You Say Sandwich, We Say Yeah!

Recently I ordered two grilled cheese sandwiches in the same week. I didn't take photos for either, because they were eaten and ordered so quickly that I forgot everything that led up to the last crumb consumed. But I will say that each sandwich determined something for me. Determined whether I would return to these establishments and how their kitchen was operating. As a happenstance run in catch up get together, I ran into a friend at one place and bicycled over to the Wallflower back patio on her recommendation to have a proper catch up and to get some food in me. Ordering a grilled cheese immediately before my friend even arrived, her deviled eggs still arrived before my sandwich was delivered. But the wait was worth it. A hot crispy buttery sandwich with a good cheesy stretch and a side of firm ruffage, I would definitely return to try more menu items from what I always thought was just a drinking hole. Later that week, hearing that Skyline diner had been bought up by ...

The third and final stop of the MB sandwich tour July 2016, Mtl ended at Wilensky's. A place I have seen on various food channel shows, the light lunch counter serves primarily the "wilensky special," a fried bologna sandwich with or without swiss or cheddar cheese and mustard.  Seemingly nothing to sneeze at, the crispy round bread is really comforting to bite into, making this ultimately a comfort food. Warning us that we could share one special, but that they won't cut it, we took turns biting through the tower of fried bologna and chopping down the sour pickles and a fresh cherry soda. The bread remains hard to define, not a regular bun, or like two bottom patties of a corn or egg based recipe, it was more of a shell than a bun.  Overhearing the counter conversation, which I'm sure they have said over and over again, this will be the last generation of Wilensky's running the counter, and I'm just very appreciative that I got to try this li...

This photo makes me blush. As stop #1 on a mini sandwich tour with Millie Burger,  Lester's is for sure a contender in the Mtl smoked meat sandwich race and the crowd is nowhere near as annoying as other places. The rye bread was notable for holding together under such duress. Salty and soft, we should have ordered pickles. Next time, I'm trying your club sandwich and hot dog Sulfites be damned.

  After passing up a $30 open-face sandwich toppling with an impressive vertical assortment of dilled shrimpies, caviar, and a generous lemon slice, I opted for this miserably flat $9 boxed sandwich. There’s not much to say here through the tears. So instead, I post a picture of the one that got away, as a reminder to all readers: if in doubt, spring for the real deal. Post Script: thankfully, our correspondent in Norway made good this summer and became well acquainted with the classic Scandi-sammie, the glorious open face piled high with various seafoods.

This place seems to get better with each visit. Located on a street that I have no reason to walk on unless it's to go get some of this Railtown Cafe has no problem filling up their seats and handling endless line ups out the door. Doing made to order sandwiches, soups, and salad bowls, it's the kind of casual eatery I never knew I missed until it showed up in my life. It's in the set up: up front as you order is the presentation of its daily meat specials including slabs of moist braised brisket, a Jenga-style tower of thick cut "72 hour" bacon, and perfectly roasted brown chicken breasts on display in enviable cookware. I don't even know what happens between the time of payment and the arrival of sandwiches, though I recall some form of self service involved, but I would have stood in a corner to eat this melt in your mouth reuben, a sandwichland classic that I rarely indulge, but here, makes me trust in the classics once again.

I love how seemingly each major American city has its own way of doing up hot dogs, pizzas, and yes, sandwiches. With time to kill and hours before my next meal, I tried my luck with a Chicago Italian beef. At last, I understand why Arby's could be so popular after visiting this and the Philly cheesesteak. Thinly sliced beef is here slathered with giardiniera, a mixture of pickled and or hot vegetables and sauce. Reading up on the history of the Chicago Italian beef, the drippy nature of it now makes more sense when compared to the poor man's beef dip. However, if I had known this, I would have never tried it as the dip is not one of my personal favorites from the classics. This thing was more meat than bun, more soup than sandwich, and the giardiniera was not great. I should have known, Chicago, your deep dish pizza's are also pretty gross.

I must be British now as these BLT's in the greenhouse were dished up with a heavy dose of homemade raisin chutney. A great acidic accompaniment to the greasy salty bacon and the blandess of the spinach (playing substitute here for lettuce) and chunky tomato slices. I added a dollop to the inside of the sandwich, and I must say it's actually better as a dipper than a spread. Thanks to R.G. for this very hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

It was a cold and frosty weekend, and inadvertently house sitting for some old friends just off Broadway in the 'toon, I could only go as far as I could walk, having also hitched a ride in from a friend (traveling on a dime!). Having already ventured to Nino's and Sushiro, I returned to the Broadway Cafe, where I had ventured once last summer, and ate a messy slop of a sandwich. Taking a back seat by the chrome bar, I had thoughts swimming around in my head over a conversation held the previous night. Sitting in the Star Trek inspired lounge of The Cave bar and restaurant, my friend and I witnessed a man nearby devour a club house sandwich. Being at The Cave and all, we thought perhaps it was the environment that caused a time warp back to the days of people ordering club house sandwiches. Who orders a club house sandwich still? They are a classic staple of sandwich menus, but seemingly of yesteryears. Those little sandwich wedges of toasted bread that always hurt the top o...