Recently in Sandwiches Category

I've always enjoyed street food and taco trucks, despite the bad rep they had for many years. Now, thanks to the Kogi BBQ truck, it seems it's cool to enjoy lunch or dinner from a food truck.

I've honestly been very interested to go try some of the new food truck varieties that are popping up everywhere, but obviously not enough to follow them all over Los Angeles County. Then came the "festivals" where armies of food trucks get together.

I hadn't had a chance to make it to one of these until Tuesday. I finally made a date with my best friend and we headed to the Street Feast at the Americana at Brand.

It was my first time at the Americana, the indoor/outdoor mall adjacent to the Glendale Galleria. I liked the open space in the middle of this retail/residential community. There's a fountain, grass you can relax on, and plenty of casual and fine dining around.

On this Tuesday night, there was a good crowd that were settled on the grass. I thought they were either taking a retail break or just enjoying some of the food they had picked up at one of the nine food trucks at the feast, and then I spotted a flat screen that drew their full attention - game 6 of the Lakers/Celtics basketball playoffs - Ah! I guess there was no need to decide between the Street Feast and playoffs.

I checked the score early in the game and then went back to business. There was no map, so my feast partner and I walked around the perimeter of the inside of the Americana to scope out what each of the food trucks had to offer and spot the ones we were most interested in - The Grilled Cheese Truck and The Flying Pig.

The other food trucks were Coolhaus, mainly dessert; The Buttermilk Truck, breakfast-time and dessert; Mandoline Grill, curry and noodles; Worldfare; Patty Wagon; Comfort Truck; and Vizzi.

Almost every truck already had a good long line of people eager for service. The Grilled Cheese Truck seemed to be the winner though. It looked like there was about 15 to 20 people in line, relatively short, but when I tried to step into the back of the line, an Americana "ambassador" politely asked if I was looking for the Grilled Cheese truck line, which I was so he patiently pointed to a line that wrapped around one of the stores to the actual end of the line with about 40 more people waiting. I apparently tried to step in at a traffic break and cut the line. Oops.

Knowing we would not be able to wait in line patiently, and our stomachs already grumbling, we decided to find a smaller line to grab something quicker and smaller while we take our chances waiting at the Flying Pig line, which also looked like it would be a good wait.

Some local restaurants were serving up mac and cheese and salad plates and sliders. We each grabbed a quick slider and headed to the Flying Pig line. Again an ambassador approached us and asked if we had ordered yet, we hadn't so he directed us to the front to order.

The Flying Pig menu on a small stand outside had a selection of tacos and drinks, we found out later the menu directly on the truck had more of a selection.

The pork belly taco and spiced pork taco piqued my interest but alas the attendant regrettably informed me they were out of spiced pork, so I went with the tamarind duck taco instead.

There was no line to order but then we had to head back to the end of the 20-something-people-long line, which was not much compared to others.

Fifteen minutes and one slider later, we had barely moved one person up in the line. After almost 30 minutes and only one more move up, we overheard the ambassador was beginning to tell people wishing to get in line or to order, that the Flying Pig had stopped taking orders since they were having problems with one of their "ovens" (maybe he meant grills, I hoped those ordering carne asada tacos were not getting oven-cooked asada - weird.)

Seeing the occasional plate of tacos being served, we remained hopeful we would get the tacos we paid for - eventually.

According to their website, "The Flying Pig truck has hit the streets featuring the perfect blend of Asian & Pacific Rim flavors with French technique." The tamarind duck was a great example of that combination. It featured duck confit with pickled red beets, toasted almonds, radish sprouts, mandarin orange, and tamarind gravy.

The pork belly taco features braised pork belly with red onion escabeche, pickled sesame cucumber, and death sauce.

After learning of the "oven" trouble, I decided to take a chance on the Mandoline Grill which seemed to have many people coming away with food pretty quickly, and some tasty smells were coming from that direction. I went ahead and waited in the grill line to order while my friend stayed in line at the pig truck.

