Sandwiches I’ll Eat

Now, if you thought I wouldn’t like sandwiches because I don’t like bread, you’d be right.  With a very few exceptions.  And even these sandwiches will never be my very top pick of cuisine, though some are pretty great.

In no particular order:

-#4, Turkey Tom at Jimmy John’s (with BBQ chips & a Cherry Coke)

            This sandwich is perfect as it is.  It’s the original for a reason, folks.  I get it with everything on the menu (turkey, sprouts, mayo, tomatoes, lettuce).  I do not add the cheese they always ask if you want to add but again, isn’t on the listed menu for this sandwich.  Since the Turkey Tom comes with sprouts I was so very, very sad for a couple months last year when they wouldn’t serve sprouts due to a recent sprout salmonella contamination.  So sad.  Anyway, I always ask them to cut the sandwich in half since for easier eating, but they only get that request right about half the time.  I like Jimmy John’s for their chewy bread, which is almost hallowed out in the middle & stuffed to the max with delightful ingredients.  That’s how bread should be!

http://www.jimmyjohns.com/menu/menu.aspx

-The Smith Special at Back Alley Deli, Grinnell, IA

            Basically this sandwich is a Danforth, which has roast beef, pickles (which I always discard), tomato, onion, lettuce, Swiss cheese (I think) and normally comes with mayo.  But the Smith clan (that’s my maiden name for those who don’t know) prefer it brushed with the oil & vinegar herb mix instead of mayo.  SO tasty!  The bread they use comes from a local bakery.  And the toppings are usually pretty dense.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  This local find is hidden away in the back of a store.  It used to be a magazine shop but I think it’s something different now.  In any case, it’s worth the sometimes long wait & the price (not uber expensive, but not cheap either).  But it’s always been a special treat for our family.

-Californian Sandwich Melt at The Flying Star Café in Albuquerque, NM

            From the menu:  “Marinated, grilled crimini mushrooms, Swiss, avocado, tomatoes, caramelized onions & ranch dressing on grilled sourdough.”  Need I say more?  AMAZING.  I’m so sad this is apparently a New Mexico only restaurant chain.  It’s similar in menu options to a Panera Bread, but so, so much better.  This sandwich was served with homemade BBQ chips to top it off.  I ordered this sandwich early into my week of grant writing training in Albuquerque this past February.  And the fellow trainee I went with was a local, so she’d been to this restaurant before but never ordered this sandwich.  When I got it, we were both drooling.  And it tasted even better than it looked.  So, so good.  She was a little disappointed with her choice at that point.  And I thought I might go back to get it again before I left but I didn’t.  Major bummer.  And did you note that there wasn’t even any meat?!  Cuz I’m not a vegetarian but I would get this again and again and again.  Probably a good thing I don’t live there, actually.

http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/sandwiches.html