You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

 I was actually headed to Truong Giang but they were closed for two weeks. I had a meeting in Gastown and was super hungry at this point wandering past Sunrise wondering why there aren't any eateries over here. I see a butcher shop on the corner and see the word "sandwiches" painted on. Yes. I didn't know I had entered hipster butcher heaven, but I was too hungry to care. Big Lou's Butcher Shop was apparently something to know, but I doubt it was for their service. One young man with a small moustache seemed annoyed at having a customer. Another young man with a big moustache asked me what I wanted, and I wondered if there really was a Big Lou around. After a few "not ready yet" concerning the roast chicken options, I went for the Bahn Mi, in honor of where I was initially headed. The butcher boy also said they compare, so with no reason to not trust, I went for it. Saucy pulled pork overwhelmed this sandwich from the get go. I felt like I need...

I got a new phone and went through my old phone to see if I missed anything. How did I miss this little gem? The pastrami and pickle sandwich at Duchess Bakery is one fine sandwich. The bakery is known for their use of butter, quality high end butter, and their croissants on their own are fantastic. But as anyone who has ever had a butter and pickle sandwich, a buttery croissant with a thick slice of pickle and very excellent pastrami is really a mouth watering temptation. I got the last one, if I recall, and it's nice to remember the good things that have happened.

Finch's has held a special place in my sandwich heart, but I have never made it over for their breakfast. Until now. Meeting up downtown for a nice breakfast meeting, Finch's offers a breakfast plate or a breakfast sandwich, and well, how could I resist. Homely it was, but certainly filling. This is definitely more of the tea house feel. A medley of eggs mixed with red onion and cheddar was a less creamy British version, but there was just a bit too much lettuce for my liking. I am no fan of lettuce in a sandwich. I would maybe try their PLT (proscuitto, lettuce, and tomato), but I may just have to get back here for a sit down baguette meal one of these days.

I tried t his place when I first moved into the neighborhood and I found it a bit lacking. Here is the post on that. However, as I had predicted, I stopped in again to pick up some essentials and decided to try their Muffuletta. This is by far a more superior sandwich and judging from the options, probably their best. The olive spread is what really kicks this one up a notch, as the deli meats and cheese are all pretty standard and the bread is good, but basic. No, it's the olive spread that ties it all together, a possibly made in house concoction that distinguishes this place from the rest. Well, they don't have much competition, there's a deli two blocks over that doesn't offer sandwiches (but better meat choices) and there's really nothing of its kind in the neighborhood, surprisingly, and yet, there's no real reason to go here when everything is so close. I hope they succeed though, and maybe a few more items like this one will make it more of a dest...

Another sandwich bar downtown and this one had a line up. Hubbub Sandwich Bliss . Each sandwich has the basics and you can select from basic choices (pork, turkey sausage, veggie, or prawn). There is also the daily special, which is what I went for in the chicken parmigiana. The decor was slick, with a hand drawn sandwich of how a perfect sandwich is assembled. Apparently the two guys behind Hubbub initially wanted a sports bar, and so, what does this all mean for the sandwich itself? Coming on a long skinny crispy baguette, this is basically a fancy hoagie. It's over priced for what it is, but it's satisfying for the standards of metro Vancouver. The parmigiana was okay, a bit dry and weird in such an elongated format. The bread was good, and I would kill for a Vietnamese sandwich or meatball daily special on this type of bread. Here's hoping.

Skateboards by Arthur King via Junkculture