Sandwich Blog

This week in sandwiches pt. II

2011-07-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Red Scooter Deli is in Paso Robles. We went there for lunch because it had a huge sign on it that said LUNCH. Their tactic worked. Its in a really nice little park downtown. I was in the mood for something fresh. So, I got "The Bird" which consists of turkey, cranberry sauce, cream cheese, seeds, lettuce and sprouts on wheat. Theoretically, it should have been good. The cranberry sauce was more like strawberry jam and the turkey tasted like it came from an oscar myer package(no offense to the myer family.) They should have bombarded it with more sprouts and cream cheese. That sammy is for the birds.
Sunha got the breakfast croisant sandwich. It was amazing! Almost too good, like when you're three quarters of the way in and it almost over powers your taste buds. I would go back there if I ever had the chance in hopes of redeeming myself. Maybe they'll come with some adequate meat next time. Its at 110 Pine Street, Paso Robles , Ca 93446

This is a chicken salad sandwich made by Sunha's mom. I was spoiled when she came here to visit. She's an amazing cook. The chicken salad was made from scratch with almond slivers. She even picked a perfect wheat roll. She emptied out some of the bread so that she could fit more chicken salad in it, that deserves some sort of award. She decided to start a blog about her food and gets like 500 hits a day, which is not bad, considering I only get like 5,000... hits...haha (crusty the clown sigh.)

This is a Sandwich from the The Viking Restaurant in Solvang. What you see here is a Danish sandwich. Pork and sauerkraut and beets! Yaaay? No, boooo! It tasted like a vikings shoe that stepped on some pork and sauerkraut. (I still ate the whole thing.) It'd be nice to eat an authentic one of these some day, it has all the right ingredients right down to the pumpernickle bread. 1684 Copenhagen Drive, Solvang

This lovely burger is called the Blue Cheer. Its from the grillemall burger truck. Cranberry sauce and blue cheese pulled off with the greatest of ease. It even has chips on it. I'm on board for this one. Check em out! http://twitter.com/#!/grillemalltruck

Lobsta Sandwich

2011-07-03T17:18:00.001-07:00

Another doozy from my man lp. This one is coming our way from Portland, Maine. World renowned for their seafood and swarthy hooligans. Look at that fresh lobster, shit is ridic!

Bay Cities

2011-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Bay Cities is recognized by sandwich lovers as having the best Italian sub in town. Several people have asked me wether or not I have been there. One person even made the remark that it is so good, it will break my sandwich blog. It was my destiny to face this mythical hoagie. I finally made my way out to Santa Monica to try the legendary Godmother.
I went to Santa Monica to pick up an art piece from Romney for the auction. He and Devi told me that they eat there all the time and judging from the looks of the place, so does everybody else in Santa Monica. It was around 1:30 pm on a weekday and you could barely get the counter to order. Romney pointed me towards a big basket sitting on the counter overflowing to the brim with freshly wrapped Godmothers. So many people order it, that aside from everything else people order, they just keep a steady flow of them pumping out to satsify the hunger of local santa monicans and sandwich crusaders alike.
The bread is a little chewy, but crunchy enough to let that slide. They are made on Italian rolls (made & baked fresh hourly!) The bread is hearty like that to soak up all of the juices. On it, are the usual suspects, genoa salami, mortadella, coppacola, ham, prosciutto and provolone. If you get it with THE WORKS then they hit you with mayo, mustard, onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, Italian dressing & mild or hot pepper salad.

Thats a lot of juice to soak up! Which is precisely why this sandwich is so successful. Even with all of that juice, the bread holds it in like the sturdy walls of an above ground swimming pool.(If you wait too long to eat it then it will get soggy, if this has happened then you have failed. Also, when feeling for which one to grab on the counter, make sure its not soggy. Thanks Rom.)
The main reason that this sandwich is so good is the taste. The scale of flavors don't tip too far in either direction. Its right on the money. The perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty and spicey. Its the freshness of the meats with perfect balance of the condiments that makes it so delicious.
Many purists of Italian subs don't think that condiments should even be on it, just meat and cheese. While I understand and respect this, I need mine served with a little push of mass appeal (condiments.) Maybe I just haven't gotten to that level of refinement yet. Its like my taste in movies. I love a more sophistocated film, even avant-guard at times, but more often then not, I'm gonna pop in Delta Force or Zoolander. Its just more palatable and accessible to the masses. This is probably the same reason why I like sandwiches so much.
The Godmother kind of reminded me the Italian from Delfonte's in New York. That sandwich won best Italian sub in the city. It had similar ingredients in the meats and the hot pepper salad. I proposed to my future wife while we were eating a couple of those puppies. Good times...

Above is one of the best Caprese sandwiches I've ever had. Super fresh. Once again, the bread totally makes it. It also has just enough Balsamic and olive oil on it. If you want something a little lighter, then maybe give this one a try. In a funny coincidence, I had the Caprese below the day before. It was made by my friend Nigel. Thanks Nigel for the great sandwich!

Bay Cities is located at 1517 Lincoln Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90401

Famous sandwiches

2011-05-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, a good sandwich can either make or break a movie. (thanks dooley)

Lyon's Sandwich post

2011-05-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

This next post come to us from fellow sandwich aficionado, Lyon in NY. These sandwiches are from Fredi on 28 E. 12th st off University Place.

First up we have the Italian Melt which includes prosciutto di parma, mozzerella, parmigiano reggiano, roasted plum tomatoes and balsamic dressing: ay maron!

Next up we have the BBQ pulled pork with chipotle lime sauce slaw. This one looks like a force to be reckoned with. Why is cabbage so good with lime?

