Light Lunch at Carly’s Bistro

Work, work, work, then hop in the car and find food before passing out: It’s not much of a dining strategy, but some days things just play out that way. Carly’s Bistro has been there for me on many such ravenous outings.

The half sandwich and half soup or salad usually suits me. It costs a couple extra bucks to swap the usual salad for the beet salad with blue cheese, but it’s worth it. That, plus half a Europa panini — a hot sandwich on ciabatta with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, spinach, and smoked mozzarella — is filling but not excessively so. Instead of fantasizing about a mid-afternoon nap, I get my second wind.

​Carly’s always has a fun rotation of local art on the walls. Right now, there are playful Dia de los Muertos-inspired paintings by Pablo Luna.