In 15 minutes, I had one 12" grilled pork and one 12" grilled beef banh mi, a Vietnamese baguette sandwich ($6 each). I headed back to the taco line and had a few nibbles of the sandwich as we were quickly approaching the end of the line.

After over an hour wait, we finally got our tacos - priced between $2.75 and $3.25 each - and although I wasn't as hungry as before, these definitely were worth the wait. I was only sorry I hadn't ordered the limit of five items to begin with.

The pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth awesome, soft but not greasy. The sesame cucumber and sauce complemented it well without overwhelming the natural taste of this little piggy. The sauce was a kind of chili sauce with a bit of a kick but I still have no clue why it's called the "death" sauce. It wasn't that hot. There was Sriracha, or rooster, sauce available to add. I passed.

This would be my first time tasting duck, in any way, but my friend was excited about it so I imagined it wasn't as odd as it sounded to me. The beets and small orange slices were a nice start. When I finally bit into the duck, it was moist and tender. Surprisingly, it reminded me of shredded beef and not like its cousin, the chicken, but not as fatty either.

Yes, these tacos were worth the wait but I don't know if I'll do it again. I will be more prepared next time, arriving a lot earlier, getting a large group together and planning out a strategy of who to send out to wait at different trucks, all mission-impossible style.

A mission I could definitely practice at the next L.A. Street Food Fest to be featured at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on July 24. But sadly, I will be out on other adventures that weekend and will have to hold off on that rescue plan. Next time Gadget, next time.

Check out details for the L.A. Street Food Fest at their website or here on our Rose magazine blog.

I'm not a huge fan of McDonald's food except for their breakfast. So when I saw the commercials featuring "The King" from Burger King, breaking into what is supposed to be McD's headquarters and stealing what looks like the recipe for their English muffin breakfast sandwiches. Of course, it's just a diagram-type picture pointing to the simple ingredients - muffin, cheese, sausage and egg.

The price of Burger King's English muffin is great - $1 each, plus tax - but I had to compare the taste.

The first thing I noticed that earned the BK breakfast sandwich points over McD's, is the egg. Usually, McD's egg is a poached-style egg. You can special order a "boiled" or "folded egg", which is a folded rectangle scrambled egg, which is usually what I do. At BK, it is already a scrambled egg, no dry yolk amongs the egg white - great.

The sausage had the right spices and texture, although I can't say if it would stand against McD's sausage on its own, since McD's has more of a pepper-kick that I like.

And surprisingly, the greasiness didn't come from the melted American cheese or the sausage, it came from the muffin. Yeah, pretty odd if I say so myself.

It was as if it was grilled in butter. Tasty, but I made sure to eat healthy the rest of the day, to try to stave off the heart attack it may have caused eating that sandwich.

The BK muffin is also available with egg, cheese and bacon, instead of sausage.

Which do you prefer - McDonald's or Burger King? 

Even though I knew it may disappoint, I gave Carl's Jr's new Grilled Cheese Burger a try anyway.

There are four ways to get the sandwich - single burger, double burger, six-dollar burger size or vegetarian with no burger or bacon - starting at $2.49 and up.

I thought I would try it the way they advertised it - with a single burger patty. It was exactly what I thought it would be - see my rant here.

It wasn't horrible but it was definitely not a grilled cheese sandwich. Carl's Jr. burger patties are generally good and the bacon is tasty, the cheese was plenty and tasty, but the sourdough bread was not the buttered and grilled toast we love about having a grill cheese sandwich. It didn't even taste freshly grilled.

Again, it wasn't a terrible burger or sandwich, but I don't think it was anything spectacular and I definitely wouldn't call it a grilled cheese.

HAVE YOU TRIED THE CARL'S GRILLED CHEESE BURGER?

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR FAVORITE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH?

