Beer Battered Cod, Clubhouse Sandwich Shop, Toronto

I have been skeptical of this place as I only ever passed it later in the day when it was empty and I couldn't wait 15 minutes for a sandwich. However, after a week of not eating out, and finding myself at the intersection of College and Spadina, I stopped in for a sit down lunch at the Clubhouse Sandwich Shop.

The place was packed with bodies sitting and standing all over the place. The cashier called out sandwiches to the kitchen and to the room with no distinction in tone or range, so that every time somebody ordered your sandwich, heads jerked up, teased about their hopes for sandwich readiness. The wait was very long, as people kept coming and going, and you know what? It was worth it.

Not shy about its proportions and fillings, this battered cod sandwich was piping hot and so delicious. Not overly seasoned nor was the sandwich overly dressed, it was the perfect ratio of filling to bread intake, and I did appreciate the pre-cut. A lot of students were waiting, but also some randoms who clearly came for the favorite sandwich. I might call ahead next time, or bring a book, or just charge my phone (I had to save the last few bars to snap this shot), as I will wait again.

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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.

Specialty Sandwich, Amtrak train dining car

Advertised as the "Specialty Sandwich" on board the Oakland to Los Angeles Amtrak train, this $9.75 grilled cheese seems a safe vegetarian bet, just as a bagel and cream cheese does when faced with weird processed meat choices aboard the VIA Rail in Canada. The specialty allegedly features gruyere and smoked cheddar, however each cheese was tasteless, plastic, and greasy, cooling to reveal six slices of highly processed cheese product. The crisp, somewhat grainy bread absorbed cheese sweat from inside, completely obliterating any relief that the mustard or tomato could have provided, and was thoroughly saturated in a meaty residue from the grill on the outside. This sandwich leaves the kind of mouthfeel that a glass of water cannot wash away. Note: pack toothbrush in carry-on.

Kim Anh Subs, Calgary

It's no secret I'm a fan of the Vietnamese sub. Hell, they've prevented my vegetarianism . But I do enjoy the vegetarian option now and again, especially when it's warm marinated soft tofu rather than the shredded fake meat variety. In Calgary one weekend, a friend and I found ourselves stranded in the city due to a snow storm, so lounging around 17th Avenue, cold, tired, hungry, and near broke, we popped our heads into Kim Anh Subs where he had ventured once before. Offering a whole wheat sub bun option, Kim Anh's subs were a bit more expensive than what I'm used to for a sub of this style ($3.50 is my price range), but it's Calgary, so what can you expect.

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