Sandwich Of The Week: The Golden West's Short Rib

In 2010, chef Dennis Leary opened his third eatery in San Francisco. But unlike his other restaurants, Canteen and The Sentinel, The Golden West is just a small take-away window, and it's only open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday. The menu is small, focusing on just a couple of daily specials, salads, and sandwiches. But one of those sandwiches, the $9 short rib with caramelized onions, has already entered San Francisco lore as one of the city's best.

So what makes this sandwich so special? If the photo doesn't get your mouth watering, the description will. 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.

While lunchtime meals are generally eaten in public view (of coworkers, the person sitting next to you on the park bench, etc.), this is a sandwich you'll want to be left all alone with.

Click here for other featured sandwiches or check out the 2012 Year in Sandwiches and the Sandwich of the Week Slideshow. Know a sandwich that should be featured? Email The Daily Meal or comment below. Better yet, become a contributor and write up your favorite today!