You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

Nowhere else in the world have I visited where the slab of breaded chicken or veal sits soaked in marinara on a round crusty bun. Usually hot or sweet peppers accompanies, with additional options of mushrooms, cheese, and onions. I have tried as many of these sandwiches as possible in the city, but more of them keep cropping up. Here is the latest batch, with some additional thoughts on their origins and varieties: Pictured above is a chicken sandwich from Bitundo's, located in Little Italy, Toronto, on a side street near the Monarch Tavern. I got mushrooms and cheese as my extras, and ate it on a frosty night in mere seconds. Lots of walk in pick ups for pizza were happening, which is pretty good business considering it sits directly across from another pizza + sandwich joint, San Francesco's. And while Bitundo's is more modest in appearance, their breaded meat offering was far more appetizing than the disaster I once had at SF's. While pizza seems be their big bu...

Before catching a late AM train, I popped into one of the massive underground and overground foodcourts beneath the financial district for a bite to eat. Pumpernickel's may have been located on one of the second-floor food courts, if I am recalling correctly, as the place I initially tried going to wasn't ready for lunch orders. All in all, this was not a bad spinach omelette bagel. The bagel was just good enough to be edible, but nothing amazing, but the omelette was really hot and not too greasy and I felt quite full afterwards, which is harder to do than you'd think. Nothing like a bit of a cheese string to tug at the heart strings. Nothing fancy here, but consistent and tastes of care, I grabbed this hot egg and bacon sandwich from Sidebar on Spadina, just south of Camden, or Richmond, a real hole in the wall that most people never notice as it's also a few steps down from pedestrian level. Everything is always prepared fresh, but it's never overly seaso...

I forgot about going to Clafuti's in Outremont on a couple of occasions this past summer when I was staying nearby for a few days. Their upstairs space with free wi-fi is nice when it's not too busy, but I was quite disappointed by these sandwich offerings, especially considering how expensive they were. A smoked salmon offering on a brioche bun was skimpy on the fish, and a bit dry on the bun. And this sad pressed ham and cheese croissant was not worth any of my time. Considering a new bakery opened up a few doors down with much better sandwiches and service, and dare I say, a far superior croissant, I bid adieu, Clafoutis.

This tasty crispy fish sandwich tastes just like the fish entree from other Portuguese bbq restaurants nearby, where the fish tastes like a greasy cloud of hope. Unlike conventional breaded fish sandwiches out there that tastes frozen or flimsy, this fish sandwich is sturdy af, so much so that I mistook this photo originally for a chicken sandwich snap. Dining in for a change at the Brazil Bakery, where I have raved over their grab and go sandwiches more than once , and been confused about whether I was eating chicken or fish more than once , their dine-in area may not be the warmest atmosphere, but I'd brave the freezing cold aluminum chairs and hostile stares from the regs any day for this bite again.

There's really no way to have photographed and salvaged this sandwich from Serrano's. The last time I posted about this sandwich, I was dreaming of smashing a few of their creamy, fluffy potatoes inside the sandwich, and here the dream is. I will only get the sandwich this way from here on it. 

The last time I visited Vancouver, I made sure to include a stop into La Grotta del Formaggio , an Italian grocery store on Commercial drive that does this monster sandwiches. It's hard to find a good sandwich in that town, but this place kept me satiated, which is no easy task. Pictured above is a mountain of capicola with roasted red peppers, eggplant, red onion, and provolone on whole wheat. Expect long line-ups, but that time is best used to think about which meat and cheese and toppings you want. Do you really want a whole focaccia, or just half? (I got a whole loaf). I was happy to see they even offer whole wheat focaccia bread that is as tasty and fluffy as white bread, as it's a slightly healthier option, because it's still Vancouver.

Man I love Reuben's in Montreal. From top to bottom we have the beef melt, the classic reubens, and the beef dip.  Surprisingly, I love the beef dip the most, as that jus is killer! Real classic steakhouse mood with all your favorite heart attack dishes, their sandwiches are hardly an afterthought to the bevy of entrees. In fact, I would say their sandwiches are the real stars. What I love most about the beef dip is how juicy the baguette already feels even before you dip it. This is a fine dip sandwich, which is hard to do. So many disappointments have been experienced before this one, which is perhaps why it's so elevated here. The reuben is A+, but in a town that does smoked meat every which way, I don't remember it as distinctly better or worse. The melt I will probably not get again, as I was just curious, but I'd rather take the dip any day. Mmm Mmm Reuben's! 

