Two for $20: Goose the Market

Irene sandwich, $6.95, and Abita root beer, $1.75, from Goose the Market. (Michelle Pemberton/The Indianapolis Star)

It's clear the owners, Mollie and Chris, who live above their beloved store, are passionate about food.

If you browse the Web site, Goose the Market doesn't look like a place to eat -- it looks like a place to explore. I immediately wanted to get my eyes and hands on everything there. Assuming they only sold products to make your own dang meal, I had settled on just shopping around.

My lucky stars graced me, though, when I saw SANDWICHES listed on their blog. I was out the door - Hayden in tow.

Little did I know that this Goose has been featured in the August issue of Bon Appetit magazine as "One of the Hot 10 Sandwich Shops" in the country.

The mood

This part of North Delaware Street has gone through a lot of revamping in the past few years, and Goose the Market, which opened last fall, is a product of it.

Hayden and I were both surprised at the small size of the interior space. How could all of the yummies on the site fit in here? No bigger than a Broad Ripple boutique, it has yellow walls and plentiful windows that make it cheery.

Nearly everything has been grown or made in Indiana. You'll find Sahm's coffee cake, Traders Point Creamery cottage cheese, Fischer Farms beef, locally made butter, cheese and veggies.

The food

We perused the menu at a glass counter stuffed with enough lamb brats and chicken breasts to scare any veg head away.

Hayden chose the Batali with coppa (ham), soppressata (salami), capocolla (more ham), tomato preserves, marinated onion, mayo and lettuce ($6.95). Goose thinks "meat is sexy," and apparently, so does he.

I went with the delicious Irene ($6.95), a chunky smoked chicken salad with field greens and crunchy cucumbers, and loaded with crisp bell peppers.

Both were served on chewy baguettes.

Not enough? Salads are ready- made, too, along with house-made dressings, marinades, rubs, and sauces.

We topped our meal off with a creamy butter pecan gelato ($2.50). Hayden and I looked at each other and said, "It tastes like butter." Can it get any better than a bowl of butter-tasting, sugary, nut-filled goo? Didn't think so.

The damage: $21.22

Things are coming full circle -- the "fad" of the Slow Food movement, combating fast food by emphasizing local cuisine and products, seems like common sense and better for you.

Goose the Market

Address: 2503 N. Delaware St.

Telephone: (317) 924-4944.

Parking: Street.

Hours: 10.a.m. to 8.p.m. Monday-Friday, 10.a.m. to 6.p.m. Saturday. Site: www.goosethemarket.com.