I was one of probably many that took advantage of Jack in the Box's promotional offer this last Tuesday - get one of their new grilled sandwiches for free with the purchase of a large drink.

The sandwiches come in two choices - there's the Grilled Turkey Bacon Cheddar with roasted turkey, cheddar cheese and bacon, and the Grilled Deli Trio, with salami, sliced ham, roasted turkey, provolone cheese and pickles. Both served on toasted artisan bread 

I decided to give the turkey bacon cheddar sandwich a try first.

When I first unwrapped my sandwich, sliced in half, I reached for one piece and as the melted cheddar cheese stretched from one slice to the other, so did my smile. I love melted, stringy cheese!

I'm not a huge fan of turkey but I love bacon. The cheese, turkey and bacon blended so well, there wasn't one flavor that overpowered the other.

The bread was nicely toasted, a little greasy but it was more like butter grease than oil grease, which is fine with me. It reminded me of grilled cheese butter. I can't confirm but I believe the artisan bread is sourdough, or that's what it closely tasted to, to me.

For $4.19 plus tax, it's a little pricey for Jack in the Box, but I believe the taste and size was worth it. The $2.29 I paid for the drink and free sandwich was a good price, even though I couldn't finish the monstrously sized "large" drink.

I'll have to give the Deli Trio a try soon...

DID YOU GET YOUR FREE SANDWICH? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT JACK'S NEW SANDWICHES OR WHERE YOUR FAVORITES ARE.

Of all the fast-food choices out there, Carl's Jr. is one of my top choices if I want to grab something tasty to go.

But their new menu item had me excited and then disappointed all in one commercial.

I love grilled cheese sandwiches - they're so tasty, buttery, and cheesy. Simple but they can hit the spot perfectly every time.

So when I saw the commercial about Carl's new "grilled cheese," I was ready to go out and try one until I realized their "grilled cheese" is just another big Carl cheese burger with bacon and extra cheese on sourdough bread.

Not to insult either fast-food chain restaurants but I would call it a Sourdough Jack with bacon and extra, extra cheese.

Saying they want to give their customers that comfort food they crave, the fast-food chain's newest creation started out as a menu item for vegetarian customers but instead created Carl's Jr. Grilled Cheese Bacon Burger - a charbroiled burger patty, bacon, four slices of melted American and Swiss cheeses in between grilled sourdough buns.

Though the vegetarian is also available, I wish they could have just given this new burger another name so as not to confuse (and excite) customers for no reason.

I have not tried the "grilled cheese" yet but not sure if I want to - I could just go order a grill cheese from my local Rick's.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE? REAL GRILLED CHEESE OR JUST ANOTHER CHEESY BURGER?

To promote their new grilled sandwiches, Jack in the Box will be giving them away next week.

On Tuesday, Feb. 23, only, buy a large drink and get one free grilled sandwich of your choice. No coupon necessary. At participating locations only.

You can either go with the turkey, bacon and cheddar which includes roasted turkey, bacon and cheddar cheese with a sun-dried tomato sauce on grilled artisan bread; or the deli trio with genoa salami, sliced ham, roasted turkey, provolone cheese and pickle filets with creamy Italian dressing on grilled artisan bread.

Subway has brought back its "Any" event - get any regular footlong sandwich for only $5. From the Italian BMT to the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki - only $5.

The promotion is for a limited time only, so get out there and get your $5 lunch.

After hearing about Mr. Baguette for over a year, I finally got to taste one of the sandwich shop's creations.

I thought there was only a Mr. Baguette in Rosemead and I hardly ever go through the city let alone stop somewhere there to eat.

But by chance, I happened to be driving north on Atlantic Blvd. in Monterey Park one Saturday afternoon, spotted this location on the right side and knew I had to take a detour from my original destination.

When I first perused the displayed menu, I was surprised by the variety of cuisines offered at what I thought was a mainly French-inspired sandwich shop. There are Vietnamese inspired sandwiches and new to the shop are the beef and chicken fajitas sandwich.

