PHOTOS BY HAL B. KLEIN
I I wasn’t planning on doing a sandwich recap, but I’m in a groove. Sandwiches have been my favorite takeaway food for two weeks.
Many sandwiches are portable and laid out for a few hours. Some even get better when seated so they can be easily taken anywhere. Hot sandwiches are almost always instantly better, but since they don’t need anything other than a napkin (restaurant owners, please don’t forget to use extra napkins for your messier sandwiches) you can get them in your car, in a nearby park, or on foot eat down back streets on a snowy afternoon, which you can do even in the dead of winter. Additionally, sandwiches are generally affordable, which makes them a great way to regularly support local restaurants without breaking the bank.
I have had six excellent sandwiches in the past fortnight. Here you are.
Bread is ready: ham and Sharp Provolone / Calabrian Pitta Panni ⇑
The sandwiches from Pane è Pronto are perfect snacks that can be taken anywhere. They might even get a little better if their flavors blend in after a few hours of sitting. However, they look so appealing in the display case that you could do what I did, which was half as soon as I walked out the door. You can also order more than one. I had two sandwiches when I visited over the weekend. The first, a chunky spread of cooked tomatoes, anchovies, and onions in a breezy Calabrian pitta, was pure cucina povera, umami-rich heaven. The second, ham and spicy provolone panini, brought me back to the park picnic while visiting Italy. Store them loosely on the counter if you plan to eat them a few hours after you buy them. The homemade bread is better this way than when you put it in the refrigerator.
2627 Penn Ave., Strip District; 412 / 815-3300, paneepronto.com
Oak Hill Post: Turnips & Greens
Oak Hill Post is a standout South Hills sandwich. Brookline Restaurant has an ever-changing selection of sandwiches and burgers, and it’s well worth driving through a tunnel or two to eat them. Last week I crushed Beets and Greens, a heroic vegetarian sandwich. It gets its bass from earthy roasted beets. Bitter rapini and rocket, tangy marinated olives, herbal sauce Gribiche and creamy Boursin cheese round off the composition, which is served between fluffy homemade focaccia. I took mine to a nearby park, but this is one of those sandwiches that can take a long trip.
600 Brookline Blvd., Brookline; 412 / 254-2970, oakhillpost.com
The Speckled Egg: Chicken Salad Sandwich
Chicken salad isn’t getting the love it deserves. It’s one of those dishes that has gotten a bad rap from too many industrialized, uneven permutations. For lovers and those who think differently, The Speckled Egg offers a beautifully balanced version that warms turmeric with marinated chicken with lemon aioli and almonds, celery and raisins on a bed of crispy salad. The toasted Mediterra Bakehouse sandwich bread offers a stable home.
501 Grant St., Downtown; 412 / 251-5248, thespeckledeggpgh.com
Bitter Ends Luncheonette: Sweet Potato Big Mac
Last week I was thrilled when Bitter Ends Luncheonette cook and owner Becca Hegarty announced that she had received a shipment of purple yams from one of my favorite farms, Fields Edge Research Farm in Lititz. Hegarty paired these vibrant tubers with vegetables from one of my other favorite farms, Joddo Oddo’s Bitter Ends Farm Co., dressed them with onions, aioli, and herbs, and served them in their breathtakingly delicious sandwich bun. I had a messy, magical moment in my kitchen that filled my face with the harmony of flavors and textures.
4613 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield; tillthebitterends.com
St. Clair Social: Fried Cod Sandwich
St. Clair Social’s Fried Cod Sandwich is pub grub at its finest. The over the top build isn’t over the top and delivers exactly what you want to satisfy those fried fish sandwich cravings. The cod fillet is soaked in buttermilk, lightly breaded and fried until crispy. It’s dressed with grated lettuce, red onion, tomato, and malt vinegar aioli, all in a mushy sandwich roll. The way the fish is beaten helps the sandwich hold a little without losing its crispness, but I recommend eating it soon after you ingest it.
302 S St Clair St, friendship; 412 / 600-1572, stclairsocialpgh.com
Sakura: Laotongguan pork sandwich
Sakura is one of my touchstone take away restaurants. Aside from hand-pulled noodles and dumplings, one of my favorite dishes is a street food from Xi’an, the Laotongguan pork sandwich. Crunchy, hearty, and meaty, this will be on your food cravings list after you try it for the first time. I love to dip mine in a mixture of chili oil and black vinegar. I ordered a couple of the fluffy, layered fried pancakes stuffed with lightly flavored marinated pork for a Hanukkah dinner by the fireplace – and ate one on the way there.
5882 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill; 412 / 422-7188, sakurapgh.com
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