Brothers Dan and Charles Epstein are the friendly faces behind the counter at Eppie’s, which opened on the Downtown Mall at the end of April. Dan says the Mall location is “perfect for what we want to do.” Namely, “to provide counter service at reasonable prices really quickly.” With a menu that includes a generous chicken plate (choice of jerk or lemon-pepper), with two sides and cornbread for $8—and prices going down from there—it seems like they are on the right track. Pasta, soups, desserts and salads (such as the creamy and sweet Curried Chicken Salad recipe below) are available from 11am to 9pm during the week and 11am to 2pm on Sunday. A particularly fun feature is their kids’ menu, which offers mac ‘n’ cheese, spaghetti or a “make your own” sandwich option, which gives the tots a two- or three-topping choice of peanut butter, strawberry jam, honey, Nutella, banana slices and Marshmallow Fluff. Looks like these brothers know a thing or two about family dining! – Pam Jiranek
Eppie’s Curried Chicken Salad
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cooled
5 tsp. mango chutney
4 tbs. plain yogurt
1 cup red grapes, washed and halved
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Mix together yogurt, mayonnaise, mango chutney, and curry in a large mixing bowl. Add grape halves and chopped green onions. “We use our jerk and lemon pepper chicken breasts to make the chicken salad,” Dan tells us, “but any kind of chicken breast will do.” Remove skin from the refrigerated chicken breasts, and pull the breast meat from the bone. Shred meat by hand into the large mixing bowl. Fold chicken into other ingredients. At Eppie’s, the chicken salad is “served on spring mix and grape tomatoes, lightly dressed with red wine vinaigrette,” with pumpkin bread on the side. Dan says this recipe will make about six salads or, if you prefer yours on bread, three to four “good-size” sandwiches.
