Sandwiches Of The Week (Slideshow)
Bar Gernika Basque Pub’s Lamb Grinder – Boise, Idaho
A locally baked French roll with a soft interior and crispy crust is piled with sliced leg of lamb and served simply with a cup of lamb jus on the side for the dip. It gets a topping of grilled onions, peppers, and mushrooms, which is all covered in a layer of Swiss cheese.
Chaps Charcoal Restaurant’s The Raven – Baltimore, MD
Pit beef with sliced fresh-roasted turkey and a nice helping of corned beef. The sandwich starts with a whole bottom round, placed on a ripping hot 500-degree grill (the "pit") until rare. Then it gets carved up and placed back on the grill until cooked to the desired temperature, when it goes to the slicer and gets piled on a roll. Not much is needed by way of toppings; some sliced onions, salt and pepper, and a little horseradish should do it.
Carousel Bakery’s Peameal Bacon Sandwich – Toronto, Canada
It's the tender eye of pork loin rolled in a fine yellow cornmeal crust that when cooked is said to help seal in moisture and provide some contrasting crunch. Soft, airy Portuguese roll made with sourdough starter and into the 1/8th-inch slices of peameal bacon that have cooked on a griddle for a few minutes, enough to curl up along the edges just a little, and crisp on the sides, and drizzled with a touch of honey mustard.
The Noble Pig’s Noble Pig – Austin, TX
Start with the bread. It's your choice of white or wheat, made fresh in-house. It gets a light layer of whole-grain mustard and aioli, both also made in-house. Some bacon, cured in-house for five days (sense a trend?), is then added, then topped with a little pulled pork that's slow-roasted overnight. Then the real star of the show is added: house-cured ham, rubbed in ancho chile, dried chile flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper and brined for six days before being baked and sliced paper thin.
The Golden West’s Short Rib Sandwich – San Francisco, CA
Beef short ribs are slow-cooked until falling apart, then doused in a homemade sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. The meat then gets topped with tender caramelized onions, and it's all piled onto a freshly baked sesame seed-topped bun, soft and slightly sweet.
El Mago de las Fritas’ Frita Caballo – Miami, FL
To create this gem of a burger, seasoned ground beef, augmented by chorizo and heavy on the paprika, is fried on a flattop and smashed down with a spatula. It's then placed on a soft Cuban bun, then topped with ketchup, sautéed onions, and thin-cut, freshly fried potato sticks. A fried egg is also added to make this particular variety, called the Frita Caballo, as well as a slice of cheese.
Hannah Bretzel’s Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon Sandwich – Chicago, IL
Served on a "bretzel" baguette (the German word for, you guessed, it pretzel this sandwich is simple, smoky, and fresh with wild Alaskan smoked salmon, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onions, sliced cucumbers, and dill crème fraîche.
Meat Cheese Bread’s The Maple – Portland, OR
A homemade sausage patty, crisped to a golden brown on the flat-top. This gets topped with oozy, melting spicy cheddar cheese, which gets browned in the broiler, then the whole thing is placed atop some crunchy shaved fennel and maple-currant bread pudding, to be exact, also browned on the flat-top, and it tastes like the best French toast you'll ever have.
Bark Hot Dogs’ Crispy Pork Sandwich – Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope)
This sandwich is far from the typical pork sandwich: a breaded and deep-fried pork shoulder and belly patty, bread and butter pickles, lime, mayo, and habanero slaw are all squished between two toasted potato roll rounds. The pork shoulder and belly used in the sandwich are freshly produced by Berkshire Farms and then acquired by Bark Hot Dogs to be used in this edible masterpiece. The slaw consists of cabbage, sweet peppers, habaneros, and a dash of mayo.
25 Degrees’ Number One Burger – Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood)
This burger has everything you need packed between the two puffy, toasted brioche bun rounds. A big, juicy slab of beef (recommended medium-rare for full juice effect) is the centerpiece with an ounce of both buttery Crescenza cheese and crumbled Gorgonzola heaped on top, then caramelized onions, bacon, arugula, and Thousand Island dressing for the final touch.
