Tag Archives: Reviews by Pete

Chicken & Cheese – Philly Diner, Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA

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Chicken & Cheese - Philadelphia

An associate of mine has very strong opinions about cheese on sandwiches, which is to say that he doesn’t approve. It is a virtual categorical prohibition with him, not due to lactose intolerance or any other allergy but simply because he sees it as unnecessary. It is a dominating ingredient, drowning out more subtle notes and far too often the cheeses used in the sandwich world are fairly common in flavor. I sympathized with him but had long held that cheese, like any other bold ingredient, had its place. Cheese, I thought, simply needed a skilled hand.

This sandwich caused me to revisit everything I thought I knew about cheese. A grilled chicken breast and sauteed mushrooms drowned in American cheese between two pieces of toasted white bread. “Well there’s your problem,” I can hear you saying, “try something a little less pedestrian next time and you’ll find yourself doing all right.” I will give you that point but I have to wonder about the larger issues, especially as found in restaurants. Sure, while at home you can carefully incorporate just the right amount of fine goat cheese but what about when out in the world? There are ingredients in sandwiches that one should stay away from in most shops, such as fried foods, but cheese can hardly be avoided. It is ever present in restaurant sandwiches from the lowest franchise ‘eatery’ to the most rarefied sandwich shops and I fear the day where America’s love for plenty overwhelms its good sense.

This is not a sandwich.

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Porky's Revenge
The Porky’s Revenge, Hank’s Eats, Polk St, San Francisco, CA

I have sat down to write this post several times and each time I have refrained from doing so. This blog is supposed to be a celebration of things, an honest expression of a love. That need not include, I thought, rantings from me about intent and honest representation and the proper axis of a sandwich. No one likes a curmudgeon and so up until now I have avoided all of this discussion. I will apologize in advance for what I am about to say but I cannot take it anymore.

Though I have been known to spend quite some time considering a menu there was no such lengthy deliberation at Hank’s Eats. The Porky’s Revenge advertised slow roasted pork shoulder topped with tomatoes, onions and Hank’s Special Sauce. I expected just the kind of simple but delicious sandwich I’ve been seeking out these days, and what I got might best be described as an overgrown taco!

The idea of what is and is not a sandwich comes down to the obvious and the intent. The obvious is the precious few simple qualifications that must be met, namely bread on the top and the bottom and some other ingredient in the middle. The intent is what makes it a sandwich and what ends up disqualifying the Porky’s Revenge. In order to be a sandwich the intent must be for the food to be eaten aligned horizontally. It is in this that we find sandwiches in harmony with our mouths and indeed our larger selves. It is in this that we find each bite encompassing the sum total of the ingredients in the sandwich, all of them represented in their proper proportions. It is in this that a sandwich becomes a sandwich.

There are sandwiches served on rolls, even sandwiches served on rolls that weren’t sliced all the way through. What separates them from what is pictured above is that, despite a lack of care or effort from whomever wields the knife, they intend to be sandwiches. They align themselves in the proper way, as we have known sandwiches for hundreds of years.

Items like the Porky’s Revenge are closer to the taco or even the hot dog than they are the sandwich. I have no grudge against an establishment that wishes to sell such an item, and indeed there are times in my life when that’s just the kind of meal I might enjoy. Those times are not when I have ordered a sandwich.

Mexican Sandwich – Juquila, Shrewsbury Ave, Red Bank, NJ

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mexican sandwich final

Though I recognize and celebrate the incredible diversity in the sandwich world, the basic pattern for a standard sandwich-shop is meat, vegetable and cheese. There is a lot of room in there to do a great number of things but what I have found is that too often this template is fleshed out to excess. Two or three types of meats are used as a base, all manner of vegetables are included and the cheese is piled on. I do not mean to claim that this cannot result in a tasty sandwich, indeed I have had my fair share of delicious substantial sandwiches. But often in these kinds of arrangements something is lost. Smaller, more subtle ingredients are drowned out or lost beneath the cheese. The more ingredients involved in a sandwich the lighter the touch required, the more care needed to ensure a proper balance of things.

I very nearly missed this sandwich entirely, as I scanned the menu for any kind of torta I completely missed the more direct ‘Mexican Sandwich.’ An associate pointed it out to me and so I got to see what it had to offer. I will praise the simplicity of it. It neatly sidesteps the issue I described above, being a simple construction of chicken, oaxaca cheese and avocado. The oaxaca cheese is a great cheese and is underutilized in the sandwich world. It has an understated flavor that goes with rather than over the other ingredients. I would sing the praises of avocados but I fear I would not come close to doing them justice and besides, I have no doubt you’re aware of how tasty a ripe avocado is. The chicken was undoubtedly the low point of the sandwich and is the main reason I’m going on about sandwich complexity rather than how good this sandwich was. Seasoned and grilled on the flattop the chicken had that sharp chemical taste that comes from an abundance of overcooked adobo. So while I will praise the restraint present in the construction of this sandwich, I am unable to praise the sandwich itself.