Hangry and wandering the streets of Peterborough, my travel companion and I spotted a crowd outside of Sam's Deli . They looked sporty and satisfied, so that was a good a bet as any. With quite an extensive menu list, including gluten-free bread for my t.c., I settled on a Peterborough smoked meat while she had a turkey club on g.f. bread. I don't say this lightly, but this was one of the best dan sandwiches around! Even on g.f. bread it received two thumbs up! Fresh quality bread on the soft side makes such a luxurious sandwich, with all the remnants of a homemade sandwich, but superb quality cuts of meat folded inside. All meats were cured and smoked in house from locally sourced farms, and the difference is exceptional. I kind of wanted a second sandwich, but I did not want to ruin the experience by taking it on the road. Sam's alone is reason enough to go back to Peterborough, which didn't give me the best vibes, but great sandwiches. While the side potato ...

Was this sandwich any good? Where did it come from? I have been traveling so much this year that I have lost count of where and when these sandwiches were eaten. The big square plates and dark table top make me think I was in Montreal, as why would I order such a thing in Toronto, where I could easily make a superior version at home. But I could have had a sudden craving for halloumi, as the bread looks flimsy, and Montreal rarely does flimsy bread. I have a sensation that the salad was good, and this sandwich was actually all right, despite the bread. The plate is too large for what it holds, I wonder if this was some kind of airport meal I had treated myself to as this doesn't look like something I would order by choice at a restaurant of my choosing, but something somewhere where options were severely limited. If pressed, I would probably order it again.

Tostos is known for their pizzas, and their pastas, but they also serve sandwiches and salads. Having tried all four categories, their namesake as a pizza and pasta bar should just serve those things. True, I want to still try their meatball sandwich, but on this day for this meeting, I had the cold cut sandwich. The ciabatta bun was not impressive, nor was the serving size. I remember the meats were heavily cured, but I wish it came on a thin baguette, so that I could enjoy a better meat to bread ratio with each bite. Since their home made pizza dough was so good, in that square Roman style, I thought their bread would be better. Ah well!

I ate here twice and got take out once over a span of a week in Winnipeg. Banh Mi King just seemed to have what I was craving, starting with this taster of their assorted banh mi. The slaw and dressing ate first, and it was both acidic and spicy with a nice crunch. Moving on to the sandwich, the meats were well-made and no skimping on portions. I did want more pickled vegetables, and could have asked for as such next time, but this was the only time I got a banh mi. Does this mean I didn't really like it? I mean, the bread wasn't toasted, but I don't recall that being a problem. Or was I eager to try their extensive menu ? I never did try their baoger, which I'm not sure fits into this blog, but on sandwich alone, I would and have tried this place again, and again.

Formerly known as Fitzroy, or just in its same location, I had very fond memories of the Sherbrook Street Deli's smoked meat sandwich, which in all the years since I last had it, I thought was tongue. So upon returning to this deli, I ordered the tongue. In fact, I double downed on it. Getting twice as much meat as I remember how succulent and moist it was. The sandwich that came was not the sandwich I once had. This meat either needed another round in the pressure cooker, as it was still quite full of sinew. My dining companion had hers (regular portion) with a schmear of liver pate, and that was a good call. The slaw was decent, but forgettable, as were their kettle chips, but they do a good pickle. I ate this hulking pile of tongue meat, and wondered if I had simply ordered the wrong sandwich, or if that wonderful flaky salty meat memory will just have to remain a memory.

I love an all-day breakfast option, but a "healthy" breakfast option? Eating at Nuburger was more by default than by choice, as all the other restaurants I wanted to try in Osborne Village were closed that day. I like trying new places, but a place that prides itself on making healthy burgers sounds like a place that skimps on fatty flavour. Ordering their "It's Always Sunny" breakfast sandwich, as I must have felt extra healthy in not wanting their nitrate-free bacon, I was surprised by how long it took for the food to come out, and by how expensive this was. As you can see, the hard cheese and salad sits on top of an overcooked egg. The pesto aioli was pretty bland, and overly generous, but the crisp focaccia toasts weren't bad, but a strange highlight in this medley. Perhaps what really bummed me out was the decor, which was bright white lights and a lot of brushed steel and white plastic. It made me feel dead inside, and this sandwich did not re...

An email from Carla to JD, with love.

This is why I keep a sandwich blog. This. Right here. Eggplant parm at Nonna's gets your automatic cheese, and I'm pretty sure out of that free cheese guilt I paid extra to get zucchini, which was hella not necessary, but have I mentioned that I'm eating healthy now?