Big Bad Breakfast’s Southern Belly Sandwich – Oxford, Mississippi
The Southern Belly sandwich stays true to its Southern roots: pimento cheese, bacon, bread and butter pickles, tomatoes, and slaw are piled onto buttery white or wheat bread then seared on the griddle. In order to make the pimento cheese as fresh and flavorful as possible, chefs make it in-house. The slaw and bacon is also homemade.
Ike’s Place’s Super Mario Sandwich – San Francisco, CA
The Super Mario consists of beef meatballs, marinara sauce, and crispy, fried mozzarella sticks. Although you can choose your roll, the 'Dutch crunch' is recommended by the staff because it has the perfect balance of softness and crunch. The heart of the sandwich is the meatballs, which are made of ground beef, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of breadcrumbs.
Harding’s Giving Thanks Sandwich – New York, NY
It starts with a soft, crusty baguette, and layers on a few thick-cut slices of fresh-roasted smoked turkey breast. The turkey is then topped with a thin layer of fresh cranberry sauce and a couple of dollops of creamy mashed potatoes. Finally, stuffing gets added to the top, and the sandwich is served alongside a bowl of rich sage gravy for dipping.
Spreads Sandwich Shop’s Hot-Smoked Salmon Sandwich – New York, NY
This sandwich was applewood hot-smoked salmon and brown sugar bacon with pickled tomato jalapeño salsa, house greens, and mayo-like house spread, on toasted ciabatta.
Al’s French Frys’ Double Cheeseburger – Burlington, VT
The patties are small, and sit between halves of a soft white bun. If you don't order any toppings, which cost extra, all you get is meat on a bun, which certainly implies that they stand behind its quality. The never-frozen patties are indeed high-grade beef, but some lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, cheese, and ketchup never hurt.
John’s Roast Pork’s Roast Pork Sandwich – Philadelphia, PA
It's made with fresh, "top-choice" pork shoulder that is deboned right on premises. It is then seasoned with a special spice mixture from the secret Bucci family recipe, roasted, and left to sit over night until the next day, when it's sliced, reheated in its own gravy, and served up. Eaten on a torpedo roll with aged provolone, sautéed spinach and the gravy-doused pork, it's just about perfect.
Con Pane’s Italian Salami Sandwich – San Diego, CA
The sandwich starts with two thick slices of fresh-baked bread, which get topped with thin-sliced dry Italian salami, romaine lettuce, house-roasted Roma tomatoes, spicy pepperoncini, and olive oil infused with basil pesto. The bread list is plentiful: seeded, unseeded Italian; ciabatta; Irish soda, or even chocolate bread.
Nobu Hotel Club Sandwich – Las Vegas, NV
It's finely chopped turkey, bacon, lettuce, and tomato in a rich, thick butter sauce, packed inside a thin baguette (the kind the French call a ficelle, or string), then sliced into rounds and placed upright so that they vaguely resemble maki rolls. A tangle of baby greens, lightly but tartly dressed, in the middle of the arrangement is the only accompaniment. The price tag: $25.
The County General’s Fried Chicken Thigh Sandwich – Toronto, Canada
This sandwich is made with chicken from Toronto's Cumbrae's farm. Instead of frying the chicken and throwing it on a bun, The County General's fried chicken sandwich is made with a zesty twist. The chicken thigh is fried, soaked in buttermilk, then topped with avocado chutney, cilantro, and pickled onions between two milk bun rounds. The chicken is warm, juicy, and fried to perfection, yet it is not a greasy overload. Put it all together and the chutney and cilantro add a burst of freshness to the buttery chicken while the pickled onions add a final element of zest.
