A restaurant in the Metro East has come up with a unique way to entice customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Brown Bag Bistro in Alton has a 19-ingredient sandwich on its menu right now named after the coronavirus that has shut down much of the U.S. Co-owner Christine Velloff says it's meant to keep her doors open and her employees working.
"Low and behold we came up with "The COVID." We do have 19 ingredients on it and it has been a tremendous hit...really among the first responders ironically."
Velloff says a few people have taken offense to the name of the sandwich, but she is not apologizing for what she calls creativity and entrepreneurship.
She decided on the 19-ingredient creation through testing and her experience in making signature sandwiches.
"(We) kind of worked with flavors and used a lot of the ingredients we already had on hand and just kind of combined them into this unique combination."
The ingredients of the sandwich are turkey, ham, roast beef, fried bologna, provolone, herb cheese spread, avocado slices, banana peppers, red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, pickle slices, minced garlic, sweet & spicy mustard, our special sauce, and crushed black pepper kettle chips on French Style bread toasted with a charred tomato vinaigrette. Topped with a sweet pepper.
