Pastrami from home

     In an effort to not be entirely poor, I haven't been buying as many sandwiches as I was. I will try to grab a sandwich when I'm out to dinner but in the mean time I'll update each week with any sandwiches I make from home. This week's sandwich is pastrami on rye with swiss cheese and a smear of mayo.

     The ingredients for this sandwich were compiled between Wegmans and Spera's. The dark rye and the mayo were purchased at Wegmans but not the meat or cheese because I don't really care for their deli meat. I prefer to get my lunch meat at Spera's because they carry Boar's Head brand. Both the pastrami and swiss cheese are Boar's Head brand. If you have never had anything from Boar's Head, please stop what you are doing and go to the store. They make the highest quality deli meat and cheese you can find. I may venture out and try to find a bakery that has a better quality dark rye because Wegmans tastes too commercially baked. This was a good sandwich overall, but I'll try to find better bread and maybe use russian dressing in place of the mayo.

Syracuse Sandwich: Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Who: Wendy's What: Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Where: Circle Drive, Cicero Phone: 458-1722 Website: Wendy's
Parking: Yes Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No
     After a very long day of loan training we still had shopping to do for the wedding centerpieces. I met Christine and her parents out at Hobby Lobby and then AC Moore to finish up buying some things. By the time we were done it was nearing 7pm and I was hungry. We decided to go to Wendy's since we hadn't been there in a while. I knew the second it was suggested what I was going to get. When I think about Wendy's only one thing comes to mind: spicy chicken sandwich. In my nearly 25 years of living I have gotten the spicy chicken sandwich 95% of the time. I'm not a huge Wendy's fan since they got rid of their salad bar but they do have a few items on their menu that are always good. Those being the spicy chicken sandwich, chicken nuggets, jr bacon cheeseburger, frostys and of course Mr. Pibb. It is near impossible to find Mr. Pibb soda and Wendy's has always had it. Don't get me started on Dr. Pepper being the same because it isn't. Anyways, we ordered our food and chose a seat in the near vacant dining area.

     It doesn't look like much but it is one of my favorite fast food things to eat. I've had the regular chicken sandwich because they screwed up my order once but it isn't the same. Served with lettuce and no tomato, probably due to the tomato shortage, this sandwich also comes with mayo. I've always thought it was odd to served fried chicken with mayo but it tastes so good. Ordered with a side of fries, dashed with salt and pepper, and a Mr. Pibb, this is a tasty meal.
Rating: Tasty - This is one of those sandwiches that will never go up in rating but won't go down either.

Syracuse Sandwich: Julie's Diner's Breakfast Sandwich

Who: Julie's Diner What: Breakfast Sandwich
Where: Route 11, North Syracuse Phone: 452-0091 Website: None
Parking: Shared Lots Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No
     
     I love to sleep but I don't like to sleep in too late because it's a waste of time. I love daylight savings time but I hate that we have to spring ahead one hour. Sunday morning we woke up around what should have been 8:30 but it was actually around 9:30. By the time we were up and ready to go it was well past 11 and we needed breakfast. Julie's diner is my favorite place to go for breakfast next to Mother's Cupboard but that will be a post for another time. We arrived about 11:30 and the place was slamming, I assume due to the Sunday morning church crowd. There was a short line when we got in but there were two open spots left at the counter so we opted for those to get quicker service. On the referral from one Mr. Martin, I decided to have the breakfast sandwich. I appreciated the fact that they just list it as an egg sandwich and I can add stuff rather than having to remove things when ordering. I decided on fried eggs, cheese, and sausage on rye bread. Normally I'd go with bacon but I had a feeling that sausage was the way to go and boy was I right.

     I added an order of homefries to go with this sandwich because I love them. I got this meal for less than $5 which isn't easy to do when going to a sit down restaurant. The rye bread was grilled to pefection and the egg was cooked just right to go in a sandwich. Normally, I like my fried eggs over easy so I can poke the yolk and sop it all up with toast. This egg however was cooked to just under over hard so the yolk didn't run much but it wasn't completely solid. The cheese wasn't all the way melted which I liked because I didn't order a grilled cheese sandwich. As I stated before I was glad I picked the sausage. It came in patty form about a half and inch thick and it just had a great spice taste to it that good sausage normally has. I found myself enamored with this sandwich even though it wasn't anything special. Very basic ingredients put together very simply, but done so efficiently that I couldn't get over it.
Rating: Delicious - On any other day or if I were to get this again, I would probably go with tasty at best. But it isn't about what could have been, it was just delicious.

