Short rib sandwich, The Marc, Edmonton

Running errands downtown, I had heard the former owners of Il Portico reopened a new French bistro in the former Krua Wilai joint kitty corner to the former Arlington. That's a lot of the past trying to relive itself, but checking out The Marc's menu online, and with a dear friend working as the barkeep, I sat at the bar and enjoyed his recommendation of the short rib sandwich.

I know, the McRib really ruined a generation of rib sandwiches with their aggressive branding. But rest assured, this rib sandwich is actually slowly braised beef ribs pulled and shredded topped off with crispy shallot rings. Served on a seemingly small bun, the sandwich is actually quite filling. Too filling. I couldn't even finish the good fries served with a side of aioli. I did however try their signature Marc martini, which contains an ounce of Balvenie, and ya know, I have wanted to go back ever since I left.

Comments

Monty’s Bakehouse wrap, Air Canada

I’d rate this wrap as strange. Its packaging created expectations of a more appetizing experience, which it was not. After a vastly superior egg salad sandwich from London Heathrow, I could not greet this airplane freebie with serious interest, but at least it was hot, and at least I could review it for this blog. Steaming contents were oozy and largely undistinguishable, but suggested some kind of red pepper or sundried tomato origins.

Haloum Grille, Depanneur Le Pick Up, Montreal

A friend and I agreed the personality of the sandwich changes with each person who prepares it, and today we felt something was a little less than parfait with our Haloum Grille. Folks at Le Pick Up seemed stressed . The longest wait ever, and our lunches sat around too long. Temperature of the cheese is important to experiencing haloumi’s firm the texture and the release of its saltiness, and I prefer when it’s grilled directly before entering the sandwich. Creamy spicy slaw of red cabbage, carrot, and kale soothes the major crust burn associated with the crispy multigrain toast. Ideally it’s the bread that should be soft and the haloumi that gets to shine as the crispy grilled champ that it is. Nevertheless, we stayed for hours at the back picnic tables, chatted with the servers, overheard some drama about the evening closing procedure, broke a dish, and spilled a coffee. A good day.

Croque Madame, Word of Mouth Cafe, Leith,

A damn fine Croque Madame can be found at Word of Mouth Cafe , an incredibly comfortable and chic cafe I was taken to walking up from Leith. From the well oiled dark stained wooden tables to the soaps in the loo, the overall aesthetic of the cafe was incredibly convivial to a certain tempo in how I like to enjoy my meals and conversations. The food was also exceptional, beginning with a very berry smoothie that reminds me of home, classic crispy frites which I never knew I missed until being only offered chunky rubbery chips, a light vinaigrette over the mixed salad, and a very well done croque madame, with the right saltiness of ham to cheese, with the egg seemingly embedded into the top of the really good thick slice of bread. The clincher was the liberal use of dried parsley, which is a sight for sore eyes, dashed over everything hot and visually tied it all into the salad. Maybe the food in Scotland has just been really bad, but I went really wild for this meal as it's fresh an...

You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

Search This Blog