You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

Downtown sandwich options in Vancouver have consistently been dire, but I keep trying. One of the newest additions is Saj & Co, which opened up inside of Urban Deli on Davie, and features an assortment of freshly prepared Lebanese sandwiches. From vegetarian to meat options, I needed to know what this meant, as the woman from Urban described it more like a crepe. From what I understand, this is more about making fresh Lebanese flat bread and adding a few ingredients for a quick bite to go than about making the large Saj breads its namesake offers. Made in store, each Saj bread is made fresh to order. This was a few months back, but if I recall correctly, he said they were gluten free, which would explain why I didn't really like the texture very much on top of ordering a vegetarian option. I would have preferred a larger piece of fresh, chewy flat bread with nothing in it than this concoction, but curiosity got the best of me. I am also not sure this constitutes a sa...

 As the new kid on the block in the perpetually dined out West End, Greenhorn has fast become a favorite for espresso lovers and geeks. While their brew is really good, my curiosity swayed towards the sandwiches, and so far, it's a hit and a miss. First up is this roast chicken sandwich I grabbed to go. At a heavy price, the sandwich fit cozily into the palm of my small hands, which was a disappointing and expensive lunch. The flavours of the chicken were overpowered by the balsamic and cherry tomato mix, and the bread was a skinny baguette that tasted a bit underdone to my taste. However, as it goes, I tried their grilled cheese sandwich for a sit in meeting shortly there after, and the experience was a far better one. Certainly not the best grilled cheese I've ever had, their use of a softer cheese yielded a more melt in your mouth experience than the stringy chewy bite one expects of a grilled cheese. Good bread crunch, and if in a bind, I would order it ...

This magical bakery on Roncesvalles Avenue was a real treat to visit. With friend and her baby and dog in tow, we picked up a couple of made to order sandwiches, a large soup, and some sweet treats to go.  Pictured above is a pastrami on marbled rye with swiss and pickles and a touch of dijon. The layering of cheese, meat and pickle is really quite simple, and done with this simple perfection, this sandwich elevated our quick lunch. It's places like this that make me never tire of seeking out sandwiches, and my god, their butter tarts deserve an honorable mention, too.

   Hitting up Twiggs before hitting the road, North Bay, Ontario had limited dining selections for what I needed, but damn if this breakfast sandwich from Twiggs wasn't fine and delicious. Using real Montreal style bagels and made to order eggs, this bacon and egger hit the spot on a cold February morning. And I'm glad I ate first before waiting it out for the airport shuttle at a Country Style donut/Mr. Sub.

Settling down for a night at This End Up , I was torn between the fish po'boy and the Hogtown Cubano, but after some weighing and deliberation, I opted for the fish po'boy and ordered a slab of pork belly for the salad. I feel this was a strong decision. While this meal was preceded and proceeded by many a cocktail, pint, and boilermaker, I do recall that I enjoyed this sandwich more than the fried chicken thigh sandwich on their menu, which is saying A LOT. A fish sandwich may not be everyone's cup a tea the same way a fried chicken sandwich is, but in terms of flavour, texture, and experience, I very much have to recommend the po'boy. At this rate, I don't know if I'll ever make it to the Hogtown Cubano with its pork belly AND peameal bacon, but maybe that is just for the best.

If anyone knows the original source for this GIF, please comment!

I had visited Le's Sandwich once before, and I feel that things have changed since that visit four years ago. While the sandwich was still only a small handful of change, the sandwich seemed to have grown smaller, or shorter. The banh mi is a perennial favorite here at You Say Sandwich , even if only driven on by my posts alone, and here as you can see, the fillings are minimal, the baguette as a short bun, and well, just a bit sad looking. In a bind, I will eat there again, but I didn't love it.

Recently I was the backseat passenger on a 4 hour road trip where my only duty was to pick up a few roadside snacks. While I brought a round of custard tarts for the ride along, I also picked up a few sandwiches from Brazil Bakery on Dundas Street, which had the best value for its buck of any sandwich joint I could find in Toronto. Selected from the daily bin was a tuna fish sandwich and a proscuitto and fresh mozzarella number. The tuna was on a more traditional torpedo bun while the meat and cheese on a crusty fatter baguette style bread. While I ate the tuna for breakfast, which was nondescript, but well seasoned and fresh, I saved the meat and cheese for two hours into the ride, which provided the perfect snack post-road trip nap. Next time perhaps I will dine in as the bakery was bustling, but for now, I will salute you, road sandwiches.