Everyone that goes to lunch with us carries a pink "Credit Card" in their wallet. Why? The reason is the Hampton Place Cafe. This little spot on Hampton Street between Main and Sumter is our go-to restaurant for a sandwich in Uptown, and after you buy seven of their delicious sandwiches or salads, that little pink card ensures that your next meal at Hampton Place is free.
Hampton place is known for their classics - the TSHM (turkey, swiss, and honey mustard), the RBHM (roast beef and honey mustard), and the Chicken Salad Club (think BLT w/ chicken salad). The sandwiches come standard with corn chips, potato salad, and a pickle spear. Experienced diners know that it is better to pass on the potato salad and either 1) grab some extra chips and salsa or a side of their own feta ranch, or 2) pitch in an extra buck and get a side Greek salad. Since the sandwiches are all priced under $7, a salad doesn't push lunch over $10. Whenever we head over to Hampton Place, I can be sure that many in the pack, if not all, will be ordering one these popular options. Well, except Rabbit. More often than not, he is pulled in by one of Hampton Place's massive salads. The best one in my humble opinion is the "new" Santa Fe salad. It is a taco salad on steroids.
Every now and then I stray from my usual order, "RBHM, no potato salad, just corn chips and a side of feta ranch," and I try something new. This week, I ordered the Hali Cali. Its a turkey sandwich w/ lettuce, tomato, sprouts, avocado, and sunflower seeds. This light fare was perfect for a temperate summer day, and the sunflowers seeds added a little something special. Rabbit went truly bold and ordered the skyscraper - the biggest sandwich on Hampton Place's menu. It looked so good, Pizza the Hut had to take a photo of it.
Hampton Place also serves some warm dishes for those who seek comfort in the cool winter months. Particularly popular, at least with Mrs. Tank, is the lasagna. Rumor has it that it is simply a popular store-bought brand, but she remains undeterred by that possibility. They also have a daily soup selection, but I have yet to be impressed by one. One other note of caution, steer very clear of the krab salad. It is a dark stain on the face of an otherwise delightful menu.
As usual, we all left Hampton Place pleasantly full and sporting a new hole punched into our pink cards. I'm only one punch away from my free meal, so you better believe that we'll be heading back to Hampton Place in the next week so that I can grab another RBHM.
- Tank
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- The LunchMen
- Rabbit, Tank, and The Publican are three dudes just trying to get through the work week here in Columbia. Rabbit is a Columbia native, Tank is from Charleston, and The Publican hails from Greenville. Rabbit's favorite lunch spot is the No Name Deli on Elmwood, where you may find him putting down a grilled chicken salad and a side of vinegar pasta. The Publican usually wants to find food to cure his all-too-common hangovers. Tank claims no favorite lunch spot - he lives for the thrill of the hunt.
Hampton Place - how could you do this to me? It is no secret that the Lunchmen frequently dine at the old standby HPC when in a hurry. Occasionally, we even pick it up to bring back to the office (gasp!). This week, I picked up lunch for me and Tank, and they refused a double punch on the Sandwich Card! Instead, I was given another card with a single punch in addition to the single punch I received on my already-in-progress card. This is a practice straight off the Boo List.
Fortnately, my lunch was under $6 and delicious, so the complaining stops here...
- The Publican
I used to go there all the time and was never offered a "pink" card, otherwise I'd have ate there more. I really need to remmber the salad idea too, i'd much rather have that than the chips. Although I do enjoy the salty things.