Between the Bread

Making Friends With Pal's Takeaway

nancyeinhart — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:25:55 PST

Pal's Takeaway has been on my list of must-try sandwich spots for at least a year, but I'm not often at 24th and Hampshire on a weekday. So when I recently had a rare Monday off in SF, I finally buddied up to Pal's.

Needless to say, expectations were high. On Pal's website, the sandwich makers proclaim that their ongoing mission is "to find some good f*cking stuff to put between pieces of bread." It is succeeding with a daily-changing menu of innovative eats and an irreverent sense of humor.

I ordered the delightfully clever 'Wich Came First sandwich, featuring tarragon-poached chicken breast and egg salad with chives. Get to know Pal's.

Sandwich Share: Caprese di Mercury

nancyeinhart — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 06:22:00 PDT

Going through my emails looking for another sandwich photo, I came upon this submission from earlier in the month. At the Mercury Cafe in San Francisco, my friend Katie endorsed this caprese creation on an Acme baguette. Says Katie: a "generous serving of fresh mozz. It's a solid."

The Second Coming of Chicken Dinner

nancyeinhart — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:58:31 PDT

Breaded chicken between more bread? Why not? Last Sunday Andrew made chicken cutlets, flattened and coated in a breadcrumb, lemon zest, and parsley mixture. He topped the chicken with arugula, lightly dressed in lemon-shallot vinaigrette.

The flavor pairing of bitter greens and tangy fruit was too delicious not to revive in a sandwich Monday night. We served the golden slabs of chicken on Acme's green onion slab bread (highly recommend) with tomato and leftover arugula. It was delicious, if enormous.

'Wich Trip: Saul's Deli in Berkeley

nancyeinhart — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:32:24 PDT

With boxes of matzoh overlooking loaves of Acme Bread, Saul's Restaurant & Deli in Berkeley is the countercultural deli counter. The Kosher joint recently stopped serving salami until it could find a sustainable supplier, yet its corned beef is worthy of Katz's. I was already planning a trip to Saul's before it surfaced in a recent New York Times story about the sustainable deli movement, but the attention is well-deserved. Check it out below.

Leftovers Gone Wild: Broccolini, Fennel, Carrot, and Avocado Explosion

nancyeinhart — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:06:35 PST

If you thought leftover sandwiches couldn't get weirder than pulled pork and zucchini, think again. These fillings were so bizarre, I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to dig in without total disaster ensuing. But not only was it edible, it was worth repeating.

Like most leftover sandwiches, this one started with a yummy dinner: cod sauteed with broccolini, fennel, and carrots and served in a light broth. Come sandwich time, I combined the leftover vegetables with sliced avocado and served it on Acme's olive bread with a bit of Dijon. The salty tang of the olives was the perfect counterpunch to the sweetness of the fennel and carrots, with the avocado bridging the gap. Truly a flavor explosion.

'Wich Trip: Bakesale Betty

nancyeinhart — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:11:52 PST

Bakesale Betty's famous fried chicken sandwich didn't make it onto 7x7's Big Eat list, but it has been on mine for a while, and I'm not alone. The sandwich has a cult following that reaches far beyond Oakland; LA chef Vinny Dotolo gets one every time he's up north. This weekend I finally got to meet Betty - er, her sandwich - and it was a dream come true. Click through to take a 'wich trip.

Beyond the Kale Egg Sandwich

nancyeinhart — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:10:10 PST

When my vegan college roommate gushed about kale, I didn't understand the concept of loving a vegetable (plus, I think when she said "kale," I thought "kelp.") I've since grown up and learned that good vegetables can be so delicious they almost feel indulgent. My latest obsession is my new favorite winter green, kale.

I'm glad I'm marrying Andrew, because the man can make a mean egg sandwich - much better than I. Our breakfast for dinner the other night featured over-easy eggs, laid on a bed kale sauteed with onions and red wine, on a fresh Acme Bread roll. The kicker was a thin slice of pecorino cheese. Despite our initial doubts, it wasn't even hard to eat. See more yummy photos.