The Elephant Walk is known for it’s unique bicultural (yet not fusion) French and Cambodian menus.  Whether you order off the French side of the menu or the Cambodian side, my friends and I each have our favorite Elephant Walk dishes that we order again and again for dinner. I tend to think of it as a popular dinner and takeout spot, vuyt Elephant Walk was a surprising revelation as a lunch option. I was invited to come in and sample some of Elephant Walk’s new lunch menu recently and I cannot wait to go back. I usually go to Elephant Walk in Cambridge, and had not yet been in to Elephant Walk in the South End.  I love how airy and light the South End location is.  
Elephant walk has lunch on Thursdays and Fridays and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays as well as dinner 7 days a week.  On Thursday, when we went in for lunch, I was impressed how popular it was, but after enjoying lunch I understand why.

We started with an old menu item, that I highly recommend, this soup has a nice citrus tang and delicious mushrooms just slightly undercooked (intentionally) and toothsome giving it a nice texture and freshness.  If I could remember which soup it was I would tell you (I’ll get back to you all on that soon.)  The avocado citrus soup is perfect for summer. 

If I’m craving a sweet pick me up, then I always get a Vietnamese iced tea.  It’s a bit like having dessert first, and isn’t that the advantage of being a grown up…you get to have dessert first. 

Below the iced tea is the crispy catfish sandwich.  My friend and I loved the catfish sandwich for both the freshness and lightness of the battered fish and the fabulous quick pickles that were on the sandwich.  

The hamburger looked like a Vietnamese bahn mi it was on a long Iggy’s ciabatta roll.  The burger was a bit more like a slice of meatloaf, but the best, lightest, most tasty, lemongrassy meatloaf you’ve ever had.

Sandwiches are served with a choice of fries or salad.  The fries were pretty darn good (what I’m saying is- get the fries!)

After sampling both sandwiches, chef brought us a little of the duck on it’s own to taste.  It was so good! It had those classic French flavours, but as a sandwich I think it would remind me of a very North American French Dip sandwich but made with duck.  The sauce is the kind that you want to soak right up into the bread and capture every last drop. 

   
                  

  

Elephant Walk’s new lunch items are:

Le Hamburger a la Citronelle

Half pound of special blend ground beef infused with lemongrass,  grilled; garnished with carrot, cucumber, scallion, cilantro, peanut dressed with Tuk Trey, spicy sriracha mayonnaise; fresh jalapeno optional $11

Avocado Salad

Avocado, cabbage, carrot, tomato, cucumber, baby arugula, red onion, toasted almond; dressed with either Tuk Trey or sesame soy vinaigrette $9 

Braised Duck

Duck braised in soy-ginger tamarind juices with portabella mushroom; garnished with baby arugula, carrot, cucumber, cilantro and scallion dressed with Tuk Trey $9

Crispy Catfish

Crispy Asian catfish with spicy sriracha mayonnaise, baby arugula, Cambodian quick pickles $9

Lemongrass Chicken

Bell and Evans chicken thigh in lemongrass sauce with peanut; garnished with carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and scallion dressed with Tuk Trey, spicy sriracha mayonnaise; fresh jalapeno optional $9 

Add side of fries or salad verte $4