Catfish Po’ Boy – Poor House Bistro, South Autumn St, San Jose, CA

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poboyfinal

I mean this as a compliment: There was nothing special about this sandwich. It was a straightforward po’ boy. Fried catfish atop a bed of slaw, tartar sauce and pickles to finish. Everything was well executed, the slaw itself was light and fresh and the tartar sauce was vibrant and flavorful. The catfish in the sandwich was fried to order which is the biggest thing a restaurant can do to ensure a fine sandwich. Other po’ boys I’ve eaten, as well as a crab cake sandwich that was spectacular otherwise, fry their main ingredient ahead of time and wait for you to order it. The result is often a limp, soggy sandwich. Poor House Bistro understands this challenge and rises above it, taking the extra time to make your sandwich after you order it. I assure you that this fine sandwich is worth the wait.

The reason I would praise this sandwich for taking no chances and doing nothing out of the ordinary has to do with how I view the role of the outpost. Every cuisine, and specifically every type of sandwich, has a home. It has a place of creation, a place where it was first refined and loved. It branches out from there, carried to restaurants, take-out counters and lunch trucks by dedicated fanatics or crafty entrepreneurs. It is my opinion that these individuals who take their cherished cuisine out into the world should present it in its classical form. Were I in Louisiana I would happily seek out a reimagined or deconstructed po’ boy but when I sit down for one more than 2000 miles away I want the dictionary definition of the sandwich. That is what Poor House Bistro delivers and I couldn’t think to ask for more.

Pizza Sandwich – Potbelly Sandwich Works, 555 12th St NW, Washington DC

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Pizza Sandwich

Potbelly Sandwich Works is a busy establishment and so as you wait in line a gentlemen takes your order and passes it off to the sandwich makers. When I ordered the the pizza sandwich he asked me what size I wanted. That seemed standard enough but I must admit I was quite surprised when he asked me if I wanted the sandwich with pepperoni and the mushrooms. The Pizza Sandwich at Potbelly’s is comprised of a white or wheat roll, provolone cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, marinara sauce and Italian seasonings. Were I to decline both the pepperoni and mushrooms, then, I would be left with a sauce and cheese sandwich. I assured the gentlemen I wanted the sandwich as it was presented on the menu and in short order I found myself in front of the sandwich maker. He pulled my sandwich from the oven and asked me if I wanted Italian seasonings on it.

When discussing matters of sandwich philosophy I often claim that a sandwich that is presented as a menu item should be eaten exactly as it is described. I am not certainly not opposed to the concept of made-to-order custom sandwiches, I simply feel that if someone has gone to the length of creating an interesting, balanced sandwich you shouldn’t go fussing with it. I could have ordered the Pizza Sandwich here and without too much trouble had myself provolone cheese, marinara sauce and pickled jalapeños on a wheat roll. With no intended disrespect towards someone who might enjoy that combination it is not a Pizza Sandwich. What it comes down to for me is whoever is in charge of creating sandwiches for Potbelly Sandwich works has designed a Pizza Sandwich and I feel it would be disrespectful of them to have it any other way. As for this particular sandwich it was a pretty good sandwich, if you wanted it to be.

Egg Sandwich – New York, NY

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egg sandwich

“Two eggs on a roll, bacon, salt & pepper.” It is the thing I miss most about New York City. The location where I purchased the sandwich above was left out intentionally. Every deli has the same counter, the same griddle, the same flat of eggs all manned by the same crew. You make a simple request and for a fair price you get a simple sandwich. While there are countless breakfast sandwiches that feature eggs bacon and bread none of them are this sandwich. None of the parts are especially great, the roll nor the bacon are especially flavorful, but on the whole the sandwich is special. It is beyond cliché to talk up New York City and the last thing I want to do is post another tired, self-involved impression of the city but I find myself unable to explain this sandwich any other way. Ignore the fact that you cannot quite get this exact sandwich outside of New York. There is a moment after you are shoved off a crowded train, drag yourself upstairs and watch the sun starts to creep above whatever buildings surround you. You have a coffee in one hand and in the other you hold a fine, fine sandwich.

