A Bag and a View

The tag on the bag said it all. "Enjoy your lunch."

As if that were ever in doubt.

A sure sign that Spring has arrived is when Acacia does their first softshell-to-go lunch of the season and that day was today.

Before I could even place my order, I got an e-mail from a friend saying, "I'll order and pay if you pick up and deliver."

What poor writer would turn down that kind of offer?

So there I was pulling up to the curb at Acacia (they only give you a half hour to do so, although I was told the line had begun fifteen minutes beforehand) to grab and go.

Oh, but such grabbing!

A fried local softshell sandwich with curry slaw and cilantro mayo came with a creamy cucumber and pasta salad, all exactingly prepared by Chef Dale Reitzer this morning.

I hate to think how early he had to be in on a Friday to have our lunches ready but I loved the fact that he was willing to do so.

Even better, I was told that more bagged lunches are in the plans for this year than last and I enjoyed every one they did in 2011.

With bag in hand, I hightailed it to my friend's office overlooking the Lee statue on Monument Avenue to enjoy my second softshells of the year.

April is turning out to be a great month for crabs for the first time in my life.

Or anyone's, I'm willing to bet.

The perfectly fried velvet softshells and slaw were oozing out of the chewy baguette, making for messy and of-the-moment flavorful eating.

The creamy pasta salad was almost unnecessary given the girth of the sandwich. Almost, but not quite.

One change from last year was that there were no cookies to end the meal.

Instead, we admired the view out the windows of the preparations for Easter on Parade; a stage had been set up at the base of Traveler's hooves.

Friend told me had just ordered a print to hang next to the window's view; it's the vintage Dementi photograph of tobacco growing right up to the base of the Lee monument.

It should make for the picture-perfect accompaniment to today's sunny view.

Not that we needed anything other than the contents of the bag to follow the directive on it.

Rest assured, Acacia. Lunch enjoyed.