Heres's the rest of the menu

Thanks buddy, keep em comin!

2011-05-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Sandwiches by Charles Schiller.

Slicin' and dicin' pt.1

2011-04-18T22:08:00.001-07:00

What a difference good bread makes. If you haven't sliced yourself up a loaf, then do it, you'll feel like a man. Its like hunting your own food and cooking it (except the exact opposite.) Will you make the cut? Send me your pix, I'll post em. Thanks to the mainn man BR for the bread.

And then,

BAM! Cucumber, butter and omelette. Sometimes you just let the bread do the driving. Learned this sandwich from Natalie.

Do ice cream sandwiches count?

2011-04-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

No, they don't. But they're still good. These are from Coolhaus ice cream sandwich truck. http://twitter.com/COOLHAUS. They have flavors like strawberry with jalapeño and bacon...zoinks!

The Club

2011-04-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

My guess (is as good as yours): They are called club sandwiches because they were served at clubs at which they had to accomodate for a lot of people. Thats why they are double decker, cut in to four pieces and contain many ingredients, to satisfy the varying tastes of each member.

Whats Cookin America basically says: A guy came home and was so hungry that he put everything that he could find together in one sandwich. He then introduced it to the club that he belonged to and they went crazy about it and adopted it as their own.(Which means that he put turkey on bread and was like, "this is not gonna be enough," put ham on it, "not gonna be enough," put bacon... and was still fearful that it wouldn't satisfy his giant appetite. So he made it a double decker and added cheese and vegetables!)

Wikipedia adds: One popular theory is that the club sandwich was invented in an exclusive Saratoga Springs, New York, gambling club in the late 19th century.[1]
The sandwich is known to have appeared on US restaurant menus as far back as 1899.[2]

And Mitch Hedburg says:

Modern day: At grimey late night diners, its one of the only safe things to eat. At such an establisment, it comes with a trough of ranch dressing for dipping to mask the mediocrity. The toast gets cold as soon as it comes out. It is rare to come across a decent club sandwich, but they are out there. The one pictured above is a really good one. Its from Home Restaurant in LA. Everything there is tasty. What seperates this club sammy from the others is the fresh ingredients. The bread is what pushes this sammy over the edge, high quality, not toasted, just right..aight.
1760 Hillhurst Avenue
Los Angeles, CA

Wedding Sliders

2011-03-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

Big congrats are in order for my friends Lyon and Abbey who just got married in the Virgin Islands. Also, big congrats to their choices in food. Behold the Asian BBQ Snake River Kurobuta Pork Belly Slider. This little gem consists of Snake River Kurobuta Pork Belly Slow Braised in East West Asian BBQ Sauce and then Finished on the Grill for a Touch of Smokiness. Served on Homemade Mini Slider Rolls with Marinated Cucumbers, Grilled Scallions (which go well with anything) and Local Organic Pea Shoots... Now thats a mouthful. Perfect meat, sauce and garnish... Masel tov!
On a side note: As I was taking this picture, an elderly gentleman was taking a picture of me. He said that him and his buddies have a blog with nothing but pictures of people taking stupid pictures. Touché old friend.

Croissandwich round 3

2011-02-20T13:46:00.001-08:00

Once again. Croissant sandwiches are riculously good. This one is peppered turkey, sharp chedder, red onions and lettuce on a lightly toasted croissant. The key ingredient here is homemade red wine vinaigrette mayo... Perfect blend of sweet and savory.

Big mac attack!

2011-02-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

http://theopenseason.tumblr.com/

Super Bowl Sandwiches

2011-01-31T12:37:00.000-08:00

Chef Loretta Keller crafts a line up of seven game changing meals.
Here are three of them:

SERRANO HAM, RICOTTA AND NETTLE PESTO SANDWICH

BACON, LETTUCE AND TOMATO WITH EGG AND CHEESE

ROAST PORK SANDWICH WITH FONTINA, BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES AND SAUERKRAUT

Click on this link to see her amazing creations...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703555804576102111048263134.html?mod=ITP_offduty_0

(thanks Lyon)

Langers, the Queen mother of LA sandwiches

2011-01-26T23:33:00.000-08:00

Whenever sandwiches are brought up in Los Angeles, somebody asks "Have you eaten at Langers?" and up until now I've said "No, but I hear its really good." I went there this past weekend and was impressed. They boast the best Pastrami in the world. I don't know anything about pastrami outside the US, but one immediately thinks of New York. There are way more great pastrami joints per square foot over there, obviously. Katz Deli and Carnegie Deli being the most well known. I ate at Katz a few months ago. So, I can now assess them both.
At Langers I had the #1, pastrami with russian dressing and coleslaw on rye.The bread is near perfect, I say near because the crusts are so tough that they risk destroying the whole operation. Sharpen your teeth beforehand. The pastrami wasn't that hot but it was hot enough and went along perfectly with the slaw and russian. This place lived up to its hype, it was an incredible sandwich. Youre so full but you cant stop eating because it tastes so gud.
Katz best item is the pastrami on rye with mustard. The pastrami, since it was fresh cut was nice and hot, fresher than Langer's. They pile it on really high, like "heart attack" high. I had to divide the meat into two sandwiches. Their rye is good too, I can't remember which was better, probably Katz's. The reason the sandwich is so good is because the pastrami really flavorful, so all you need is bread and mustard. But there strength is also there weakness, the pastrami is so salty that they can't pull off the russian dressing combos like Langer's.
At the end of the day I'm gonna go with Langer's because I could see myself eating there more often. Its a more complex sandwich. The ingredients complement eachother perfectly. Katz is really good, but too much meat and too salty... for my taste anyways.
Langers is at 704 South Alvarado Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057

Burgers and blue cheese

2011-01-26T23:30:00.000-08:00

Meat and blue cheese are amazing together. So are buffalo wings and blue cheese. Thats all I have to say about that.

