2013: The Year In Sandwiches

As 2013 comes to a close, now is the time to sit back and reflect on the year that was: the triumphs, the failures, the people we met, the friends we made, and, most importantly, the sandwiches we encountered. We came across plenty on our hunt for Sandwiches of the Week, our regular column, and we've compiled them all into one drool-worthy slideshow.

2013: The Year in Sandwiches (Slideshow)

We recently awarded 2013 Sandwich of the Year to the lobster roll at Los Angeles newcomer Hinoki & the Bird, a marvel for the senses: a house-baked roll dyed jet-black by Japanese charcoal, filled with a heaping portion of fresh lobster tossed with a Thai green curry aioli, topped with Thai basil.   This beauty pretty much sums up the year in sandwiches: restrained, yet daring; familiar, yet unique; comfortable, yet slightly puzzling; and, above all, delicious.

This year, we discovered sandwiches like the Frita Caballo at Miami's El Mago de las Fritas, a smashed burger topped with ketchup, fried onions, fried potato sticks, a fried egg, and cheese, that's become a local legend. Then there was The Maple at Portland's Meat Cheese Bread, essentially two slices of bread pudding with homemade sausage, spicy Cheddar, and shaved fennel in the middle. And who can forget the Shrimp Caminada po'boy from New Orleans' Grand Isle, with sautéed shrimp, cabbage-carrot slaw, and rice-wine vinegar? It seems like no matter where you turn, a crazy-good sandwich is there for the taking.

So come with us on a journey through a year's worth of stellar and delicious sandwiches. Don't forget to bring your appetite! And check out our roundup of the year in sandwiches from 2012  and from 2011 after you're finished.