If ever the conditions were amenable to comfort foods, it would have to be right now, as the snow flies ... and flies some more.

If you can get your car out between snowstorms, consider a trip to Village Bake House where hot soup, creative sandwiches and fresh baked goods await the winter-weary New Englander.

What sets Village Bake House apart from other soup-n-sammie places is the menu's clever accents on otherwise common fare. Yes, you can get a BLT, but what you'll get is a BLT on an eight-grain roll; a tuna melt sports Swiss on "Indian-grain bread"; tomato soup is brewed with basil and loaded with cheese ravioli.

And then there's the house-made baked goods for those on the hunt for a wee treat.

We'll start there: Among many baked options ($2.25 apiece for pastries; rolls and donuts $1.10 each), we selected an Apple Jack (partially for the name), a frosted brownie, and a croissant (in an effort to appear responsible). All three were winners: the Jack was buttery-delicious with enjoyable cinnamon notes and an appreciated swirl of icing; the brownie turned out to be moist, dark-chocolate decadence; and the croissant hit the spot with a decent flaky-to-buttery ratio. (I could've dealt with more butter-heft, but the croissant still satisfied.)

Back to that warm-weather fare: when confronted with a soup menu ($3.99 for a cup; $4.99 for a bowl) boasting intriguing items such as Chicken and White Bean Chili; Potato Bacon Monterey Jack; and Roasted Red Pepper with Smoked Gouda, well, I'm inclined to try all of the above.

The chicken-bean chili became the unexpected standout among the three. A balanced blend of beans and light and dark-meat chicken met with a goodly dash of garlic and hot peppers to create a satisfying stew. The heat from the peppers built up cumulatively and served to enliven the thick and savory (but not overly so) base.

While I enjoyed the Potato Bacon Monterey Jack brew, it was a little too rich to finish. The accompanying oyster crackers helped break up the soup's very buttery overtones, as did the salty specks of bacon, which might've been larger in an ideal world. Ditto on the potato bits, which were a little too spartan and small for my preference.

And what I thought would end up to be my favorite soup - the roasted red pepper with gouda - turned out to be fine but not nearly the home-run I expected. Great texture and very bright pepper flavor made for a good start, but the gouda, once again, was a bit lacking in volume and didn't present much smoked flavor. Crackers, again, proved a good accompaniment to take some of the bite out of the tangy pepper flavor.

On another visit, I paired the tomato basil with cheese ravioli soup with one of the sandwich specials of the day, goat cheese and pesto on ciabatta. The yummy, small ravioli made up for what the soup lacked in tomato flavor, but I do like a little more tomato in my tomato soup.

The sandwich, though, was excellent (half sandwiches are $4.23; a full is $7.99). Served on a toasted ciabatta roll, the goat cheese was warm and gooey, and it merged beautifully with the accompanying pesto, lettuce and tomato. The sandwich is supposed to come with roasted red peppers, but the kitchen was out of them the day I visited. The counter-person offered me regular red peppers in place of the roasteds, but I elected to go without and never missed them. Between the well-selected warm chevre and the garlic-y pesto, it's hard to say which was the best part of the sandwich, but both ensure I will order it again. Kudos to Village for a well-crafted vegetarian option beyond the standard Portobello iterations.

The Thanksgiving on a Bun sandwich also scored well. A toasted roll, once again, provided a fantastic base on which to serve a mini holiday spread: ample, tender roasted turkey, cranberry, stuffing and some mayo, which, at first, seemed an odd ingredient but, upon tasting, proved a good vehicle with which to marry all the other elements together. True to its name, even half of this sammie is a belly-filler, and the very tasty cup of pasta-bean salad - a mix of white beans, penne, some hard cheese and a light vinegar-y dressing - that arrived with the sandwich sealed the deal. Double bonus: a gratis bag of adorable star-shaped, icing covered vanilla cookies for dessert, which we enjoyed, but an overall sweetness to the waxy frosting kept our cookie control in check.

The Chicken & Bean Burrito wrap proved another good choice; even better, wraps are available in halves, too (same prices as sandwiches). Served in a crisp, warmed wrap, this item is among the flatter "burritos" in the world, since no rice enters the mix. Village creates a fresh and tasty take on the bean burrito with its mixture of sliced, salt-and-peppered chicken, lettuce, tomato, Monterey Jack cheese, black bean spread and a very zesty salsa with quite a kick of heat.

Since more snow is guaranteed, more comfort foods will be in order. I look forward to making some more progress on Village's long sandwich and wrap list, as there are at least two dozen more on the regular menu, including vegetarian items like the veggie wrap and a veggie-melt sandwich, plus six salad options. Many uninvestigated bakery options provide even more impetus for a return trip to Village Bake House.

Village Bake House

28 Pennsylvania Ave., Niantic Shopping Center

(860) 739-9638

villagebake.com

Cuisine: Soups, sandwiches, salads, baked goods

Atmosphere: Very casual, with about 10 tables for in-house noshing.

Service: Courteous and efficient

Prices: Modest. Whole sandwiches and salads are among the priciest items at an average of $8. Prepared foods - potato, tuna, chicken and pasta salad - are $10.99 per pound.

Hours: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Credit cards: Accepted

Handicap access: Ramp from parking area is close to Village's storefront. Small interior is relatively roomy.

Reservations: N/A