. This week, Michael ate lunch at Boulevard Bread Company in SoMa. Click here to read more in this series. Photo courtesy of Boulevard Bread Company.

Lunching in Little Rock was created from my love of Little Rock, food and good company. Thanks to you, the reader, it has become a success, because you enjoy the same things. My good friend Adam Sharp and I try to find the best lunch spots in Little Rock as we fellowship together about once a week. We look for places that are local, have great food, a warm atmosphere and provide a good place to talk. Boulevard Bread Company is one of our favorite places and we met there this week.

With four locations, they are easy to find. Adam works in the Heights and we often hit that location, but this time he was kind enough to pick me up and we went to the restaurant in SoMa, at 1417 S. Main St. The downtown location has a slightly different vibe, but I love the mix of people dining in or just picking up a quick salad. I always say that I’m not hip enough to eat here, but I do it anyway. The interior is smaller than the Heights location, but the menu is the same. On this unusually cool late summer day, we decided to eat outdoors on the street side enclosure.

Typically, Adam and I have different tastes, but today we ordered the exact same thing: the full P.L.T Panini with regular chips and a Coke. Just like a B.L.T, but with fresh updates, the sandwich comes on a soft and chewy baguette rich with crispy pancetta, organic field greens, and always-fresh tomatoes. It’s slathered with an aioli sauce that is never too heavy, which keeps this sandwich light and crisp and won’t leave you feeling groggy. Carbs are your friend and just fine in moderation.  We followed the sandwiches with an extra large crumbly peanut butter cookie sprinkled with granulated sugar. I’m not sure where the cookie falls into moderation.

As the weather changes, take a good friend for a tour of the SoMa area and grab your favorite salad at Boulevard. Dine in, try the street side seating, or take it to the Bernice Garden right next door. Any way you eat, enjoy the great food and conversation.