I'll second the sentiments about the apple wood smoked bacon sandwich! I had one with tomato soup for lunch today and it might possibly have been the tastiest lunch I've ever had. I can affirm that it was busy, the door was constantly opening and closing which on a day like today made for too many cold drafts. Other than that though, no complaints.

I went there today for lunch and had their version of a Tuna Melt. Nothing else like it. Wonderful.

Duckfat was ok. High quality ingredients but small portions. for 7.5-$8 i should be full for a sanwhich of that price. the fries are good but again small portions for $4.5. Pommes frites in NYC is much better with this concept. Also the panini at aurora provisions on pine st are just as good and a bit cheaper. it's a great concept but it needs refining. i'll pay $10 for a sandwhich as in nyc or boston; just give me the quality(which they have down) and the quanity

Our nation has a public-health crisis resulting from the ever-increasing share of the population that is, well, ever increasing. Nearly two-thirds of American adults are overweight, and about one-third are obese. And what is this food blog doing? Encouraging people to have bacon sandwiches and fries cooked in duck fat, for lunch no less! How about being part of the solution, not the problem, and highlight Portland eateries that serve healthful fare?

And how many Mainers have $10 or more to plop down on lunch, anyway? Sounds like you're out of touch with real people, Mr. Golden.

Mr. Weir--I can always count on you to offer a spirited point of view. Why not suggest some health-conscious dining options? My aim in writing up these places is to highlight food that is special or not so special.

I'd like to hear about some of your suggestions.

So now you want me to do your job? Okay, I'll bite. (Ha ha. Get it? Food review, "bite." Anyway...) Here are a few thoughts on where to get a healthful lunch. (Please note, by the way, the use of "healthful." Food is not "healthy" or "health conscious"; those are attributes of sentient beings.)

1. O'Naturals. And you can get lunch for less than, ahem, $10. (Note the use of "less than" instead of "under." The former has to do with quantity, the latter has to do with placement in space, as in "I left my scarf under the table at Duck Fat because I was too busy having a heart attack to remember it." I'm sorry for these grammar lessons, but if I'm going to be forced to help you review restaurants, I feel compelled to help you with your writing, too. I mean, in your last post, what does "highlight food that is specical or not so special" mean, other than "highlight food.")

2. A nice bagel from One Fifty Ate and one of the fine pears they usually have on hand.

3. A broth-based soup from the Public Market.

4. In warmer months, if work is a little slow in the morning, I stroll over to the East End Beach and cast a line. I can usually reel in something palatable within 20 minutes. I take it back to the office, do a quick clean at the desk, and then steam it with some rice and some veggies I keep on hand. This time of year, when I feel like having fish, I usually just stroll to one of the fish markets and buy some smelts.

This is hardly an exhaustive list, but you get the idea--lots of healthful midday options, all much cheaper than eating at Duck Fat.

But fat is so delicious!

O'Naturals = O'Rip off. And frankly, their salads aren't that good. A couple of times, I've plunked down more than seven bucks and gotten wilted greens in exchange.

My favorite place for a good, healthful lunch is Sophia's. If you're not morally opposed to bread, that is.

Brett--Do you really clean the fish at your desk? That must be a great treat for your co-workers.

Yes, Colleen I agree with you about O'Natural's. The bread is great, though.

And Brett--You might want to check into your email account because every time I answer your notes personally they come back to me as "undeliverable."

Sorry about the e-mail thing. Those of us who, for financial reasons, have to rely on the free e-mail services are subject to space limitations in our in boxes and other glitches you paying sorts probably don't know about. I'm now using my back-up account on this blog, and your messages should go through.

And yes, I clean fish at my desk, or rather, building on our earlier lesson, under my desk. Most of my co-workers wear ridiculous amounts of offensive perfume, so I figure my fortnightly contributions to the office olfactory situation is hardly worse than what they offer on a regular basis.

Hmmm. Cheap perfume and cheap fish. What a combo!

I have to agree with Nick, after my first Duckfat experience. I had a pulled pork panini, fries and a homemade root beer: total cost $14. That's a lot for lunch and the food didn't really stand up to the cost or reputation. The sandwich was tasty enough, but kind of small. A cone of fries for $4.50 was riduculous, no matter how good they are. I think Black Tie to Go has higher quality food for about half the price. Still glad to have tried it out. Without John's posting, I might not ever have known about the place.

Scott--Aw Shucks, give it another try. Then again it's not for everyone.

John,

I likely will try it. I just think that when charging such premium prices, the food better justify it. If the prices were about 30 percent less, I would be pretty happy. If they were 50 percent less, I might go there twice a week. I realize that has little to do with the quality of the food, but to me, it's an integral part of the experience. If I pay a lot, I want a lot. You and I discussed my same feelingd about Uffa and the $14 scallop plate that had two scallops in it. They were big, succulent scallops. But I could not get over the fact that there were only two for $14.

You bring up interesting points. In fact your comments inspired me to go there today for lunch.

To add to Brett's list, I love Market St. Eats for a "healthful" lunch. Fresh ingredients, great service, and you can really "build your own". One of the only places I've found that regularly uses avocado--yum! And the sandwich prices are always the same, no matter what you order.
I haven't tried Duckfat yet, but you all have inspired me! Since I only eat lunch out about once a week, those prices are do-able (sorry for my grammar, Brett, but seriously, we're not writing a thesis here!)
And as for Brett's concern with our health and well-being, portion sizes have as much to do with overweight and obesity as the fat and caloric content do (if not more). So the smaller portions make a great balance.

Gretchen,

Thanks for adding to the healthful-lunches list.

Please note that you've misplaced "only" in the last sentence of your first paragraph; you mean "I eat lunch out only about once a week." Your sentence means that eating lunch out about once a week is all you do. Also, it's better to use "because" than "since," because the latter has to do with the passage of time, but most people botch this, and you're not a supposed professional writer like Golden Boy, so I'll let you have that one.

As for "healthy" lunch options, I hereby nominate Little Lads, at 482 Congress Street. The buffet rarely disappoints, and you can have a plateful of food, salad, and soup - all vegan, and all for $3.99 plus tax. Refill your plate for a meager $1.00.

Not gourmet, per se, but definitely a tasty bargain.

thank