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The 2005 Independent Food Festival & Awards are here! A group of dedicated food bloggers from around the world has gathered to honor the great food experiences in their lives, to which they present their own individually crafted award categories. My award category today is the humble bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich - a.k.a. the BLT, one reasonably priced, say, less than 4 bucks, that you might find at any number of food establishments. A BLT that is deeply satisfying, but doesn't break the bank. A BLT that would send you a few miles out of your way just to enjoy. So what about the winner of the 2005 Independent Food Festival award for Best BLT Under $4? Read on...

There is a little café, with only three or four tables, on a busy half-residential, half-commercial section of Divisadero Boulevard in San Francisco, that one could walk by a hundred times without noticing. If you did happen to glance through the café windows into the interior you might notice that the place had a steady stream of customers at all hours of the day. If you happened to walk through the entrance, you would be greeted cheerfully by one or both of the proprietors, an asian couple, age indeterminate. If you made it this far, you might be tempted by one of the many well prepared, reasonably priced food items they offer. This little café is actually quite famous in San Francisco for its healthy peanut milk elixer. But what is little known is that the best Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato sandwich is made at this café! Yes folks, this perfect BLT, priced actually at only $3.25, is served by Jack and Margaret Chang at their KK Café on Divisadero at Haight in San Francisco.

The KK Café BLT comes layered with three lightly toasted whole-wheat bread slices, slathered with mayonnaise, fresh iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, and wonderfully thick, crunchy strips of bacon. (Click on the photo for a larger view.) It is sliced diagonally for ease of eating. The ingredient that makes the biggest impression with this sandwich is of course the bacon. No wimpy thin strips of bacon will you find here. In fact, if you were to attempt to recreate this sandwich at home (perhaps you don't live in San Francisco, or within a 100 mile radius), you would need to procure extra thick bacon from your local butcher. The bread is only lightly toasted. Unlike so many highly toasted BLTs I've had at other places, this BLT does not scrape the roof of your mouth as you eat it. The primary crunch comes from the lettuce and the bacon.

Jack and Margaret Chang, the owners of the café that serves the Best BLT for Under $4, put love into everything they do and make. If you read up about them, you will learn that they are deeply devoted to God and see serving the best food for the health and happiness of their customers as their mission. Jack and Margaret are filled with light, and I've got to believe that this spirit is the special ingredient in everything they make, including of course my favorite BLT.

So, if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and meet this delicious BLT in person! Note that the sign over the café actually says in tiny letters "KK Café" and in huge letters, "Coffee House". It's easy to miss.

Make sure to check out all of the awards at Tasting Menu.