The strip mall trifecta

There are three desirable characteristics of food: good flavor, low cost and good nutrition. It's rare to find one dish that offers all of these.

My hopes for good eating were particularly low yesterday afternoon. I was on the road and didn't have a chance to get lunch until after 3:00. In an unfamiliar town and too hungry to be choosy, I pulled into a strip mall and perused the storefronts. I settled on Frank's Trattoria, which looked like any other pizza joint, with a counter, a few tables, and pizza by the slice. I assumed I'd wolf down a couple of pieces of pizza and be on my way.

But then I noticed a chalkboard on which a single lunch special was offered: grilled salmon with sautéed vegetables. Amazingly, this meal was priced at only $7.50. When the food arrived, the portion was huge, and it tasted great! Furthermore, it was loaded with sautéed fresh vegetables: broccoli, spinach, carrots, peppers, mushrooms onions and garlic. It wasn't greasy or particularly salty, just flavorful and satisfying.

So although it's unusual to find taste, affordability and healthful ingredients all together, sometimes good meals come from unexpected places. Three cheers for the strip mall trifecta!