Mixed Vegetable sandwich

2010-12-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

Pain rustique bread filled with thinly sliced fennel, celery, radish, red and green bell peppers, aioli (homemade, basil mayonaise), olive tapenade, arugula, hard boiled egg and vinnaigrette.

It sounded promising, but it wasn't. I think the sandwich was refrigerated (pre made). Big mistake, especially when tapenade is the base. Never refrigerate the whole sandwich in open air. Also, they should have garnished the greens with the vinaigrette and added more of the vegetables that have flavor, bell peppers, raddish, etc. I've had sandwiches in which olive tapenade was the base for the sandwich that were pretty good. This was not one of them. This place looks pretty nice and you'd think that when they created the menu someone tried the sandwich to see if it was good. Maybe it was good the first time it was made, when the ingredients were fresh... maybe.
This place is called Zinc's Cafe, everything they make here is vegetarian. If your in Laguna Beach, and your vegetarian it might not be a bad place to go. It seems like they're pretty popular, the veggie burger looked good. http://www.zinccafe.com/

Hulk Hogie

2010-12-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

I made this for a company potluck. I used two baguettes and chopped them into several slices. They had similar ingredients except for one had genoa salami and provolone, while the other had turkey and swiss. They had mayo, yellow mustard, light onion and lettuce. The key ingredient was a home made balsamic vinagrette.

Squaw bread

2010-12-06T22:49:00.000-08:00

I first found out about squaw bread after I moved out to California. Its also known as fry bread. Its kind of sweet and grainy, very fresh tasting. The consistency is chewy, puffy and doughy all at the same time... very unique. I'm a huge fan. The bread was originated by Native Americans in the south west. The word "squaw" comes from the Algonquian language in which it means "woman.'' When used by itself, the word squaw is derogatory towards Native American women (as coined by early settlers in the 1600s), but the terms squaw dance and squaw bread are widely used in Indian country.

Open face it

2010-12-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

This sandwich is open faced. It is on a wheat bread baguette from this french baker at the montrose farmers market. Amazing, perfect consistency, perfect flavor, etc... Toasted the bread, added some butter and applied the eggs and fried balogna at my leisure. Sometimes its nice to eat like that. Have a bunch of different meats, cheeses, condiments and veggies. Every bite can be like eating a different sandwich. The combinations are endless.
This sandwich isn't all that special, but I wanted to address the open faced factor. Open faced sandwiches exist in more than one realm. For instance, if you put a thin layer of cold cuts on a baguette and melt cheese on top then its like a french bread pizza right? So, its kinda of like a pizza! And doesn't the word sandwich kind of mean between two things? Its like a sandwich moonlighting as a pizza... or vice versa.

This sandwich is wheat bread with turkey and melted muenster cheese, sweet onions and lettuce. Again, not a special sandwich except for the condiments. Mayo, mustard, red wine vinaigrette and just the right amount of srircacha. The salt and vinegar chips also helped to set it off. The sandwich was a success.

The Aromi Cafe

2010-11-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

The Aromi Cafe in Sherman Oaks is mostly known for its gelato, but their sandwiches are what set them apart for me. The bread they use is baked daily at a nearby bakery. They toast flat loaves, which result in a warm, crunchy exterior with a soft interior...PERFECT if eaten immediately. If you wait too long, it gets cold (delicious nonetheless.) They have a house mayo with herbs and spices that is amazing and all of the meat and veggies are really fresh. If you have a huge appetite, one sandwich might not be enough because they are pretty light. But its nothing a bag of chips won't take care of. In terms of taste, the sandwiches are amazing. The word I would use to describe them is refreshing. I went their pretty often because they have a deal where you buy a sandwich and get the second one for two dollars (don't miss out.) The nice, old Greek couple that own and run The Aromi cafe are always there working, seven days a week. It seems like business is picking up for them, or maybe they've always had a steady clientele. Its no wonder, consistency and quality will always keep em comin' back! They are located at 14531 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

ketchup menu mustard

2010-10-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

http://theopenseason.tumblr.com/

This week in sandwiches

2010-09-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

Al's Italian American Delicatessen

Al's Italian American Delicatessen is no joke. My brother used to live in Montrose about ten years ago and I came to stay with him once. The highlight of that trip was walking to Al's and getting a huge turkey sandwich for 3.95. Times were simpler back then... Pre 9/11. Now the sandwiches have doubled in price. I'm sure if the terrorists could have foreseen this tragic aftershock they'd have thought twice. Al's still has the same mouth watering sandwiches. This is the turkey and swiss, the flavors all mesh together perfectly ensconced in the highest quality italian roll. The Roman God Mercury delivers it every morning. As I ate this classic sammy I was teleported to a simpler time. I told the old Italian woman that the sandwich looked amazing. She said " I would hope so, after twenty five years of making sandwiches..." Al's Delicatessen is in Montrose: 2332 Honolulu Ave, Montrose, CA 91020

Cafe Buenos Aires

In downtown Santa Barbara there is a little portal that will transport you to a street corner in Buenos Aires. Your taste buds will want to tango after this one my little gauchos. This sandwich is called the Lomito Argentino. it consists of grilled thin slices of beef sirloin, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and mayo on baguette. The meat is so good that it could be great on its own, but it has found a home in this fresh baked baguette. This is one of the best steak sandwiches I've ever had, I wouldn't recommend traveling to Santa Barbara without trying one. And its only nine dollars, not bad considering the alternative, a plane ticket to Argentina. Its located at 1316 State St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Larchmont Village Wine Spirits & Cheese

It was brought to my attention that this place is renowned throughout LA for having some of the best sandwiches around. After eating there, I would have to agree. My buddy Everett and I went on a sandwich tour one day. We hit up 3 places in about an hour. This place uses the best cheeses and meats this side of the great mississippi. I ate soprasata and brie on a fresh baguette with aioli mayonnaise. The food is so good and fresh that you could probably eat way passed the point of being full and your taste buds would con your stomach into going against its better judgement. Its close by friends at 223 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004.