Let's Make a Sandwich

     Okay so the subject of this post is a stretch to fit a sandwich blog, but because it is my blog I can do whatever I want. In Lady Gaga's new music video entitled Telephone, Gaga makes poisoned sandwiches to feed the white trash patrons of a diner that her and Beyonce visit. At a ridiculous 9+ minutes long, this video has almost everything you could want in a music video. I mean really, how many music videos have sandwiches in them? Even if you don't like the music, the video is worth a look.

Click here to watch....

Syracuse Sandwich: Ruby Tuesday's The Ultimate Chicken Sandwich

Who: Ruby Tuesdays What: The Ultimate Chicken Sandwich
Where: Carousel Mall, Syracuse Phone: 466-1705 Website: Ruby Tuesdays
Parking: Shared Lots Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     After seeing Alice in Wonderland with my dad and Christine we decided to go down to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner. I have never been that impressed with their menu since they changed it along with their new modern decor. Their only main stay, the salad bar, is really the only thing I do like. But I had that just a few weeks ago and I was thinking sandwich because they have a pretty good selection of burgers and sandwiches. Now they do offer mini combinations which is two mini sandwiches and the salad bar but I wasn't feeling any of the choices. My intrest was peeked however by their Ultimate Chicken Sandwich. After reading the description: A large, all-natural chicken breast, grilled and topped with Havarti cheese, applewood smoked bacon, sliced avocado, and all the trimmings. With honey mustard dressing. I was intrigued. What it doesn't list here is that it is served on a pretzel roll, which peeked my intrest even more.

     This picture is terrible but I blame Ruby Tuesday's "mood" lighting. Now when naming anything with the word Ultimate, you better be bringing it because otherwise you'll look foolish. I wouldn't say this was the ultimate chicken sandwich but Ruby Tuesday's didn't look foolish because this was a good sandwich. I only had a few problems with the sandwich but something ultimate should have no flaws. First, the honey mustard and chicken juice mixed to make this very hard to handle and after a few bites I resorted to using a knife a fork to finish it. Second, the avacado slices weren't very fresh but seeing as it isn't spring yet I didn't expect them to be. Third, the chicken breast was indeed large leading me to believe most people won't be able to finish it. That is just poor cost management, you could serve pieces 30% smaller in size and serve it for the same price without anyone even saying boo. For those reasons I think Ruby Tuesdays needs to rethink the naming of their chicken sandwich.
Rating: Satisfying - This could be ultimate but it needs a few tweaks.

Syracuse Sandwich: Panera Bread's Asiago Bagel Breakfast Sandwich

Who: Panera Bread What: Asiago Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
Where: Route 11, Cicero Phone: 458-9436 Website: Panera Bread
Parking: Shared Lots Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     I know what you're thinking, there are a thousands of sandwiches at hundreds of restaurants in and around Syracuse and you're reviewing Panera Bread for the third time. Before you begin to riot and aren't able to read my blog, because in a fit of rage threw your monitor across the room, just read the rest of this, you'll be glad you did. After meeting with the priest to finalize some of the details for the wedding, we were hungry because for the second week in a row we didn't give ourselves time to eat at home before going out. On our way to the grocery store I spotted Panera and knew immediately that I wanted to have one of their bagels since I've never had one before. Strange, I know, how have I eaten there so many times and never had a bagel? We walked in and Christine points out that the Asiago bagel has been used to make a breakfast sandwich. It almost felt like fate had brought me here and that I had the opportunity to be part of something great. We both ordered the sandwich and a large cinnamon roll to split. What was to come was a great moment in my sandwich consumption.

     The sandwich consists of a fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, and vermont white cheddar on their signature asiago cheese bagel. As you can see the cheese is melted over the top of the bagel. If you've never had asiago cheese, stop what you're doing and go buy some. Upon first bite I was in sandwich heaven. The combination of flavors is almost undescribable but I can say that they melded together so perfectly that this was the greatest breakfast sandwich I have ever had the pleasure of eating. I wasn't expecting to be so blown away because of my recent trips. I think that because I wasn't expecting anything great that it made it just that much more amazing. At a whopping 610 calories, 27 grams of fat, and 1240 mg of sodium, I won't be eating these every weekend but once every few months could be a definite possibility.
Rating: Delicious - A first for this blog. I want another one right now.

