Adam & Eats: Trio’s

Editor’s note: Adam Brandt is a graduate from the Cobra Kai School of Culinary Callousness, where he received their highest award, the Red Apron of Merciless Eating. Aside from eating and talking about eating, he makes pots, paintings, prints, books, photographs, and generally, a big mess. He has been the studio assistant at Mudpuppy Pottery for almost nine years and is attending a local university in a desperate attempt to earn a biology degree.

If I were asked to describe Trio’s in one word, it would have to be: simplicity. Everything there is straight forward and down to Earth. Now if only we could find the place.

Located snuggly behind the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce in downtown Fort Smith (which offers free Starbucks coffee to wandering food writers) is Trio’s Sandwiches, Soup, and Salads.

Like I said a minute ago, simplicity is their middle name at Trio’s. The small dining area has these cute little tables, the wall decorations are few, and the place just has an overall feel of cleanliness and friendliness. The phrase “hole in the wall” comes to mind, but not in a negative way. It is the type of place that you have to know about in order to find it. There are no flashy neon signs, there are only a couple of chalkboards announcing the daily specials located at opposite ends of the sidewalk.

For some reason, I am a big fan of the lone table and chairs outside. It says something to me. Something like : “Only the brave will sit at this metal table on a hot summer day and eat their lunch.” Whatever it is, it made me want to sit on an iron chair in the middle of a hot summer afternoon and eat my lunch. I didn’t, because, despite what some of my readers think, I am not a complete idiot. But, that is a horse of a totally different color.

Where was I? Oh, yes, Trio’s.

The food at Trio’s is, to beat the crap out the dead horse, simple. It seems like the type of food that you would make for lunch if you worked at home. Or at least, the type of food I would make if I worked at home. It is quick and easy to make. It is cheap, and it beats going to Mickie Dee’s. All of the food is prepared with things you can easily acquire at Harp’s. Heck, you might have most of the stuff in your fridge right now. Lettuce, ground beef, bacon, sliced turkey and ham, bread, cheese, mayo, tortilla chips, mustard, Old El Paso (I’m on to you, Buddy.) Like I said, simple stuff.

The club sandwich is pretty good, but it wasn’t life changing. It was just a club sandwich. Although, the 12 grain bread was delicious and I must find out where they get it. I felt the same about the taco salad and the Frito pie. Good, but not mind blowing. Simple is great, but without a little pizzazz, it would get boring quickly. I think the numerous people who have recommended Trio’s to me did so because the food is decent, the people are kind and friendly, and the atmosphere is quaint and comfortable. Plus, it’s a cheap lunch. And the people know how much I love a cheap lunch.

These are the reasons why I am recommending them to you. So, if you work in the downtown area and haven’t tried Trio’s yet, you should.

Life is complex, lunch doesn’t have to be.

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When he’s not beating his eggs, Adam makes time to respond to e-mails that get past his hard-ass spam filter. You can try to reach him at [email protected]

Adam also has this thing called Sandwich Control.