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TMCNet: The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, Amy Nichol Smith column

[January 18, 2013]

The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, Amy Nichol Smith column

Jan 18, 2013 (The Monitor - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Since I like to experiment with different recipes in my kitchen, I often stop by Feldman's Market Center for an exotic ingredient or a bottle of cognac.

The McAllen shop has much more than liquor, and when in the area recently, I decided to stop by for a quick lunch.

I dragged Adam with me this time. We were both a bit confused about how things worked at the deli/restaurant. Do we sit and wait Are there menus We ordered at the counter and then took a seat. A server brought our lunch when it was ready, and then we paid at the counter.

Adam chose "The Man," a panini with chicken, jamon serrano, manchego cheese and chipotle aioli. His sandwich came with a side of his choice, which was potato salad.

"The Man" has an awesome combination of flavors and textures: melted cheese, crunchy bread, smoky aioli and salty ham. It was difficult for Adam to give up one bite to me. The potato salad, however, he slid over to me after he tasted it. Although the potatoes were cooked well and it was creamy, it did sort of have just one note of flavor: onion.

I browsed the market's considerable selection of lunch items and finally chose the shawarma (chicken). It also came with one side -- I chose the asparagus salad. It was a cold day, so I also ordered a cup of their tomato basil soup.

The soup was exactly what I'd expect of a tomato basil soup. The asparagus salad, unfortunately, was so bland that I couldn't tell which dressing was used. Once I added a couple of cracks of salt and pepper, though, I tasted the balsamic vinegar and it all came together very well.

I'm not sure of the authenticity of the shawarma since I couldn't get a peek in the kitchen to look for a vertical spit. The chicken was cut a bit too thick and it was very dry, so I doubt it was made in a traditional fashion (and it looked a lot like the chicken on Adam's panini). Still the meat was delicious and I really liked the thick yogurt served on the side.

Feldman's offers an interesting mix of cuisines from Asian to Lebanese and Indian to Italian. There are several dishes I'd still like to try -- especially the lunch specials which are so affordable ($7.77).

(Feldman's Market Center, 100 N. 10th Street, McAllen; (956) 687-9463) ___ (c)2013 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) Visit The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) at www.themonitor.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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