A few weeks ago, my friend Phil showed up at a bar with a nicoise tuna sandwich from Bi Rite Market, and I've been craving one ever since. On Sunday, after hitting the tennis ball around a while, Phil and I let Bi Rite supply our postgame sandwich picnic.
Since Phil was also getting the nicoise — pan-seared tuna, saffron aioli, olive tapenade, and heirloom tomatoes — I considered, for about 30 seconds, ordering something else, then decided to do what I'd come there to do, and it did not disappoint. Read on for my thoughts and more photos.
Sandwiches so good they're criminal. Favorite San Francisco sandwich shop Ike's Place has been in the news lately almost as much as it's been reviewed by Yelp. Following an article in the New York Times, Ike's neighbors started demanding compensation in return for long lines and strong smells. I thought the case would go the way of other silly sandwich legal matters, but on Tuesday, a court ruled that Ike's Place will be evicted, though due to a mix-up, the sandwich shop is staying put for now. Amid all the drama, it's easy to forget what started all this in the first place: Ike's makes truly ingenious sandwiches. Now, I present the evidence.
I kid my brother that his sole criteria for evaluating a restaurant is by its mozzarella sticks — really, are mozzarella sticks ever bad? When I saw this news about Denny's new Fried Cheese Melt sandwich, I thought about having my bro drive to Denny's to write a review.
Part of Denny's new value menu, the Fried Cheese Melt consists of four fried mozzarella sticks, plus American cheese, on two slices of sourdough bread, grilled and served with a side of marinara sauce. It sounds a little gross, yet when the persecuted Ike's Place puts mozzarella sticks on a sandwich, as on the Super Mario, it's yummy. From the looks of that photo, Denny's version worries me, though of course, neither sandwich is exactly light. Would you try a fried cheese stick sandwich?
I still have yet to try the best tortas in town, at either Tortas Los Picudos or La Torta Gorda, depending on who you ask. I hope to check at least one of them off my sand wish list soon, but until then, I tend to my torta cravings elsewhere, including my new neighborhood taqueria, El Rancho Grande.
Our neighborhood needed a good Mexican place, and while El Rancho Grande isn't particularly noteworthy, it's also not bad — and it's right there. Plus, they have tortas! I ordered the barbecued chicken torta to go, which was a little too barbecuey for my taste, but I tend to prefer less sauce.
Avocado, refried beans, and creamy cheese joined the chicken on a fluffy, toasted roll. Unlike other tortas I've tried, this sandwich wasn't enormous but a perfectly satisfying size.
Chicago's beloved Italian beef sandwich and Buffalo's signature beef on weck taste like they were separated at birth. But it's the nuances that set these regional favorites apart from each other and that other famous juicy roast beef sandwich, the French dip. Here's how to tell them all apart. 
The Beef on Weck
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Origins: Brought to New York by German immigrants in the early 1800s, beef on weck is one of America's oldest sandwiches.
Defining characteristics: Thinly sliced hot roast beef served on a kimmelweck bun, a Kaiser-type roll sprinkled with caraway seeds and salt crystals, and dipped in roasting juices.
Where to try one: Schwabl's in Buffalo or Charlie the Butcher.
Keep reading for the "French" and "Italian" takes on hot roast beef.
The Ace Hotel New York has the groundbreaking sandwich shop No. 7 Sub, while the Ace Hotel Palm Springs has King's Highway diner, which isn't known for its sandwiches, but I got one there anyway. Specifically, the Breakfast ALT, which last Saturday called out to me as the perfect food bridge between breakfast and lunch.
Like my beloved BLTAE (pronounced BLT-tay), this BLT tosses egg and avocado into the mix, served on a brioche bun. Given that Ace put the "A" first in the name, I found the avocado on mine somewhat paltry compared to my dining companions', so I asked for extra.
They gave me a bowlful, and I fixed it up quite nicely. See what it looked like before the extra avocado after the break.
On our way back from camping a few weekends ago, we ambled down highway 1 along Tomales Bay, hoping for barbecued oysters at Tony's but finding it closed for the holiday. Hungry in Point Reyes, we opted for lunch at the Pine Cone Diner, which has pretty good food and pretty bad service. But I love the decor so much that every time I eat there, I can't shut up about how I want to move in and/or decorate my kitchen to match.
Anyway, since I was in the mood for oysters, I got the fried oyster sandwich, and it was definitely the best dish on the table. A handful of big, lightly breaded, super fresh oysters, served on a toasted roll with purple slaw and pickles. The slaw looks rather ordinary but had a complex, perfectly complementary flavor.
Rarely do I end up at Frankie's Bohemian Cafe sober. This bar's burgers would taste good any time, but it's just the perfect place to wrap up a sunny day like last Sunday, spent up to no good in Alamo Square. (I'm a bit late on this post, but that's what happens when you're having fun.)
Frankie's is famous for its beef patties, but I can't resist the iron turkey burger (top photo), made with ground turkey and spinach. Though simple, the sesame buns stand out for their perfect texture, and the burger toppings are creative. My friend Jonas got the Gilroy Burger (above), covered in a dangerous blanket of green garlic sauce.
Read on for more wild, young bohemian burger action.
Does Friendly's new Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt one-up the KFC Double Down in decadence? It's a patty melt made from two hot grilled cheese sandwiches instead of bread and dressed with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. (The mayo seems like overkill, doesn't it?) Apparently, it's even worse for you than the Double Down, with 1500 calories, 97 grams fat, and 2090 mgs sodium, but also delicious.
Though this new menu item may seem like a sign of the apocalypse, making a burger with grilled cheese sandwiches isn't a new idea. A very similar sandwich, called the Logan County Burger, led Katie Lee Joel to victory in the Burger Bash at the Food Network's NYC Wine and Food Festival in 2008.
No matter who's making it, I admire the ingenuity, but I doubt I could eat one. How about you?
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