Syracuse Sandwich: KFC's Original Recipe Snacker

Who: KFC What: Original Recipe Snacker
Where: Route 11, Cicero Phone: 699-4068 Website: KFC
Parking: Yes Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     As stated before, our go to spots when we don't cook and need to eat fast are Panera or McDonald's. We just had Panera and McDonald's was given up for lent. So Thursday when I got home and didn't want to cook, I asked Christine what she wanted, and she replied that she wanted KFC's mashed potato bowl. I am a fan of the mashed potato bowl as well but for the sake of the blog, I had to go with a sandwich. Not thrilled with their choices, I went with a pair of snackers. The question was original or honey bbq. I knew I should have went with the bbq but I didn't because I really like their original recipe. We went through the drive-thru so we could eat at home. The second I opened the bag I realized this wasn't going to be good.

     The sandwiches were put together very sloppily with the bun barely holding on to the top. Taste always overides poor sandwich building so I thought things would get better, needless to say they did not. It seemed like somebody took a fistful of shredded lettuce and slammed it onto the chicken. Then it looked like they squeezed half a bottle of mayo on the bun just to make sure I couldn't hold all the pieces together. The chicken was good like I expected but the mayo had been so over peppered that I could barely taste the chicken. I think had I gotten the honey bbq, I would have been happier.
Rating: Edible - But not by much

Syracuse Sandwich: Liberty Deli's Egg Salad

Who: Liberty Deli What: Egg Salad
Where: Irving Avenue, Syracuse Phone: 476-8214 Website: None
Parking: Shared Lots Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No
     After attending some company training at one of our downtown branches, I decided on my way back to work to stop by one of my favorite places to grab lunch. I used to work near Irving avenue but have since been transferred out to Cicero so I don't get many opportunities to eat anything from places in the city. I had packed most of my lunch but needed a "main" item to go along with my fruit snacks, cookie, and chips. I've had a hankering for an egg salad sandwich for a while now but haven't gotten one due to the over use of mayo that most places use. I checked out their egg salad in the deli case and it was bright yellow and not very soupy as the over use of mayo tends to make most salad type sandwiches. I decided egg salad on white with lettuce was the way to go.

     Harrison Bakery supplies Liberty Deli with their bread and while I normally like Harrison Bakery's bread, the crust was a bit too tough on this occasion. The crumb was nice and fluffy like I remembered, and went perfect with the egg salad. I add lettuce to my salad sandwiches for a little crunch but I could have gone without it; seeing as Liberty Deli puts chopped celery in their egg salad, a practice I use as well. The egg salad was the perfect mixture of egg, mayo, and celery. A few extra dashes of salt and pepper go great with any salad sandwich and I felt this sandwich needed them as well. For a decent size sandwich, $2.80 is an absolute steal.
Rating: Tasty - Libery follows the K.I.S.S. method and it really works for them.

Syracuse Sandwich: Panera Bread's Bacon Turkey Bravo

Who: Panera Bread What: Bacon Turkey Bravo
Where: Route 11, Cicero Phone: 458-9436 Website: Panera Bread
Parking: Shared Lots Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     When we don't want to cook and don't feel like waiting long for food, we will normally go to Panera Bread or McDonald's. Since McDonald's is one of the things we gave up for Lent, Panera Bread was our destination last night. With how frequently we eat there, two to three times a month, I'll probably end up reviewing the whole menu. There was a small line when we walked in but with three cashiers working, our order was taken in no time. Being disappointed with the Napa Almond Chicken Salad the last time we went, I opted for the You Pick Two option. I got a cup of French onion soup and half a Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich. After finding a table in the very busy dining room, we only had to wait a handful of minutes before our name was called.

     When I sat this plate down I could tell immedicately that the fillings to bread thickness ratio is off. I had to move the top piece of bread backwards so I could get a picture of the fillings. I'll explain to those of you who don't know about the F:BT ratio. Those in the sandwich community, including myself, believe that the fillings that make up a sandwich (meat, cheese, ect.) should be great than or equal to the thickness of both pieces of bread combined. In this case the ratio is off but it isn't the end of the world, taste can make up for lack of fillings. Unfortunately, upon first bite my mouth was full of generic deli meat flavor. On one hand I was disapointed, but on the other I was glad I had ordered only half a sandwich. However, after a few bites as I was really gettting into sandwich, the other flavors really started to turn this sandwich around. The pre-cooked bacon was surprisingly tasty, and I almost prefered it to being fried. The tomato basil bread was an interesting flavor but its softness kept it very light. Their signature dressing was absolutely fabulous. It really complimented the bread and the fillings. I did add a packet of pepper and one of salt for added flavor. After a disappointing start, this sandwich wasn't half bad and if not for the turkey I would order this on a regular basis.
Rating: Satisfying - The mighty Panera can afford better turkey, they should invest in some.

