When you visit Union South and you’re hungry, the options are limited. There are burgers at the Sett, pizza at Urban Slice or stir-fry at Ginger Root. But if none of those particular tastes suit your fancy, there’s only one other choice: Harvest Grains.
Featuring a slate of sandwiches and salads ranging from $5 to $6.95, plus a side with every sandwich, it’s a solid value. I set out to take a deeper look.
Toasted Sandwiches
The El Paso: This sandwich features a beautifully toasted baguette. The bread (save for one exception later on) is quite good. Unfortunately, the sandwich features dried-out meat, a.k.a grilled chicken breast. When I say grilled, I mean in the pre-made frozen “grill mark” kind of way. Which isn’t bad, it just means that before it’s even toasted, every piece of chicken is already cooked well through. So by the time it comes out of the oven, it’s not in ideal condition. Luckily, most shortcomings in food can be overcome with bacon, and this sandwich is no exception. The melted cheddar cheese is also a delicious companion. The roasted balsamic, red-pepper topping doesn’t fully combat the dryness, but does add to the flavor. If you can get past the dry chicken (which could be a big if), it’s a satisfying, tasty sandwich.
The Cuban: The stringy pulled pork in this sandwich dries out in the toaster oven and is then doused with mustard. While the mustard alleviates some of the dryness, it also dominates the whole sandwich. Add in some thick and chewy pickles, and it’s too much flavor to really pick up on what could be the best part—the thin layer of melted Swiss cheese and ham.
The Reuben: Order the Reuben. It will come straight out of the wood-fired stone oven, where life is hot and dangerous. Savor its steamy and juicy aroma. Inhale fumes of corned beef, sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese. They are ever so captivating. “Come in,” they say.
This is everything a hot sandwich should be. The sauerkraut hits you first, acidic and flavorful, and it might be a bit overpowering if it didn’t have the Thousand Island dressing over it. Then comes the corned beef, which is tender and juicy, mixed perfectly with the melted Swiss for a wonderful finish. The rye bread serves as a subtle yet important background contributor. It is a messy enterprise to eat this Reuben—and do call him Reuben— thanks to the thick strands of corned beef and the overflowing sauerkraut, but it’s well worth it.
Deli Sandwiches
The Old School Italian: A classic, well-executed sandwich. The baguette is soft with a nice crust. All of the ingredients are of good quality. The Capicola ham provides most of the flavor, which is a meaty, smoky and spicy one. Large swaths of provolone provide a nice counterpoint, not too thin to notice, but not unwieldy. Lettuce, tomato and onion with vinaigrette prevent things from getting too dry. Check, check, check. You will leave satisfied.
The Farmer’s Market: Much less satisfaction to be gleaned here. If this were a two-word review, it would be: cold mess. You can find much better vegetarian options elsewhere on the menu.
Sides
Every sandwich comes with a side. There are blue corn tortilla chips, baby carrots and an apple, which all are exactly what they sound like. However, there are two homemade options.
Roasted Red Potatoes: Potatoes are simple. Cut into bite-size pieces, roasted with salt.
Mac ’N’ Cheese: If you are a mac ’n’ cheese purist—elbow macaroni swimming in a mild and cheesy béchamel sauce and nothing else—you might want to avoid this unique version. It features medium-sized shells in lieu of macaroni, which are actually a good choice. They catch a lot of sauce and have a tendency to fold into each other, providing the perfect texture. Another twist in Harvest’s take is its subtle peppery kick. The main problem, and I do mean main, is that it doesn’t taste like cheese.
The sauce doesn’t taste like anything, actually. It’s like an artificial béchamel: It hits the light orange color notes and the silky smooth gooey texture notes, but it has no flavor. My best guess is that it’s fashioned from American cheese, but honestly this would have more flavor if you put cold Kraft singles on top of the shells instead of the house sauce. But as long as you know what you’re getting into, you can still enjoy it. It’s still hot and robust. It’s still gooey and melty. It still has a warm and pleasant spice. In other words, it’s still comfort food.
And that’s the main take away from Harvest Grains. It’s far from perfect, but it’s enjoyable. If you find yourself at Union South amidst a sea of burgers, pizza and stir-fry, Harvest Grains is there for you like family: a bit flawed, but inviting and dependable.
For more tips on what to and not to avoid at Harvest Grains, email Aaron at ayellin@wisc.edu.