Brooklyn Boys Food Truck in Orange County

This phenomenon is amazing. With food truck culture at an all time high, we have yet another awesome amalgamation. The brooklyn boys are a two man novelty act from new york who drive their truck around Orange County, supplying the masses with locally scarce fare such as corned beef, pastrami, brisket and turkey sandwiches. When I walked out of my brother's house in Anaheim the other day I was totally caught off guard by this truck. I got a turkey reuben with cole slaw, it was pretty good, next time I'll probably get corned beef. You can follow these guys via Twitter: @brooklyn_boys

Britain's National Sandwich Week

2010-05-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

There is a British Sandwich Association! AND, May 9th through the 15th is British Sandwich Week. As we all know, the inventor of sandwiches is none other than the British demi-god, John Montagu aka the Earl of Sandwich.

Just look at him. The look on his face says. "I feel so good. I just invented sandwiches, I'm bout to pull another one out of my pouch and eat it right now."
Its no wonder why they are the safe keepers of the Sandwich. Kind of like the Majai in The Mummy movies. That keep a safe watch over the sacred tomb of the Pharao.

Their aim is as follows:

"To safeguard the integrity of the sandwich industry by setting technical standards for sandwich making and by encouraging improvement in the industry. To promote excellence and innovation in sandwich making. To provide a source of information for the industry. To promote the consumption of sandwiches. To provide a collective voice for all those involved in making, distributing and retailing sandwiches and to represent the views of the industry." - thesandwich.org/uk

There is also a sandwich Designer of the year every year. This year's sandwich must include these sponsor ingredients:

English Provender - Ploughman’s Plum Chutney
The Cheese Cellar - Leerdammer Lightlife
Moy Park - Corned Beef
Bernard Matthews - Turkey

The International Sandwich & Snack News Magazine is the official journal of the British Sandwich Association.

They have an avacado on the cover, which is a huge coincidence and a perfect segway in to my latest sandwich. In honor of British Sandwich Week:

-wheat bread
-melted mozzerela
-turkey
-romain
-sweet onions
-avacado.

The way the avacado is prepared is the most important part. You mash it up with a fork. Add light amount of olive oil and vinegar and a pinch of salt. I learned it from my family in Chile. spread it right on the bread. If you try it, it will become a staple in your rotation. Along with hummus and a few other spreads it will add another level to your main ingredient. literally.

So heres where you can go to find out about the design challenge and possibly become the turkey sandwich designer of the year:

http://www.sandwich.org.uk/awards/2010/designer.shtml

Big thanks to my mates in England for turning me on to this glorius event.

Armageddon?

2010-04-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Isn't there something written about this in the bible or Nostradamus' predictions? Where the four horsemen of the apocalypse ride in to town with double chicken breast, bread replacement sandwiches?! Who ok'd this? People think that this is ok to eat because... They tell us its ok. We're all getting hot dogged. We embrace debauchery, Conan The Barbarian is governor. . We're just letting it happen too (Berlin 1936.) Whats next, chocolate chip chicken... Oh well, who wants a McRib?

Orange County, California

2010-04-02T19:32:00.001-07:00

One of the seven wonders of the world is in the OC. Its called Lee's sandwiches. They serve half baguette sized vietnamese sandwiches for $2.50. The sandwiches aren't that amazing but the fact that they are $2.50 truly is. They also have spring rolls for the same price. Bring five bucks and eat like your the last king of scotland.

Chris And Pitt's BBQ

The name says it all my friends. This place truly is "the pits." But if yer in yonder OC and you want some fanger lickin' good BBQ cheeiicken saaandwiches. Than looketh no further yalls. Chris and Pitt's of Anaheim is HERE... there are no windows and I had to photoshop these pictures to liven them up.

But their barbecue sauce is pretty darn good and that makes the chicken sandwich. Just looking at the picture makes me want to keel over and do a somersault in my own throw up. Respect the chicken sandwich.

2010-04-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

courtesy of Sunha Yoon from the Los Angeles Sandwich Marathon.

Fatburger............Wait! WHat?

2010-04-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking to yourself "What the fuck?! Burgers aren't sandwiches. What the heck are burgers doing on the sandwich bl...." Sometimes in life you have to take sides on what you believe in. Burgers are in fact sandwiches, albeit the fat, black sheep uncles of the sandwich family. When one thinks of sandwiches, burgers don't immediately come to mind. But if you still have doubts about burgers being sandwiches, please refer to the packaging of oreo cookies. It says "creme filled sandwiches." And by golly, if oreos are sandwiches than burgers are too dag nabbit. On a side note, have you ever noticed that oreos have little flowers printed on them? wierd.

In the early 90s, the whole nation learned what Fatburger was because of Ice Cube's ballad "Today was a good day." I've been in California for close to five years and never never had one. My first one was today and it really tipped the scales... on the sandwich v burger debate. I got thing to go and the bread wasnt soggy, even with an ungodly amount of ingredients. They even ask you what condiments you want on it. The hype is true my friends. They've recently been opening up new franchises in Arizona, Texas, the middle east and asia. These guys clearly don't half step.