A mid afternoon Reuben before an early office dinner seemed like a bad idea, but the rush hour traffic getting out of the core was so bad that I was for once the only person not starving at the table. Still, I ate the most at that dinner, but my stomach had been contracted with this medium sized sandwich, light on the slaw, with fries and gravy extra, and some special Greek deserts thrown in. One of Avenue Diner's better hot sandwich offerings, I may ask for extra corned beef next time, just for good measure. PS. good pickle. wish I got two!

A birthday feast at Mamma Martino 's was not complete without multiple orders of garlic bread and house salad, and of course, a pizza pie, but as it was a special day, I also ordered the chicken parm sandwich, because I needed to know. The meat was tender and delicious, and I would definitely try the eggplant and veal in future orders, but it's hard, because all those other things also needed to be ordered, so maybe I will have to wait until my next birthday. It was also on Halloween when we went, and the haunted house at the owner's house was truly a magical, amazing time. The people at Mamma Martino's know how to have a good time, and whether he was earnest or not in inviting us back in the summer for a pool party, we may just show up anyhow.

A sad looking roll really, but I recall devouring it greedily as I stood waiting for the Overground at Queen's Road Peckham station, calling at . . . Picking up the roll at Blackbird Bakery below, along with their delicious Scotch eggs, the English roll is far inferior to the Scottish roll, and yet, the English Scotch egg is always far better. Cholesterol conundrums.

A farewell ice cream sandwich one summer evening on Bloor Street, the Bakerbot on Bloor is not my favorite, but then again, ice cream sandwiches in general are losing my favour. This chocolate and raspberry combo did nothing for me, but my companion, who was doing the departing, enjoyed his, and so, it was worth it. Some backstory of the Bakerbot on Bloor and Ossington was given, but I did not retain. I don't see how there is even competition between the two anymore, but again, I have little invested.

Stopping into EMPAC for a visit in upstate NY, lunch or was it breakfast was had at their lone cafe at the bottom of their space dome. A hearty beef dip this must have been, and the beautiful white catalogue of EMPAC was only there to remind me of where this was, but while sandwich eating this hot glorious mess, the book was pushed farther away from splash reach. I remember the dipping jus was quite excellent.

The way they taunt you from every corner bakery . . . . . . Made a mistake and got one from an upscale bakery. Worst sandwich offering in a week . . .   . . . But recovered by buying all the sandwich ingredients at a small market for a fraction of the price including some tomato and onion to kick it up a notch, plus smoky bacon chips! 

Absolutely no need for a face-off save my exhaustion at sandwich posting, there is a connection between these two clubs. As Bernie from Le Pick Up referred me to Lester's club offering one sandwich eating session last summer, I couldn't help but have my interest piqued from one sandwich fiend to another. I love a club sandwich. So classic. Not a lot of places do it anymore, and not a lot of them do it right. Lester's was pretty good. Sure, the turkey was a smidge on the dry side, but it tasted goooood. Below, Le Pick Up's club on the right, and never able to order just one sandwich there, it's probably the breakfast sandwich on the left. Love that little guy. The club at LPU is infinitely more substantial given entire slabs of grilled chicken breast, but while the shape of a club was there, the sandwich actually fell apart on me. Finding myself eating more chicken breast than bread, or lettuce, tomato, and bacon, it was tasty, but it was too much chicken, no...

Because McDonalds was not yet open, we had to eat at the airport. One last dip into Portuguese style sandwiches of breaded veal or chicken, a salmon sandwich was also picked up, and some unidentifiable sandwich that was not breaded meat was also purchased for variety. I ate the breaded thing, and the other two were for Millie on her journey. She later said the salmon was also bad, after a bad unidentified earlier offering, but my context appropriate breaded meat offering was just fine. I recall fancy plastic seating overlooking a few airport shops, and feeling very 60s Mod, I sat there nursing these sandwiches in my fatigue zone.

Stopping into Hung Phat for a farewell late lunch and to load up for the train home, Millie Burger and I ordered three different banh mi's, a steamed pork bun, and an order of salad rolls, thinking that would be enough. Our crucial mistake was ordering three different types of sandwiches, as we then suddenly had to try them all. Also, having not eaten all day, we devoured everything like animals.  I think by then, a long line up had formed, and I had to go next door to the supermarket to pick up another sandwich for the train, a fourth banh mi, which was not as good, but what can you do about it.

