Naked Lunch Writes a Bright New Sandwich Beat in North Beach

Categories: Palmer
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"Naked lunch, a frozen moment where everyone sees what is on the end of every fork." -- William S. Burroughs

Last week marked the opening of weekday spot Naked Lunch (at the takeout counter of Enrico's, 504 Broadway at Kearny). It's a bright new spot amidst some pretty lean lunch offerings in North Beach (trust us, we've spent at least a few fruitless afternoons looking for something quick and tasty in that neighborhood).

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Foie gras and duck prosciutto with heirloom tomato and butter lettuce.
We tucked into a lush foie gras and duck prosciutto sandwich, garnished with heirloom tomato and butter lettuce ($15). A fried Berkshire pork belly sandwich with plum mostarda and roasted scallions ($9) was decent but not as exciting, the pork all but disappearing in the mostarda's sweetness. Our unequivocal favorite part of the meal was a bowl of sweet corn soup, glistening with dribbles of divine white truffle oil ($5).

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Sweet corn soup with white truffle oil.
During our visit, proprietors Ian Begg and Ryan Maxey, the former chef and general manager of Cafe Majestic, were front and center with genuine hospitality and enthusiasm to answer anyone's questions about ingredients or preparation. Begg told SFoodie he plans to change the menu frequently, but will likely keep the foie sandwich in solid rotation. Maxey also mentioned that they're also on the hunt to eventually open their own restaurant. Naked Lunch is open on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

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