Dépanneur le Pick Up, Montreal

So I have to admit, I had never been to Le Pick Up before. I tried once, many years ago, but it was too busy. Waiting in line for a sandwich is outrageous. It turns out the owners feel the same, as since those heydays, Le Pick Up has also closed on Sundays because it was just too busy. They consciously decided to close shop on their busiest day, because sandwiches are not about rushing.

So sauntering down one day with Mille Burger leading the way, we had the mission to try as many sandwiches as possible in one go. Standing in line with Jaime Lannister behind us, we ordered a breakfast sandwich, a grilled haloumi, and a faux pulled pork to share with a spruce pine soda as a chaser.

First: the breakfast sandwich/dep dej. Hearty multigrain bread to start the day, a fresh fried egg sits on top of bacon and some ruffage. The kicker is the chipotle mayo, a move I have only ever seen out East, where of course a bit of spicy mayo is what every morning bite needs. While we were suppose to share, I ate the lion's share of this sandwich.

Second: grilled haloumi. A soft dark bread holds and soaks a crunchy vinegar-based slaw and a generous slab of grilled haloumi. The squeakiness of the haloumi is not compromised in anyway. I love grilled haloumi so much. It's a type of undying love that knows no bounds. I knew MB is lactose intolerant, so save a bite to taste, I once again ate the lion's share of this sandwich.

Third: faux pulled pork. Described to me as better than the meat version, with a good spring to each bite, we opted for this version because how often is a vegetarian option described as BETTER? I am thankful for this inside scoop, as the one bite I managed was truly a overflowing mouthful of sweet and spicy tofu skins that did not have the heft of a pulled pork. No meat sweats. No sandwich coma. The big crusty bun to filling ration was excellent, and while I regret not having a second mouthful, I guess it was only fair.

Now that I know about Le Pick Up's sandwich game, I will be back, line up or no line up.

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.

You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

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