Racines' Vietnamese vegetarian sandwich hits the lunchtime spot

Racines is deservedly popular with meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. The salads and veggie-friendly Mexican entrees are amazing, and a relatively new addition to the menu, the Vietnamese vegetarian sandwich, can easily be modified to suit vegan palates.

Pictured above, the sandwich consists of sliced cucumber, tomato, fresh jalapenos, avocado, shredded carrots, daikon, white vinaigrette dressing and fresh cilantro on a crispy, chewy baguette roll. The standard sandwich also comes with a chili-garlic mayonnaise, but vegans will want to skip that egg-including condiment. Even without the mayo, the sandwich isn't too dry -- the avocado and dressing definitely help with that -- and the jalapenos add a spicy kick that's beautifully balanced by the heaps of refreshing cilantro.

It's an interpretation of banh mi that may not be entirely authentic, but certainly is entirely tasty.

And, of course, all of the sandwiches at Racines come with a side: french fries, fruit salad, soup, sweet-potato fries, brown rice, Spanish rice, Asian slaw, rosemary potatoes, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, sliced tomatoes, sauteed or steamed veggies or coleslaw. There are plenty of vegetarian options to choose from on that list, but we decided to make our side a dinner salad with the tart, tangy orange balsamic dressing. The greens were fresh and crisp, and you can't go wrong with that dressing.

Racines is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to midnight on Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday -- late night, anyone? Call 303-595-0418 or visit http://racinesrestaurant.com/index.htm.