Laura Zastrow
Field Table’s freekeh wrap uses the firmer leaf of a steamed collard green to keep all the healthy goodness together.
Over the last several years, carbohydrates have experienced a stunning fall from grace. In 1992, the macronutrient debuted as the anchor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food pyramid, which told Americans to eat 6 to 11 servings of bread, pasta and cereal per day. But with new research linking carb-rich diets to an array of health problems like diabetes and heart disease, many people are rethinking their relationship with foods that were formerly considered staples.
Paleo and primal are perhaps the newest and most buzzed about styles of eating, and they go far beyond the gluten-free diet that became popular in the mid-2000s. Instead of just avoiding wheat, the low-carb lifestyle avoids grains and legumes altogether — this means no quinoa, oats, corn or beans. It sounds extreme — and not everybody is convinced it’s a good idea — but the diet is becoming increasingly popular. Advocates see it as an extension of gluten-free living that emphasizes natural, unprocessed ingredients. When your fitness-conscious friend talks about “clean eating,” this might be what she means.
Many paleo and low-carb adherents strongly prefer cooking at home — it’s really the best way to control what you’re eating and how it’s prepared. But as the grain-free lifestyle continues to gain popularity, restaurants are offering more options for their clean-eating customers. It’s easy enough at dinner — just skip the bread basket and ask for extra veggies instead of potato. When it’s during the workday, though, you’re often stuck with a salad. But for those who miss sandwiches, there’s hope! When asked, “White or wheat?” ask for a lettuce wrap instead.
And there are a few good options for lettuce wraps in downtown Madison. The gold standard is Jimmy John’s, where you can order any sandwich on the menu as an “unwich.” Employees keep fresh heads of lettuce behind the line in a plastic tub, and they only use the biggest, strongest leaves for wrapping. This means the sandwich holds plenty of filling and is structurally sound. A double paper wrapping keeps the meal impressively neat, but I’d still recommend avoiding liquid toppings like oil and vinegar. Make your unwich extra crunchy by requesting double lettuce, and fill it up with free add-ons like sprouts and hot peppers.
I was excited to learn that Which Wich also does lettuce wraps. The Texas-based chain is known for customizable sandwiches and out-of-the-ordinary fillings, like seafood. My cobb salad wrap looked promising, wrapped neatly in paper and sliced in two. The first few bites were excellent, but the whole thing fell apart almost immediately. You’d be better off ordering a “bowlwich,” although it defeats the purpose of pretending you’re not eating a salad. A reuben lettuce wrap was a total failure, but I really can’t blame Which Wich for my wishful thinking. Melts just don’t work on lettuce.
By this point in my research, I’d grown accustomed to ordering burgers without the bun. But what about lettuce AS the bun? Mooyah, my new favorite burger chain, does an ingenious “iceburger.” Instead of wrapping the patty, they put the meat between two wedge-shaped slices of iceberg lettuce. It gets a bit messy towards the end (particularly if you’ve added toppings, which I recommend), but it works remarkably well. Plus, the burger itself is way above average.
Field Table offers a grab-and-go breadless sandwich that uses a leaf of steamed collard green as a wrapper. It’s remarkably neat and holds its shape well, although the leaf is a bit tougher than iceberg, which means bites can get messy. Fillings vary seasonally, but it’s usually some variety of grain like quinoa or freekeh plus hummus, green pepper and a side of oil-based dressing, it’s a tasty vegan option, but it’s less substantial than the other wraps mentioned.
Outside of the downtown area, Good Food Low Carb Cafe (the first restaurant of its kind in the state) offers lettuce “tacos.” They’re a modification of their regular salad menu, so you’re already getting plenty of lettuce in the taco filling, but it’s a way to mix up the delivery method. Many Asian restaurants — like my favorite, Ha Long Bay — also offer lettuce wraps, which are particularly delicious with spicy Thai laab.
I’m not delusional. I know that leafy greens will never be the same thing as a crusty sourdough baguette or a freshly rolled bagel. But if you’re grain-free, gluten-free or simply looking to shave a few carbs off your normal lunch order, these options help scratch the sandwich itch.