The world's best sandwich?

2010-03-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Notice the egg. They also stress the importance of chips and a beer. I am a staunch supporter of chips in a sandwich, the beer I don't really advocate since so many sandwiches are eaten at lunch. If this is a luxury that you can afford... then by all means. They are also very specific with every ingredients. I could imagine eating this sandwich in some sort of log cabin after having been stranded in the wilderness for days.

A possible conclusion

2010-03-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

I just realized this key factor. There is a piece of bread blocking the flavors from the top and bottom of the mouth! So, there is actually no difference at all! And then everything gets swirled around into one amalgamation of flavor. So, my previous post wasn't wrong... it was just stupid. my condolences.

Sandwiches: Right side up?

2010-03-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

How careful are you to eat a sandwich right side up? My way of doing it is:

I find myself putting the stronger condiment on top because i've always done it that way... maybe its more flavorful. Also the cheese and veggies are up top for structural purposes; if the veggies were on the bottom then they'd have a higher probablility of falling out. This means that the majority of the flavor is aimed directly at the tastebuds on the roof of your mouth....

This is a diagram of the tastebuds on your tounge.

The center of the tounge does not have too many tastebuds. Therefore, the base of the sandwich, the most stable in terms of structure as well as taste recieves a much more bland experience than the roof of the mouth. I've always thought that my diagram was rightside up. However, Subway restaurants make their sandwiches upside down... how is this possible? Who is right?

Eggs in your sandwich

2010-02-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

The moment in which Neo found out that the Matrix was fake must have been great, yet horrible all at the same time. For me, putting an egg for the first time on a sandwich was like that... except not horrible. Its all of the glory of a delicious breakfast... inside of a delicious lunch. Your circuits may explode. Its two for the price of one, except they complement eachother like two Ed Mcmahons backstage at the golden globes.

This sandwich is toasted multigrain, light mayo, turkey and eggs with shredded mexican cheese. Then, you add as much tobasco to it as you like. It also must be eaten with chips and salsa. I am incapable of explaining with words how amazing this is. So I highly suggest you make one.

Among the thousands of letters of fan mail that arrive here each weak at Sandwich Blog. I'm going to begin picking a sandwich of the week from your entries. This one however, is the official sandwich of the month sent in by Andres Salaff from Papa New Guniea. Whoa! Congratulations!

gourmet

2010-01-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

Livin' LARGE with Sandwich Grills

2010-01-28T13:57:00.000-08:00

No grill? No problem. Step aside Paul Wall, here are a few easy steps that will change your life. Well, maybe not your life, but at least you can change the dilectability rating of your next meal. One common misconception is that toasting* your bread is in any way, shape or form comparable to grilling your sandwich. Toasting your bread just warms up and hardens each slice. Grilling makes the outside of the bread crunchy, whilst the inside of the bread remains warm and soft... Just like your local baker, Pantoliano likes to eat it. Grilling it also melts the cheese and warms everything up inside of the sandwich to make you feel like you just got home from sledding; with Timmy, and then mom whipped you and Timmy up some grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Remember? Timmy?
I know how obvious grilling is to some of you, but bear with me as we welcome readers of all different skill levels here at Sandwich Blog. So, without further ado... lets grill.

Step 1. Butter each slice.

Step 2. Flip the bread over and apply mayo.

Step 3. apply your ingredients of choice and have the cheese by itself.

Step 4. Grill bith sides on low heat till the cheese melts... careful now. I'm told that George Forman grills are great for this sort of thing.

Step 5. Open that puppy back up and lettuce add veggies.

Last Step.

WHooa... thats some pretty heavy stuff man! Far Out!

*I toast my bread all the time. But this is just to exemplify the difference in experience between toasting and grilling.

Cuban Sangwiches mang

2009-12-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

There are some great things that have come from our neighbor to the south... along with its stunning combinations of various world music, it has also combined ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on delicious cuban bread. I was unable to capture in these photos above, a good glimpse at the sandwich without a blur. This can be attributed to its elusive nature, whose roots lie with the rugged guerilla fighters of la revolución Cubana. I could see El Che taking a massive bite right before he popped some fool who wasnt down with Leon Trotsky.
These sandwiches are from Porto's cuban grill in Burbank, there is also one in glendale. They are a small mom and pop business whose been around for 35 years. They come with plantain chips. If your in the mood for a good cubano and your in burbank... you know what to do lil papi.

Porto's Bakery 3614 W Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505 (818) 846-9100

Homer Simpson: Sandwich Champion

2009-12-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

There was this episode of The Simpsons way back in the day in which Homer ate the world's largest sub. He didn't eat it all at once though, it took him several days. He had been leaving it lying around and simply refused to throw it away. It was making him sick and by the end it was all purple and in the garbage, with flies buzzing around it. But he trudged on and kept at it like one of those chiseled sweat hogs from The 300. Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! It would be interesting to find out if this episode predated the subway party sub. It just seemed like such a novelty concept back then. What a hilarious episode...

Hawaiian Sweet Bread

2009-12-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hawaiian sweet bread is amazing for sandwiches. Sweet and salty has been a reoccuring theme throughout the ages (ie: barbeque, teryiaki, ketchup, etc...)This sandwich has rost beef, provolone, onion, mayo and mustard... a classic combination which won't dissapoint you, "I guarantee it."
Also, in just about every pic on this blog there are chips present. Chips are just about as important as the condiments. As soon as there are about three bites left I put the chips inside of the sandwich, its like getting a whole new sandwich toward the end... and you can dip it in salsa. This is an instinctual act which is practically ingrained in our DNA. In 2007 Taco Bell capitalized on this crunch factor with the ever popular Crunch Wrap Supreme (not to be confused with the hip hop emcee of the same name.)