Never until now had I experienced a real muffaleta sandwich. Made by my host Andrea's boyfriend, Erik, who I didn't get to meet, but who I will hold in high esteem for quite sometime, this rotund stacker had me salivating even after eating a Kokum bannock burger (which was awesome btw). I took a wedge back to the hotel with me, even if I was leaving the next morning and still had a box of salt and vinegar fried chicken wings from Kokum's. I ended staying up quite late, watching Die Hard as it repeated itself on cable tv, and by the middle of the second late night viewing, I was finishing up this beautiful monster. I dreamt about mortadella for weeks afterwards! At 2AM, the pickled vegetables were starting to sog through, and I am glad I did not take an extra wedge for the road as it would not have lasted, but the fine layers of meat, cheese, and veg on a whole loaf was truly inspirational. I will attempt to make my own muffaleta of this calibre when I regain my strength...

  Probably one of the cutest vacays I have had in a while, a stop into Sugar Moon Farm lured me to stay in Pictou County, and I am sure am glad we did! Known for using regional ingredients farmed and raised and milled nearby to shape its seasonal menu, we caught the tail end of summer, sharing plates of sausages, pancakes, and breakfast sandwiches, all slathered in their famous sugar moon maple syrup. Using heirloom grains for their bread, presumably from their supplier at Speervile , the fluffy solid top and bottom of this breakfast sandwich was more griddle cake than crumpet, and yet, hearty like a biscuit. We didn't have time to walk the grounds as a ferry needed to be caught, but I will have to make my way back someday. Someday.

Someone would say, Never, and I would often always agree, yet, look upon this beast of coleslaw in a bun. A wee dog hangs out on either end, but once you are in the middle of this dog, where you suddenly have to two hand it and squish everything back inside the bun, the moment sure felt like a sandwich, that I cannot deny.

On the first day of snow in Montreal, and stressed out in getting to the train station just barely on time to catch the train, I emotionally ate this Mother Hen sandwich along with these bagged snacks back to Toronto. I seemed to remember this sandwich being quite good, and the VIA staff quite rude, but nothing new there.

Trying to remember where this was eaten, and I can only make a guess that this was a quick stopover breakfast at Bread Alone in Woodstock, NY. On our way out of town, but not before we hit the Woodstock farmer's market for crystals and old timey things, I am pretty sure I ordered this egg and cheese breakfast sandwich alongside a bowl of oatmeal, because I am healthy now. The bakery was raved about by our hosts, and it was hopping when we got there, witnessing strangers interact with each other over the height of Pokemon craze, but I don't recall this sandwich being awesome. Maybe because it lacked bacon, which one of my travel companions had with her gluten-free meal. I recall the bacon being pretty delicious. Everything in Woodstock was raved about though, but it was all a bit too precious for me. But would I visit again? Probably.

While I never got on board with peameal bacon, this thick cut smoked bacon is something I still get thirsty just thinking about! From one of the first vendors near the main doors, they carve the bacon for you to take away or for immediate sandwich eating. Sharing this salty beast, the verdict was: "Glad we tried it, but I'd rather take home the bacon." Main reason: their bun sucks bad. A floppy oversized hot dog bun at best, it could barely hold the substantial salt of the bacon, let alone the fatty parts. It's been about two years, and I have still not gone back. I have passed by, and as long as they are using this cheap bread, I will continue perusing elsewhere for my meat salts.

Always a sucker for a reuben sandwich, and in a strange town I had never been before, I found myself at the local crafty yarn store for lunch and so ordered me a reuben. The Shabby Motley Handcraft had a reputation for one of the better homestyle cooking around town, and so on a lunch break from the college, I had me a tumeric soy latte, a bowl of carrot soup, and a sandwich. By no stretch was this the best reuben I have had, but it was fine and it was tasty, though I don't like my rye toasted for a reuben. The meat was thin, and the sauerkraut thick, but I have no taste memory to make me think fondly of this sandwich. The tumeric latte, however, I will definitely recommend.

Many a baguette and salad did I consume from EAT, the cheap on the go food store whose eponymous name I never really saw until it was pointed out to me. After dipping into a restaurant near the Southbank on a chilly rainy afternoon, and inquiring about any soup specials, the haughty maitre'd suggested I try EAT, which was just a stone's throw away, as they do soups on the daily. His haughty-ness paid off, as while they had sold out soup by then, their baguettes like this solid chicken, avocado and bacon satiated me daily during a nearby film festival. Never soggy a baguette, which is an impressive feat given it plastic wrapping, and substantial fillings, I was really sad to leave the EAT at Heathrow not knowing when I shall return again.