The new addition looks to combine Mexican cuisine with the signature French baguette bread. The sandwiches come with beef or chicken finely chopped fajitas, in-house salsa sauce, and Monterey Jack cheese.

They even offer Jarritos, a line of fruit-flavored sodas that are a favorite in Mexico.

Though sandwiches do take over the menu, you can start off with pate chaud or pork or chicken meat pies, a ham and cheese roll, or a bowl of clam chowder or chicken curry.

Sandwich selections vary from classic French baguette sandwiches to Vietnamese-French combinations.

There is the classic brioche in a variety of meat or veggie options in a smaller-size French roll bread. There is a variety of croissant sandwiches or just get them plain.

Contemporary sandwiches come with mayonnaise spread, lettuce, tomatoes and American cheese with your choice of meats like grilled beef, roast beef or tuna.

The condiments can be substituted with the house special salad of carrots, daikon and chili peppers.

The Classic sandwiches are served with the house salad and come in varieties such as pork meat loaf, pate pork meat loaf, chicken, meatball, veggie or a combination of meats.

I craved a Vietnamese style sandwich that comes with carrots and chili peppers so I went simply with a grilled pork classic. 

My sister and adventure companion decided to try the Saigon probably more for the name. The Saigon comes with a combination of hot Vietnamese-style bacon and pork meat loaf.

She forewent adding the house salad topping which comes on the side in a small bag when ordered to go. Even though the pork in her sandwich looked different than we're used to seeing, she said it was a tasty combination of meats and devoured it in less than 10 minutes.

I had to add the house salad to my sandwich, especially the chili peppers to give it a nice kick. I have been to some Vietnamese restaurants that serve these types of sandwiches, known there as banh mi, and most of the time the peppers are spicy.

Mr. Baguette was no exception but it was a great balance to the nicely sliced carrots and daikon, which is a type of radish. The grilled pork was nicely seasoned and grilled to a nice tenderness.

The final touch that made the sandwich deliciously scrumptious was the baguette. A nice warm toasty on the outside and soft on the inside.

What I love even more about Mr. Baguette are the prices. You can get a simple sandwich for under $3. Our sandwiches were less than $4 for a good size.

Having such a variety of beverages as sandwiches, my sister and I had to try something from that menu as well.

I went with the boba thai iced tea for $2.50 and my sister gave the mango smoothie a try for $3.85 and 35 cents extra for boba.   

The thai tea had a nice taste and the boba balls were larger than I've had in other boba drinks but I didn't find anything much special in their tastes. They just added some texture.

My sister felt the same way about the boba but enjoyed her fresh-tasting smoothie just the same.

Mr. Baguette is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and has three locations in the San Gabriel Valley located at:

• 400 S. Atlantic Blvd., #288 in Monterey Park, (626) 282-9966
• 8702 E. Valley Blvd. in Rosemead, (626) 288-9166
• 9661 E. Garvey Ave., #101 in South El Monte, (626) 575-8632

For those of you who like your cheesesteak sandwiches just as they should be - steak and cheese and steak and cheese - then Quizno's new Double Cheese Cheesesteak is for you.

The sandwich shop's new toasty sub is not a torpedoe or bullet so you can get it in a small, regular or large size in white or wheat bread.

It comes with hand-carved marinated prime rib steak slices, double the slices of swiss cheese, sauteed onions and mayo - that's it.

Sure you may not get your daily recommended servings of vegetables but you can always get a side salad.

I recently tried the small size (ixnay on the mayo though) just to see if it was plenty enough with double the meat and cheese. 

With a side of chips and a drink, the small did satisfy but at the same time, the meat marinade was so tasty and the cheese was all nice and melty that I wanted more even if it was going to make me so full I'd place myself in a food coma - staring into the glare of my computer screen at work.

It's not the value meal you could find at some other sandwich shops - $5.29 for the small plus $1.99 to make it a combo - but it's worth the double meat and cheese alone.

