Try this meaty sandwich (without the meat) in Inman Park

“Too few people understand a really good sandwich,” James Beard once said. I thought of that while enjoying the portobello and avocado melt at Hampton + Hudson. It’s a showcase for how sandwiches can be a delicious vehicle for creativity through quality ingredients and simple technique.

Toasted, pliant multigrain bread holds the sandwich together, but its true base is the mighty mushroom. Hearty portobello mushroom caps, sliced and marinated for hours, soak up a tangy, rich infusion of acid and spice. The resulting slivers are earthy and chewy, with a steak-like texture. Both pieces of bread are slicked with mayo, although the creaminess comes from thick slices of avocado. Melted provolone provides a blanket of salty sweetness.

The gooey stack yields just the right ratio of everything — it is multi-textured, meaty and nourishing, without a speck of meat. It comes with a heap of hand-cut pub-style fries. No fork is needed for this delight.