The Red Onion

Hoagie Haven and George's Roasters make hoagies, but the Red Onion is affirmatively a sandwich shop. The small restaurant — located on Nassau Street opposite Holder Courtyard — uses Boar's Head deli meats and an assortment of breads to make classic cold-cut sandwiches, plus a few signature "nouveau" items like the excellent roasted vegetables and fresh mozzarella on baguette.

The traditional sandwiches offer few surprises. At this time of year, the Red Onion is suffering from winter lettuce and tomatoes, though their signature red onions remain excellent.

I recommend getting sandwiches on a baguette or 7-grain bread. The baguette is crusty and redolent of sourdough, while the 7-grain bread is dark and rich, and possesses an intense nutty flavor.

In addition to sandwiches, the Red Onion serves homemade soups and salads: pasta, potato, fruit and the plain old vegetable variety.

The traditional red bliss potato salad is extremely rich and tastes of egg, with a few onions, carrots and flecks of celery thrown in to lend it a bit of texture. The Red Onion's prices are relatively low, with sandwiches in the $4.50-$5.50 range. Sodas, juices and Fresh Samantha smoothies are available for a dollar or two apiece.