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  • EndlessSimmer.com

I wrote this post before coffee this morning, and it originally started out with a “Best Thing Since Sliced Bread?” headline. I knew I was caffeine dependent, but man…that’s unforgivable. Moving on: Endless Simmer has named America’s top-10 new sandwiches, and Meat Cheese Bread’s Maple comes in at #4. If you haven’t had the pleasure, The Maple is two pieces of maple-currant bread pudding, shaved fennel, sausage and chipotle cheddar. It’s probably my third most frequently ordered sandwich on their menu (breakfast burrito not included) behind the Park Kitchen (flank steak, pickled onions, blue cheese mayo, lettuce and vinaigrette) and the B.L.B. (Neuskies smoked bacon, golden beets, lettuce and aioli on sourdough), but Endless Simmer is right that it’s the most innovative.

Congrats! Meat Cheese Bread is one of my favorite standbys in town…the honor is well deserved. But my real motive for writing is more self-interested. I want some of our local sandwich shops to copy these other ideas. I’m particularly interested in No. 7 Sub’s Brussels Sprouts Sandwich (“brussels sprouts, granny smith apples, and crushed peanuts on a sandwich roll”) and Baguette Box’s Crispy Drunken Sandwich (“tender chicken deep-fried and glazed in a tangy brown sauce, then served on a crispy baguette with caramelized onions and cilantro.”), but really, I want to try all of these.

I don’t want to come off as ungrateful, I’m thrilled with our local sandwich craftsmen (People’s Sandwich, Bunk, Mr. Kenny & Mr. Zuke), but there’s got to be a couple food carts out there with a little space on their menus. A few hot, steamy, sandwich pics after the jump (SFW, unless you’re real hungry).

Brussels Sprouts Sandwich — No. 7 Sub, New York
Crispy Drunken Sandwich — Baguette Box, Seattle
The Spuckie — Cutty’s, Boston

9 replies on “Best New Sandwiches”

  2. I hear you, Graham. I hear you (though, I don’t know where you live). Have you been to An Xuyen (5345 SE Foster). It lacks a few of my favorite banh mi fillings, but at like $2.25 for a good-sized sandwich, it’s tough to complain.

  4. @Tony: Isn’t that where Foster Burger gets their buns? Maybe I should rephrase my question to, “Where’s the late-night Banh Mi shops at?”

    How do people feel about Best Baguette?

  5. Tanuki has been on a roll lately with interesting, cheaply priced sandwiches. A longanisa (Filipino sweet sausage) banh mi for $3 was on the menu a few weeks ago. And the newest – a “kimcheezesteak” sandwich for $4 – has bulgogi marinated beef, peppers, mushrooms and kimchi/kimchi mayo. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

  6. The mushroom sandwich at Meat Cheese Bread is kinda the best. Except for a special the other day that was like… pistachio pate, and pickles, and other things… it was damn good. Is it true that they sell a few sandwiches at Heart? I heard a rumor. A rumor I have been too lazy to verify.

  7. @Graham – Foster Burger switched to a house made (IIRC) brioche for their buns. Frankly, I liked the An Xuyen buns better.

    There are bahn mi carts in the 5th and Stark pod and the 4th and College pod. Probably others, but haven’t tried them.

    That said, I’m getting my ass over to Happy Grillmore today for lunch. GotDAM they got some good sandwiches.

  8. @ Graham: Best Baguette’s bread is really crunchy and makes too many crumbs. The “best” thing is a lie. But it is better than no bahn mi at all and an acceptable late night option. It’s drive-thru!

  9. @Graham The Banh Mi cart near PSU just cut their menu and upped their prices (well, they got rid of the 2 for $6 deal, so now everything is $3.50… which for banh mi is just a little too much!). But it’s still pretty tasty.

    These other sandwiches look good.

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