By Stacey Wang

I've had bagels on the brains every Friday for the last two weeks due to the downtime "bagels or donuts?" discussion in the office.

As if Casual Friday didn't already make my day, I finally decided to satisfy my craving for those complex carbs.

In San Dimas lies Cafe Bagelry, a family-owned shop that has an extensive menu to satisfy bagel eaters of all kinds.

From cream cheese bagels to bagel sandwiches, the cafe has menu items ranging from $0.85 to $5.69, before tax.

I ordered a Californian - a cafe-proclaimed favorite tuna sandwich with Swiss cheese, avocado, tomatoes and sprouts on a toasted wheat bagel.

The generous portions of the sandwich alone were enough to fill me up, but the cafe offers a meal deal every Friday. Customers can order any bagel menu item, chips and a fountain drink for $6.

On any other day, my meal would have cost $7.79. It's not a huge savings, but I don't mind taking what I can get - especially if it's as gratifying as it was.

I also ordered a cafe specialty known as a Peaches 'N Cream bagel for $3.02 purely because it glimmered from its glass encasing with visual appeal.

The pastry was a bagel bread with a light spread of cream cheese. It was topped with peach slices fanned out like a pinwheel and sprinkled with cinnamon, which added a light fruity sweetness to it.

I didn't attempt to finish all of my food in one sitting - I would have cursed bagels until the new year had I tried.

The shop also offers alternatives to bagel items - including muffins, omelettes, wraps, croissants and more - while supplies last.

Some other items include an Early Bird Egg Wrap with egg, herb cream cheese and cheddar cheese at $3.13 and cookies at $0.75, which the menu proclaims is "the best" the cafe has ever tasted.

But don't expect to eat there at night. The place is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Cafe Bagelry is at 969 W. Arrow Hwy., San Dimas. Call the shop at (909) 394-9592 for more information.

If you haven't read any of my other posts, then I must say it again - I LOVE BUFFALO! The sauce that is.

So when I heard Subway had a new Buffalo Chicken sandwich and were offering a footlong for only $5, I couldn't resist trying it.

The chicken, including everything except the sauce, was pretty much just like any other chicken sandwich at Subway - chopped "grilled" chicken strips and any veggie fixin's you want.

The sauce was what I was most curious about anyway. And though the buffalo sauce was not dissapointing, it wasn't anything spectacular. Actually, I really think it was just Frank's Hot Sauce brand.

What definitely didn't add anything else but soggy bread to the sandwich was the light ranch dressing they drizzle on top of the buffalo sauce, I'm assuming so you get a whole "buffalo wings and sauce" experience.

The sauce didn't have that bold zesty ranch flavor and I'm guessing because it was light, it was thin and watery so it dripped throughout and out of the sandwich.

I don't think I would try this sandwich again. I'll do better adding jalapenos to one of their regular grilled chicken sandwiches to get more flavor or just head to Hooters.

By Evelyn Barge

I'm not a big fan of restaurants with gimmicky food names; even less so, nightclubs with lame drink labels.

It's an allergy I developed after ordering, with head hanging in shame, the embarrassing "Jenny's Favorite" smoothie at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Monterey many moons ago. I still haven't figured out just why Jenny - an abused child, turned counterculture hippie, turned druggie, turned baby mama, who finally gets sick, settles down and then immediately dies - would have a predilection for strawberries, cranberry juice and non-fat raspberry frozen yogurt. (Send me a memo if you know more than I do.)

At any rate, New York's Finest Bakery and Cafe proprietor Salvatore Mangiafreno obviously disagrees with me. 

Every sandwich on the West Covina eatery's menu is named for a New York City attraction or borough - The Bronx, The Staten Island, The Yankee Stadium, The Shea Stadium, The Park Ave., and on and on.

I find this a little too cutesy for my taste. But, let's be honest, a good taste - the kind that really counts at a restaurant - can overpower all sorts of cornball phrases.