Post Thanksgiving Turkey sandwich post

2009-11-30T13:15:00.000-08:00

"Wow its so good." "Its like the most important time of year for turkey sandwiches because of the turkey leftovers" is what I said while eating my sandwich today. You have to to talk about post thanksgiving turkey sandwiches when addressing the overall scope of sandwich eating. Leaving that out would be like leaving out Judge Mathis when talking about decent day time TV.
You see that plastic bag in the background? That has some asian cole slaw in it. I ended up putting that on my sandwich, it has raddish and carrot. I was like "this is amazing!" Then I realzed that its what they put on Vietnamese sandwiches. So the sandwich transformed half way through. BOING!

Sandwich portraits

2009-11-16T11:39:00.001-08:00

Artist Tibi Tibi Neuspiel has been doing some pretty interesting work with the sandwich medium. He's been doing victims and assassins, these are some powerful bologna and cheese... Hats off to you Tibi Tibi!

To see more, heres the website http://tibitibi.com/

Ode to sandwiches #1

2009-11-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

Blog reader Trevor Bergamont asked me to publish one of his poems. Here ya go Trevor!

Two slices of bread Two slices of bread
I want to put them in my head

I mean in my mouth or on the couch
I wish I had a sandwich pouch

O wait, I do
Its called my stomach
Hot cheese on sunday, ya I love it

I eat a sandwich then take a nap
Then get up later to take a crap

He eats a sandwich for lunch and then one for dinner
Two in one day? put him away that mans a sinner!

I'll eat one on a bun or one on a bagel
Theres room for those two under my navel

A sanwich a sandwich, give me a dose cheap
with lettuce and tomato and tender roast beef

- Trevor Bergamont

National Sandwich Day

2009-11-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Apparently today, November 3rd is National Sandwich day. It is Believed to be John Montague's Birthday, otherwise known as the Earl of Sandwich. Lets eat one for the Earl today!

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=6507138

My good friend Tate DeCaro informed me of this holidays existence by sending me this insightful link. Thanks Tate!

Ur Sub STOP

2009-10-27T14:37:00.001-07:00

Ur Sub Stop is in Van Nuys on Sepulveda and Sherman Way. People were coming in and out as I was eating my sub which tells me that the place is a neighborhood favorite. They specialize in cheese steaks and from what I've heard they're really good there. To be honest, the meat was a little dry. It could have also benefited from some more mayo. But that being said, at least it wasn't a complete grease bomb.
The Italian Sub was good though, very fresh and tasty. The bread was airy, but I don't mind that. It kind of makes the meal a light one. I would recommend this sandwich. Its not easy to pull one of these off so well. So, hats off.
They also serve chinese food and breakfast. They won some LA food award and that was posted out front. I like this place, I think I'll go back.

Ur Sub STOP is on 7755 Sepulveda blvd, Van Nuys, ca 91406.

Tuna Sandwich

2009-10-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

Tuna sandwiches are good and if you make them yourself, they cost next to nothing. Thats a beautiful thing. If your in the mood for something light, as not to fall asleep after lunch, the TS can be a close ally, along with its cousins the chicken salad and egg salad sandwiches. Below are sandwiches from Whole Foods. They have really good, fresh ingredients in their sandwiches. I usually go with the rustic rounds and salami.

Whole Foods Tuna Sandwich.

The blown out contrast, 90's music video look.

Choking on sandwiches

2009-09-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

I went to disneyland with Sunha for my birthday. For lunch, I went to Cafe Orleans in the little new orleans there. I went with the safe bet, the chicken sandwich.

As I waited, the waiter kept walking by with these unbelievable looking montecristos. I soon realied my blunder, which was, not stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new. I didn't order the montecristo because it had powdered sugar and cranberry sauce. I could have experienced something very special and beautiful that day and therefore, choked... by not ordering the montecristo...

The Battle of the Submarine's: Part one

2009-09-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

First of all, I would like to state how proposterous this is. Me, comparing and contrasting submarine sandwiches on the west coast when everybody and they momma know... Subs are an east coast phenomena. That being said, let's do this.
Ladies and gentleman! The underdog, coming by way of Los Angeles, Ca, 1 foot long, a couple of pounds of thinly sliced roast beef, with a whole mess of onions tomatoes and pickles... its... Santoro's roast beef sandwiiiich!

And now, directly below me, its the crowd favorite, coming by way of Manasquan, New Jersey, 10 inches of Provolone, ham, prosciuttini and cappacuolo, its Jersey MIke's Super Sub!

Round 1: At first bite, Santoro's rb sub had me fooled. The shower of oils, spices and herbs sent me into a tailspin of exhiliration. But a couple of bewildering bites in, any sense of distinct flavor was gone. My taste buds had been bamboozled..

Jeresy Mike's super sub is a nation wide favorite. I pretty much bit in to what I expected... a highly delicious sub. The young lady that built the sub also showered what seemed to be an absurd amount of oil and vinegar on it. The meats are sliced directly upon ordering, which makes a difference. The ingredients are all very fresh... impressive for a chain.

Half Time

Round 2: Santoro's ended up being a dissapointment. They added so much to it that the flavors cancelled eachother out. The marinated onions and tomatoes had probably been sitting there for a while. In their defense, they are a neighborhood favorite. Its probably a question of knowing what and how to order. Plus if I had wanted to make this a fair fight I could have gotten the Italian from Santoro's too. Apparently the steak and egg sandwich from there is amazing, but I had an egg sandwich for breakfast... so, you know.