Tri-Tip Sandwich – Happy Hollow Market, Senter Rd, San Jose, CA

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tri-tip

When you see Happy Hollow Market from the road you are presented with some information and invited to make assumptions. A hand-painted sign on the slanted roof informs of the name of the establishment and some of the things they sell. There are things you expect from a market, such as beer, snacks and cigarettes at state minimum. The sign also informs you that they sell BBQ and Ribs. This is where you make your assumptions. The assumption I chose to make was that any BBQ sold from the inside of a mini mart was either very, very good, or very very bad. Figuring that most BBQ joints sell some manner of sandwich I decided to try my luck.

The market portion of Happy Hollow Market is exactly what you would expect. Tucked into the corner is a separate counter, behind which sit two men and a large oven. I ordered the tri-tip sandwich, one of the men took my money and the other took a large bun and piled on meat from a warming tray. It was wrapped in foil and I took it outside to one of the small tables.

Luck was not on my side. “Leathery” is not generally a quality I seek out in food and it was by far the dominant quality of this sandwich. Good BBQ has ‘bark,’ a flavorful crust that perfectly compliments the tender meat. The bark in this sandwich was comparable to beef jerky, though the comparison would be less than favorable. The meat itself was tough and dry. The best that could be said about the sauce was that it was not bland, but it was nearly all pepper and no smoke. I have a fondness for dives and holes-in-the-wall, but each one is a gamble. I am sad to say, dear reader, that this time I lost.

Chicken & Cheese on a Croissant – Made at Home

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chickencroissant

This sandwich, made for my by an associate, falls into the popular “tasty but lacking” category. It was a simple combination of grilled chicken, tomato and muenster cheese on a croissant, topped with a bit of garlic mustard. The flavors played nicely together though I feel they all could have stood to be a bit louder. But these are minor quibbles, as I said the sandwich was tasty. The only real problem was the croissant. Holding a grilled chicken sandwich together is a bit much to ask of a croissant. It’s flaky and delicious but it’s not quite substantial enough, falling apart as you try to hold it together. Still, with a different choice of bread and a bit more garlic I get the feeling this could be a very good sandwich.

Spicy Rizzak – Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop, Rivington St, New York, NY

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spicyrizzakfinal

A short while after I posted last week’s Panera Bread sandwich I got to thinking about a sandwich I ate some time ago. Back in December while spending some time on the east coast I stopped at Tiny’s Giant Sandwich shop and had the Spicy Rizzak. The reason I was thinking of it after the Chipotle Chicken is that it’s virtually the same sandwich. The Spicy Rizzak is sliced turkey, bacon, tomato, red onions with cheddar cheese & chipotle mayo on a toasted semolina hero. The Rizzak succeeds where the Chipotle Chicken fails in two big ways: The first is by having a lighter hand with the cheese, letting the chipotle mayo stand tall in contrast. Dairy and heat are a natural pair and it can be tough to keep one from overpowering the other on a sandwich. The second major contribution to the Rizzak’s superiority is the roll. The Panera Bread sandwich was presented on thin sliced french bread, barely rising above inoffensive at some points and rendered soggy by the tomato at others. The Rizzak comes on crusty semolina bread, a roll of strong body and texture that holds its own before yielding with a crunch.

Everywhere Panera Bread faltered Tiny’s Giant Sandwich shop excelled. It is comforting to me that with a little thought and a different hand a very poor sandwich can be turned into a very good one and I am thankful that establishments like Tiny’s are out there doing just that.

Chipotle Chicken Sandwich on Artisan French – Panera Bread, San Jose, CA

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panerafinal

It is one thing to sit down and eat 1000 calories in one sitting, without a side dish in sight. Any individual serious about food will do it at one point or another. It is another thing entirely to do it for this sandwich. I didn’t want this review to turn out like this. I wanted to be fair. I’m okay with being a snob, but I didn’t want to be a strict “This sandwich chain’s sandwich is HORRIBLE! This independent cafe’s sandwich is TREMENDOUS!” sort of snob. However the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich on Artisan French happens to be the first Franchise Sandwich I reviewed, and so here we are. This is not a good sandwich. The cheese dominates the entire thing, layered heavily and smothering all flavors. With the taste lost to the cheese the bacon adds nothing except additional cost. The best that can be said about the chicken is that it is inoffensive, in both portion size and flavor. The bread, and I was honestly surprised at this given the name of the establishment, the bread is barely there. It lacks body and flavor, more a container than an ingredient. You only get to eat so much in this life. There’s no reason to waste 1000 calories on this sandwich. I could go on, but in the end why dwell on a lousy sandwich? Here’s hoping for better things next time, friends.