Raise Your Glass to Toast

I had been hearing good things about Toast from various sources including my favorite, Chowhound. Originally, I planned on Watts Grocery for lunch. However, they're not open on Mondays. So, lucky us, we decided to try Toast in Five Points, downtown Durham. Having driven by a few times, we were impressed by the crowds assembled outside, and I thought this self-described paninoteca must be doing something right.

The glass storefront displayed happy diners digging into their lunches. The spot is spare, but warm, with bright walls and silver cafe tables. You order at the small counter, receive a number and find a table.

It was a rainy, dreary day, so I immediately looked to the soup of the day to warm my bones. I was excited to see a creamy cauliflower soup on the menu. After perusing the list of panini (hot grilled sandwich on rustic Italian bread), tramezzini (crustless cold sandwiches on white pullman bread) and bruschettas (hearty grilled bread served with a selection of toppings), I selected the Tuscan kale, ricotta salata and hot pepper combo. Georges ordered the prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato with the soup as well. Since it was a holiday, we also tried the verdicchio, a dry white Italian wine. In addition to wine and beer, Toast offers a variety of specialty sodas.

While paying, I spotted a tasty looking salad concoction with beets and oranges that turned out to be a bruschetta. The delightful counterperson (whom I suspect was an owner) offered to change my order, but I was craving greens and stuck with my selections.

A few sips of wine later, our order was delivered to our table. We both dipped into the soup first. It was creamy and flavorful, rich without thickeners and tons of cream, just the essence of the cauliflower, a drizzle of good olive oil and a smattering of hazelnuts and capers for texture and salt.

I loved my panino—the earthy goodness of the kale, the salty ricotta salata and the spicy bite of hot peppers were the perfect combination for me. Georges enjoyed his as well. Hard to go wrong with a classic combo like prosciutto and mozzarella.

I loved Toast and can't wait to go back to try that beet and orange bruschetta, and other panini like the Italian sausage, broccoli rabe and roasted garlic, and spicy tuna, olivada, fennel and lemon. Or maybe, a tramezzini of cured salmon, watercress, pickled red onion and lemon aioli. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

Details:

Toast

345 W. Main Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.683.2183