Its no wonder why Jersey Mike's has achieved so much notoriety in such a brief amount of time. There are now 300 JMs nationwide. They manage to maintain a good product with any old employee making the sandwich. Afterall, isnt that what makes a successful chain? Making it so that no matter who is preparing it, the ingredients and game plan are so air tight, that it can't be screwed up?

Winner: Jersy Mikes! I know, its kind of a David and Goliath thing. Don't get me wrong, the last thing I want to do is rag on the little guy. But theres a reason why Jersey Mike is riding a jet ski right now, wearing a dookie thick gold chain and shining his keester with hundred dollar bills... the man can make a sandwich.

Santoro's is on 1423 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506

To find a JM location nearest you: http://www.jerseymikes.com/

5 days of Sandwiches: The week in review

2009-08-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

A bit of a follow up on my previous post Revisiting a Classic. I can't say enough about the importance of condiments. It can push the same old sandwich into a metamorphic spiral of variety and flavor. Not that you guys don't already know this, but I thought I'd share with you seeing as how its made my life so much fun. All of these condiments go well with mayo (the control group of each sandwich). Every day was Turkey, swiss, onion, lettuce and mayo on hearty 7 grain: Then: Roll call: Sriracha, yellow mustard, Phillipe's spicy mustard, aji chileno, chalula and balsamic vinnagrette. Hummus is really good too. You'll be sorry if you don't.

Samm Diego

2009-08-20T00:15:00.000-07:00

While in San Diego for Comicon this year myself and others decided to do something fun.

This is Rudy, he works at The Hub Market and Deli. Rudy is kind of a badass when it comes to sandwiches. He knows the history of all of the sammies on the menu, as well as sammies in the world. His eyes lit up when we began conversing on the topic.

Most of them, he says were sent in by friends and fans alike. His favorite item on the menu is a big veggie wrap with all of the veggies in it. If you want to, you can send in your sandwich idea to audition for the menu! Recently, Rudy was written up for having one of the best breakfast burritos in San Diego!

Thats no easy feat when your connected to Mexico... Heres a couple of the little guys we hit up while there.

If your in the area, its a quiant little spot on 748 6th Avenue, San Diego, CA

Vietnamese sandwiches changed my life

2009-08-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

When I lived in China town last year I walked by these vietnamese sandwiches and felt like a hack for not eating one. A couple of blog readers brought it to my attention that I was in dire need of trying one.

They couldn't have been more correct. I don't know how I made it this long without one. Ladies and gentleman of the jury:

I would like to introduce exhibit A: bbq chiu su pork and exhibit B: beef. They come on delicious french bread with mayo, onions, fresh jalapeno, sliced radish, minced carrot and lots of cilantro... cilantro on a sandwich is so fresh! It was so good. It was like having a deja vu. As your humble sandwich confidant I strongly advise you eat one if you haven't already. Your livelyhood may depend on it. This restaurant is called Saigon Sandwhiches, its 7219 De Soto Ave, Canoga Park.

Brent's Delicatessen... Holy Moses!

2009-08-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

It was 3:30 pm on a saturday and I decided to google "best sandwich in the san fernando valley." Immediately one restaurant/ deli rose to the top. Brent's.

15 minutes later I was at the pearly gates. Upon arrival I noticed all of the standard requirements that a good Jewish deli should have. They had Dr. Brown's and brought us both dill and garlic pickles. They also brought out some warm rye slices with butter. This place was packed at 3:30pm, this is rare seeing that t is half way in between lunch and dinner. Brent's was founded in 1967 and has attracted a wide variety of clientel since it grand opening. And its no woner. Look at these sandwiches!

Meet roast beef and pastrami french dip. I'm not usually a pastrami kingd of guy. But the buzz got to me so I pulled the trigger. MINGIA thatsa some gooda pastrami!

It was so thinly sliced that it melts in your mouth.On point with both. Spicy mustard as well as au jus dipping sauce. The slaw and potato salad were good too (as expected from an establishment such as this.)
The eclairs are also a big deal at Brent's and are probably enough to feed a family of four for two consecutive weeks.

In this picture it looks big because it close to the camera, not so Ronald. Its actually the size of half of my stomach.

The guy brought it out in a wheel barrow. Just look at this abomination! But thats neither here nor there. Brent's is a force to be reckoned with. If your ever in the mood to break something dear to you, like your stomach... Hit up Brent's. You won't be dissapointed.
19565 Parthenia St., Northridge, CA 91324

Sandwich fun fact

2009-07-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

I would like to make a special dedication to Ethiopia and Morocco. in each of these visionary cultures forks and knives are not customary. But rather they have large pieces of delicious flat bread about the table. They tear off chunks and use them as eating utensils. Basically, they make a mini sandwich out of every bite of food they take! Imagine that...Heres to you Morocco and Ethiopia! And probably some other countries!

Roman's "A world of sandwiches"

2009-07-14T23:39:00.000-07:00

On Ventura blvd in sherman oaks there exists another world... made entirely of sanwiches. Well, not really, but thats the slogan. I had driven by Roman's several times before and remember being thoroughly enticed by the notion. Today was the day. I woke up with a hunger from down under and decided to give it a whirl.
I noticed a rather large group of eastern european women at a table. These women have been cooking delicious meals throughout their whole lives, this was a promising sign, seeing that they were patronizing Roman's and must have pretty high standards.
My attention was also grabbed by the free salad/ condiment bar equipped with slaw, shredded carrots and a couple of other salads... not too shabby! I'm definately not one to pass up some free slaw and if your taking the time to read this, chances are, neither are you...