Syracuse Sandwich: Denny's Moons Over My Hammy

Who: Denny's What: Moons Over My Hammy
Where: Route 11, Cicero Phone: 452-9021 Website: Denny's
Parking: Yes Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     After watching SU beat down Nova late into Saturday night, sleeping in the following morning was definitely in the cards. The problem with sleeping in is that not many places serve breakfast after 11am. We had to go grocery shopping so we would have to stop somewhere along the way. Denny's was on the way and they serve breakfast all day so they were a perfect fit. Even at 11:30 the place was mobbed, I'm guessing because of the late Syracuse win and the Sunday morning church goers. We were able to get a big booth fit for at least six people for just the two of us. I had already had two sandwiches out this past weekend so I figured why not a third. Unfortunately, Denny's only has two breakfast sandwiches to pick from and the Grand Slamwich is greasy enough that just the sight of it would give even the finest skin a breakout. So I went with the other, and that is the Moons Over My Hammy. Before our food arrived we saw my brother lumbering around outside of the kitchen and did a double take when he saw me. We waved and he walked back to the kitchen. Christine and I almost felt bad for coming in while he was working.

     The sandwich comes on sourdough bread with scrambled eggs and American cheese on top of ham with Swiss cheese. I had already started eating it when Christine informed me that I hadn't yet taken a picture, thus the bite marks. The sourdough was a perfect golden brown and very buttery. The mix of the two cheeses on either end of the eggs and ham had a nice flavor. I'm not a huge scrambled eggs fan but these weren't bad, but I did find myself taking them out a few bites into the second half. I wasn't really thrilled with the ham despite eating it all. A thick piece of ham steak would have been great but more costly I'm sure. Denny's is a nice place to go when you want breakfast at any hour day or night but I think I'll stick to diners for the most part.
Rating: Satisfying – Improve the ham and we may have a winner.

Syracuse Sandwich: Barbieri's Breakfast Sandwich

Who: Barbieri's What: Breakfast Sandwich
Where: Route 11, North Syracuse Phone: 458-8070 Website: Barbieri's
Parking: Yes Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     As we waited to meet with the priest Saturday morning, our stomachs began to rumble. We had failed to give ourselves ample time to get ready and have something to eat before our 10am meeting. After about 30 minutes of waiting because of confusion on the actual time we were supposed to meet, we ended up having to leave and reschedule. Not wanting to wait very long, we hit up Barbieri's because we knew even with a busy dining room our food would come out quickly. We grabbed one of the last remaining booths in the downstairs dining room and had our menus right as we sat down. We both decided on the breakfast sandwich with sides of home fries and white toast. The sandwich comes with a choice of meat with egg and cheese on a bagel. Our waitress confirmed we wanted it on a bagel, giving us the impression that we could have switched it to one of a few known breads they carry. We both decided to stick with the bagel.

     Like our meal the night before at Johnny Rockets, our food came out quickly despite a packed house. The bagel was nicely toasted and the egg was fried to a nice medium-hard. Between the melted cheese, bacon, and fried egg, I found this sandwich to be very greasy but in a good way. The grease wasn't dripping down my arms but I was having to wipe my hands after a few bites. The toast and home fries were nice additions but nothing to write home about. Along with juice and coffee our bill only came to a little over 15 dollars without tip. Not as good as the night before but we certainly got more food.
Rating: Satisfying – A run of the mill breakfast sandwich could be better.

Syracuse Sandwich: Johnny Rocket's Grilled Cheese

Who: Johnny Rockets What: Grilled Cheese
Where: Carousel Mall, Syracuse Phone: 474-7406 Website: Johnny Rockets
Parking: Shared lots Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Take-Out: Yes Delivery: No

     Whenever we go to the mall, Johnny Rockets always seems to be busy. As was the case Friday night when we visited because I didn't feel like cooking. Fortunately for us, we were able to get one of the last tables before the rush hit. We don't mind sitting at the counter but a table is much more private. While their menu has a few Lent friendly choices, the grilled cheese is always a good choice. Having our choice of white, wheat, rye, or sourdough for bread and American, cheddar, or Swiss for cheese allowed for a nice variety to pick from. Naturally, we opted for the classic: American on white.

     Our sandwiches came in a timely manner even with a full dining room and nearly full counter. Both came grilled to perfection and oozing with warm cheese. The bread had a wonderful crusty taste that I must to have come from the baking process. I'm not sure who supplies their bread but according to their website, it is baked to specific specifications. With sides of all you can eat French fries, this is the perfect little meal on a Lenten Friday. With a price tag of $11.76 for both of our meals, it was nice on the wallet as well.
Rating: Tasty – Simple but oh so tasty.