Honeybaked Ham and Cafe

I'm not sure I ever would have known about Honeybaked Ham and Cafe had it not been for the neighboring Michael's store that I like to frequent. And it wasn't until further inspection that I realized this wasn't just a place to get a ham for Easter/Christmas. It is also a cafe.

In fact, they have a decent selection of deli sandwiches. They're various assortments of ham, turkey, bacon, cheese, tomato and lettuce, as well as a sauce: mayo, mustard, BBQ on bread. Nothing too fancy, but some are still intriguing.

The ham and turkey bella: ham, turkey, provolone and parmesan cheese, lettuce, tomato, banana pepper rings, red onions, balsamic vinaigrette, tangy mayo on a fresh Ciabatta roll. I was expecting a basic sandwich - something I could make at home, but I was surprised.

They make the sandwiches right in front of you. I'm assuming they also give samples, because there was a lipstick-ed plastic spoon laying on the counter. Beyond that, it seemed quite clean. They have a few sides, but were out of the one we really wanted (broccoli bacon bliss), so I got a side of pasta salad and drink. My total was around $9.

When I went to get my drink, they hadn't put the tops on the fountain machine, so I sat back down and waited. Once I got all my stuff together, I tried the sandwich - pretty good. Not sure I would've thought to put the balsamic with that mayo and banana peppers and onions, so it was different for me. And it paid off. It was quite tasty. Ingredients tasted well, and they've crafted the sandwiches - perfect amounts of each ingredient in each bite. Mine was tangy, but creamy with the mayo and a pretty good all-around sandwich.

Forget the sides. 99 cents for a spoonful of not-great pasta salad isn't worth it. But they did have some cookies that smelled delish. If you're in the area and want a simple sandwich for lunch, check it out. But I'm not sure I'd go out of my way for it. They have frozen sides, too, in case you were just looking to pick up one of those hams.

Grade: B