Sandwich Of The Week: Ike's Place's Super Mario
To Ike Shehadeh, a sandwich is more than some cold cuts thrown between two slices of Wonder Bread. It's a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
That's why he decided to open his tiny sandwich shop, Ike's Place, in San Francisco in 2007. Even though his shop was small, it was packed with tons of flavorful ingredients and quickly expanded to other locations at Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Santa Rosa, Calif. There are over two hundred deliciously crafted sandwiches on the menu combined (yes, two hundred) and customers can order any sandwich of their choosing, even if it is not featured on the chalkboard that day.
While a near-infinite selection of sandwiches is available, it's their edgier options that are really worth seeking out. Some of the more interesting sandwiches include the 'Backstabber,' with Caesar dressing, chicken, marinated artichoke hearts, and provolone cheese; 'The Change,' with barbecue sauce, beer battered onion rings, cheddar, and thinly sliced rib-eye; the extremely intimidating 'Doomsday' sandwich, with bacon, jack cheese, habanero salsa, ham, mozzarella sticks, pastrami, roast beef, salami, stuffed jalapeño poppers, and turkey; and finally, our sandwich of the week, the Super Mario.
The Super Mario is not quite as intimidating as the Doomsday, yet much more exciting than an everyday turkey and Swiss. And if you love a meatball sandwich, you'll love this.
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. Once warmed up, the squishy inside soaks up the savory marinara sauce and the crunchy exterior compliments the crispy mozzarella sticks. The heart of the sandwich is the meatballs, which are made of ground beef, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of breadcrumbs. They are dense and packed with flavor and are a perfect companion to the mozzarella sticks. Take a bite and the marinara soaked bread crunches down with the mozzarella sticks as the gooey cheese oozes out onto the meatballs. Yum.
The Super Mario is an extra crunchy, cheesy rendition of the classic meatball sub. Be warned, though: It's filling!
Skyler Bouchard is a junior writer for the Daily Meal. Follow her on twitter at @skylerbouchard.
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!