The Rolling Ficelle's Davis Sandwich

Those out there who know and love the food truck scene also know that you don't usually "happen" to walk by a food truck — most of the time it takes some effort to track them down. But let's say there was a hint of destiny in the air, and this time, I happened to walk by The Rolling Ficelle food truck.

The menu features several sandwiches, all of which are served on a "ficelle" from Lyon Bakery. What's a ficelle? It's a very long, thin, baguette-style bread.

When it comes to assessing the quality of a sandwich, there are a few key metrics that should be considered. First, the bread-to-filling ratio. No one wants too much of either. Second, the bread itself. Obviously, it needs to be fresh, and it also needs to have a little texture. The bread should hold its own against the filling, but not fight with you as you eat the filling. Based on my first and only experience with Rolling Ficelle, its sandwiches pull in high scores with respect to both of these standards.

I tried the "Davis," which is a chicken salad sandwich with a twist. The salad consists of chunks of chicken breast tossed with parsley, slivered almonds, and a lemon aioli. The filling is piled into a fresh ficelle and topped with avocado, tomato, and romaine heart leaves (which are much tenderer than the outer romaine leaves).

I'm a huge fan of chicken salad generally — I order it often as a sandwich, or sometimes simply served over some romaine. I'm somewhat of a purist though. There shouldn't be too many add-ins that dilute the main components of chicken and mayonnaise. Yet, the Rolling Ficelle's take on the classic chicken salad sandwich is expertly balanced, even with the parsley and almonds. The bread-to-filling ratio is spot on and the bread is fantastic.  It has the perfect combination of a crusty exterior and a soft interior, plus it held up well to the chicken breast, which was moist and dressed with the right amount of lemon aioli. The added textures here are also vital to what makes this sandwich great. The almonds offered a nice crunch and the lemon added a lovely brightness. I love avocado on pretty much anything so you'll never hear me complaining about avocado being added to any dish.

Try a sandwich next time you walk by the Rolling Ficelle.  You surely won't be disappointed!