Between the Bread

I don't think it would be easy to eat an "all-in-one sandwich" behind the wheel of a truck, but at a table in North Beach, I had no problem polishing off a French fry-stuffed sando from Giordano Bros.

This indulgent bar and grill is San Francisco's homage to Primanti Bros. in Pittsburgh, the famous sandwich shop that started serving lunches to truck drivers and laborers in the 1930s. Like the horseshoe sandwich of Springfield, IL, the all-in-one features French fries as filling, along with cole slaw, so your sides are served up between the bread. At Giordano Bros. or Primanti, you can choose from assorted Italian cold cuts on thick slices of Italian bread.

I ordered the double egg sandwich, which came with a packet of Crystal hot sauce. Though I expected to feel utterly disgusting after eating it, it was actually more manageable than it looks in these photos. See more after the jump.

Philadelphia gets all the glory with its cheesesteaks and hoagies, but Pittsburgh is no sandwich slouch. The city is home to the "almost famous" Primanti Bros., a unique peddler of what may be the ultimate working man's lunch.

The restaurant opened in the 1930s serving takeout sandwiches to truckers. After a few customers requested French fries on their sandwiches, the menu transformed into truckload-sized meals, with the sides — cole slaw and fries — served between thick slices of Italian bread. It's a cousin of the horseshoe sandwich, but you can eat this one with two hands. Read on for all the meaty details.