Jimmy John’s J.J. Gargantuan Sandwich – National
This sandwich is "huge enough to feed the hungriest of all humans" (so their menu states) with Genoa salami, sliced smoked ham, capicola, roast beef, turkey, and provolone cheese piled onto a homemade French bun and smothered with onions, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and Jimmy John's homemade Italian dressing.
Noble Pig’s Seared Beef Tongue Sandwich – Austin, TX
To prepare this sandwich, owner John Bates brines the tongue for 24 hours in a corned beef brine, then braises it for about four hours in the same brine. They're then cooled, peeled, and cleaned, and smoked for an hour over pecan wood before being sliced. The thick slices are seared on a griddle top to order, and topped with a relish of roasted red peppers, diced tomatoes, chopped parsley, pickled mustard seeds, red onion, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. It's all sandwiched between two slices of a Pullman loaf that got a nice smear of garlic aioli, sliced in half, and served.
Manzanilla’s Bocadilla de Calamares – New York, NY
The Bocadillo de Calamares starts with a long, soft white roll from Pain D'Avignon. This gets topped with a heap of perfectly fried calamari, tomato jam, and fresh grated tomato, and in a nod to the fried seafood sandwich that it is, romaine lettuce and tartar sauce.
Olive & Thyme’s Braised Short Rib Sandwich – Toluca Lake, CA
The meat gets the utmost attention — Melina sears and braises it for eight hours so that it's tender and juicy. The short rib is then covered in horseradish crème fraiche and caramelized onions. The horseradish is freshly ground for your best possible sandwich experience. The goods are placed between two toasted slices of country sourdough bread from La Brea Bakery.
Blues City Deli’s Valenza Special Muffuletta – St. Louis, MO
The focaccia-like bread is toasted and filled with layers of Genoa salami, smoked ham, mortadella, provolone, and mozzarella. As a finishing touch, the sandwich is topped with homemade olive salad.
The Oak Gourmet’s Ultimate BLT – Los Angeles
Their Ultimate B.L.T. is piled high with Black Forest bacon, heirloom tomatoes, butterleaf hearts, avocado, and Camembert cheese between two slices of toasted sourdough from Bread Los Angeles and spread with roasted shallot aioli.
Mendocino Farm’s Kurobuta Pork Belly Bánh Mì – Los Angeles
The Kurobuta pork belly is braised and caramelized, adding a tender and sweet flavor to the bánh mì. Daikon, or white radish, and carrots are pickled in-house and added to the pork, which is then topped with cilantro, cucumbers, jalapeños and chili aioli. The ingredients are sandwiched between two slices of ciabatta and then pressed in a panini press.
Tender Greens’ Albacore Sandwich - California
Chunks of albacore tuna, which are sustainably line caught from the Pacific, are brushed with herbs and seared on the grill. The albacore is served rare on ciabatta, which is baked in an artisan bakery, and sprinkled with sea salt, lemon, and olive oil. The sandwich comes with roasted red peppers and aioli, the standard fillings for most sandwiches at Tender Greens.
Holy Schnitzel’s Franky Schnitzel – New York
The "Franky Schnitzel" has a shwarma-seasoned chicken cutlet that's breaded with Italian seasoning and crushed garlic. The cutlet goes inside a baguette and is topped with a choice of lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, fresh or sautéed onions, and a choice of sauce. Sauce options include garlic mayo, jalapeño mayo, honey BBQ, hummus, tahini, cilantro lime, an zshug (a Middle Eastern seasoning).
Grand Isle’s Shrimp Caminada Po-Boy – New Orleans, LA
Chef Mark Falgoust's take on the banh mi. The shrimp is sautéed with parsley, anchovy, and lime juice in a chile- and garlic-seasoned butter base, and then sandwiched between two slices of Leidenheimer French bread. The shrimp is then topped with an herb slaw of cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, cilantro, mint, and basil. For a finishing touch, the slaw is drizzled with a hint of rice wine vinegar.