That's how I felt ordering "The NYPD" sandwich ($5.50) at New York's Finest. Yes, the sandwich is really called that, and just speaking the name aloud gave me low expectations for it. 

But I was won over by the force - or, more specifically, the ingredients, which piqued my interest from their place on the menu.

Hot capicola, prosciutto, provolone cheese, pepperoncini, lettuce, oil and vinegar. Simple, spicy; I'll take it. I picked the round roll, which is really more of a giant oval, but the sandwiches are also available on 12-inch hero subs.

The pepperoncinis really steal the show here, acting en masse to overpower thick layers of meat with a mild, pleasing, pickled heat.  

The New York Style salad ($5.00) with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, olives, olive oil and balsamic vinegar glaze was beyond basic but comprised of fresh ingredients and quite satisfying. It reminded me of something I'd whip up at home to take on a picnic.

New York's Finest has an interesting kind of appeal for a city like West Covina. It's Italian-American deli fare through-and-through, with fresh bread, cookies and pastries baked daily on the premises.

It's the kind of place you stop on the way to work to get a baker's dozen of cannolis for the office.

It's refreshing, light, healthy fare - just don't forget something to satisfy your sweet tooth.

New York's Finest Bakery and Cafe is located at 648 S. Sunset Ave. in West Covina. (626) 814-9900. www.nyfinestbakery.com. 

By Amanda Newfield

We all know that there is no way to dine on a budget at the L.A. County Fair, but the experience and variety are worth paying for.

Deciding what to eat can take all day. And with the usual cotton candy, corn dogs and funnel cakes, the fair offers an overwhelming amount of choices. It's the perfect place to ditch the diet and pig out.

Fish 'n' chips booths are scattered throughout the fairgrounds and the smell of the freshly fried seafood and veggies is alluring.  

On my recent visit, I went for the fish, fries and zucchini plate for $10.50.

The batter was light and not at all overwhelming, while the veggies were fresh and tasty. What surprised me was the large portion I was served. I was able to share the meal and still feel that sense of satisfaction. Those 10 bucks went a long way. 

Another place that offers the fried selections the Fair is famous for is Chicken Charlie's Broasted Chicken.

Also, try the "Totally Fried Veggies," featuring zucchini curls, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and onion strings, for $7.75. The appetizing chicken kabob is $9.75. If you want fries with it, the cost is $12.75.  

But those are just the usual menu items.

Last year, Charlie Boghosian, known as "Chicken Charlie," debuted his Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich.

His creation this year is the "Meat Lover's Ice Cream," featuring soft serve ice cream with chocolate-covered bacon bits.

Also new additions this year are the deep-fried frog legs and the deep-fried peanut butter, honey and banana sandwiches. 

Which dessert to try at the Fair is also a difficult decision to make, especially since Colossal Gelato, a gelato ice cream in a 16-inch waffle cone, is new to the Fair this year.

I decided on the $3.75 Fried Twinkie with strawberry syrup drizzled on top from Chicken Charlie.  

This selection was definitely one for those who have a strong sweet tooth. I enjoyed the crispy texture on the outside with the warm, creamy filling on the inside.

No one can miss Juicy's BBQ, which offers whole turkey legs, giant western sausage, burgers and chicken.

The Fair also has fun, reasonably priced meals for kids, and some come with a toy in a Fair collector's box.

For those looking for an elegant air-conditioned dining venue, the Top of The Park restaurant located atop the horse racing grandstand offers a more upscale dining experience.

Enjoy your meal with a view of the Fair; indoor or outdoor seating is available. Top of The Park is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. To view the menu or make a reservation call (909) 865-4120.

Any food selection made at the Fair will be a good one. But don't get distracted or overwhelmed, and try as many different foods as possible.

For more information about food at the Fair, visit the Web site at www.lacountyfair.com/2009/attractionscompetitions/fairfood.