Roman's is also a bakery which often insures good bread. I went with the turkey club. The pieces of turkey were sliced large reminisent of Boston Market. A tad bit dry, but they made up for it with the fresh salad (balsamic) to help wash it down. Plus I threw some yellow mustard on it which goes a long way. Overall I'd give the sammie a 7.5 out of 10. not half bad. They also have a wide assortment of wraps, salads and thin crust pizza. All in all the experience was pretty fun. So if your ever in this neck of the woods, the address is 15100 Ventura blvd by the sepulveda intersection. Chow!

Whats in YOUR fridge?

2009-07-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

Ok bawlers, today I was flying blind into lunch... No preconcieved menu for the day. It was improv time. upon opening the fridge, I noticed I still had salami left from the Texas Tornadoes. I also had hamburger buns from burgers. But we won't get into burgers just yet, theres a heated debate as to which family our flame broiled brothers belong to (repeat three times fast.) I also had shredded mexican cheese. It was toaster time.

I toasted the salami under the cheese because I was using a bun, which garuantees that the bottom won't be soggy. On a side note, I also seperated every slice of salami before laying it down. I don't know if its placebo or actually tastes way better when you do that. Feel free to comment on this. I think it has something to do with the air seperating it and the density of the sandwich. Fast forward:

I luckily had the three wisemen on hand; onion lettuce and tomatoe. Now, French's yellow mustard and salami is a holy matrimony like Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman. Exquisite... Down to the last bite!

My # 1 Sandwich: The Texas Tornadoe

2009-06-30T01:17:00.000-07:00

In my last post, sandwichblog reader Madmax Winston brought a restaurant to my attention which advertised the "worlds best sandwich." I found it only appropriate to address this issue and bring out the BIG GUNS!

The idea of a best sandwich is a proposterous notion because taste belongs to the individual. For different cultures there are, of course, different tastes. But, all social mores aside, its subjective.
My personal favorite sandwich is the Texas Tornadoe, I first created it about 10 years ago while working at Katinger's deli in Columbus, Oh. (if your ever in the area I reccomend it.) Katinger's is a Jewish establisment and didnt have an italian sub. I quickly made one for myself and others. It was originally on french bread to give it more of a hoagie feel. One day, wrapped up for a fellow employee, a buddy of mine drew an old, long pistol on it, scrawled along the bottom were the words "Texas Tornadoe." The name stuck even after it evolved into a croissant. In short, it has nothing to do with texas or tornadoes, but what the hell? It sounds cool...

The ingredients to this taste bud tantalizer are as follows:

-croissant (toasted)
-mayo
-balsamic vinnagrette (preferably homemade)
-genoa salami (or even better; soppresata)
-provolone
-roma tomatoes
-red onion
-spinach leaves

I substituted a couple of items out of convenience as clearly seen in the photos. But it was still incredible. You'll walk around with a satisfied smirk on your mug if you do it right. Moderation is key, you dont want to over do it with any one item.
So thats my number one sammy. So give it a go, let me know what you think. Substitute, rearrange, displace, and most inportantly do what you like beacause the "best sandwich" is in YOUR hands!

Revisiting a classic

2009-06-27T17:00:00.001-07:00

Its so hard to screw up a turkey sandwich... Its like the foundation or cornerstone of my sandwich pyramid. The possibilities and varieties are endless. I was thinking of having a sandwich booth one day were I would sell "turkey sandwiches from around the world."
All of them would be turkey and swiss with mayo. From latin america, tapatio would be the key ingredient; from asia, sriracha would be used and from north america frenchs yellow mustard. I like to switch between these on a daily basis.
My sammy for today had some of Phillipe's spicy mustard on it! Like I said before, this stuff will roundhouse your taste buds!

Picnic at the park

2009-06-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

How underrated are picnics? Sunha and I decided to make a day out of it. But what picnic would be complete without two torpedoes?

The ingredients of these sleak water dogs: french bread, mayo, mustard, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, turkey, swiss, lettuce, onions and carrots. Carrots? Yes, its not much different when you think about it then tomatoes... All wrapped and ready.

Overall the experience was great, capped off with jalapeno cheddar chips and a nice view of the lake I'd say the ocasion was a success!

mingia. what a view...

Wednesday Double Header

2009-06-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had quite a busy day with two sandwiches. For lunch, I decided to try Steve's Bigger Sub's which was interesting because it seems like a chain in there with all kinds of logos and cardboard cutouts but I guess its the only restaurant. Its located in sherman oaks by the ventura 405 exit. I had a 12" italian sub and it was pretty delicious. The bread was good and "airy." It kind of reminded me of Blimpies but with a little more weight to it.

For dinner, I tried a los angeles landmark. Phillippes has been open since 1908 and its no wonder! Its located in the middle of China town and boasts the home of the french dip sandwich! It was absolutely incredible! coffee is like 9 cents and lemonade for 75 cents! The place has an old timey feel with everybody dressed like theyre from the 40s or 50s. Theres a cabstand right next door so the adds to the feel of the place. i got a beef sandwich with blue cheese. So bomb...

One of the most incredible things about the place is that they make their own spicy mustard. I underestimated it at first, this stuff is like wasabi! You can buy it their too, I had to pick some up.

Heres their wikapedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe's

I highly recommend it to any sandwich fan.

The art of sandwiches

2009-06-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Greetings everybody in sandwichland! I began eating and making custom sandwiches for my friends when I was 7 or 8 years old. Everyday when I eat a sandwich I feel like I have so much to say about it. For instance, what went right or wrong with the ingredients, which places to eat at as well as some of my personal recipes. I will be posting pictures as well as well as thoughts as often as I can. Won't you please join me on this marvelous adventure!