Proof on Main’s Fried Bologna Sandwich - Louisville, KY
Proof on Main uses bologna that comes from bison and heritage hogs from 21c Museum Hotel owners Laure Lee Brown's and Steve Wilson's Woodland Farm. The bologna is smoked for about two hours with sweet pecan wood, and paired with pimento cheese and fried egg. The cheesy, smoky combo is also topped with arugula, sandwiched between a toasted butter bun.
Parish Café and Bar’s Regal Regis – Boston, MA
The sandwich features sliced flank steak and portobello mushrooms. The steak is prepared with a soy, scallion, and balsamic marinade, and sandwiched between Romano cheese-crusted French bread. Customers can choose either potato salad or cole slaw as a side.
Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Shop’s Breaded Eggplant Sandwich – San Francisco
On toasted focaccia, the crispy breaded and fried eggplant gently lies below roasted red bell peppers, melted Swiss cheese, and onions. Sweet marinara sauce is painted on both slices of bread.
John O’ Groats’ Club Sandwich – Los Angeles, CA
With crispy thick sliced bacon, roasted turkey breast, Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, perfectly sliced iceberg lettuce, and dewy tomatoes, the sandwich is made with two slices of perfectly softened white bread and a generous smear of mayonnaise on each side. The bread is made from a local bakery and the sandwich toppings are locally grown.
Bay Cities’ Poor Boy Sandwich – Santa Monica, CA
On the bottom are the two slices of bologna, cotto salami, and Swiss cheese, then come onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and hot peppers. With a generous amount of mayo, mustard, and Italian dressing all mixed together and slathered on top. The bread is homemade. The sandwich is only served cold.
Archie Moore’s Charleston Chicken Sandwich – Wallingford, CT
Barbequed boneless chicken, melted Cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on a hard roll. Compared to other barbeque chicken sandwiches, this one has an overwhelming amount of sauce. But as it turns out, it's actually a good thing. The soft bread doesn't come toasted, which allows it to soak up the sauce, balancing the flavors of sweet and savory.
The Wild Oats Bakery & Café’s Veggie Melt – Brunswick, ME
The topping is a mixture of tomatoes, onions, carrots, and green peppers. Unlike other veggie sandwiches, this one isn't grilled. Instead, it's nice and creamy, with some chunks similar to the texture of chunky mashed potatoes. For this open-faced sandwich, it comes on a toasted potato bread baked from scratch daily. The hot sandwich is topped with melted Provolone as well as homemade boursin, an herbed goat cheese.
Noonie’s Deli’s The Gobbler Sandwich – Middlebury, VT
A thick slice of turkey is topped with crunchy lettuce, homemade stuffing, and generous amounts of mayo and cranberry sauce on a hearty white roll. This stuffing in The Gobbler has perfectly moistened bread of three types: whole wheat, honey oat, and rye bread moistened with onions, celery, and garlic powder.
Windy City Red Hots’ Italian Combo – Ashburn, VA
It's packed with homemade mild Italian sausage, Italian beef, and the spicy concoction known as giardiniera, vegetables pickled in vinegar. And lastly, the sandwich comes on an Italian roll, just like Chicago sandwiches do. There's no cheese, but there's plenty of beef juice that plays a key role for flavor.
Langer’s Hot Pastrami Sandwich – Los Angeles, CA
The cured and seasoned beef is slowly smoked, then it's thinly sliced and placed on traditional rye bread. As a condiment, they go old school and use the classic Gulden's deli mustard, something you can never go wrong with. It's spread on the rye bread, giving it that extra kick of spice. On top of the meat is a crunchy slaw to tie everything together.
Pig Iron Bar-B-Q’s Smoked Sausage – Seattle, WA
The smoked sausage bar-b-q sandwich seems to be a hybrid of Italian and Southern fare, with a blend of smoked pork sausage, barbecue sauce, red and green peppers, and onions sandwiched between a bun.