Sandwich Revisited

Speaking of revelatory experiences, I just recently rediscovered 'the Chicago' from Franklin Corner Deli in Greenpoint, and it is every bit as magical as ever. Somehow it never gets old. It's like new every time. I just had it for lunch for the second third time this week.

It's by no means a 'destination' sandwich, but it's damn satisfying--for the money and the neighborhood, it's about as good as it gets. A perfect symphony of textures and flavors.

Just felt it was worth reiterating.

Franklin Corner Deli - Greenpoint

I am pretty far behind on posts right now - I have photo sets from 9 restaurants that have yet to be posted - so in the meantime here's another singular and exquisite sandwich:

The "Chicago" from Franklin Corner Deli in Greenpoint (Franklin and Huron)

Before I get to the pictures, I am just going to list the ingredients, as the photos are a little underwhelming without knowing what this hot-pressed, crusty parcel of magic entails:

-turkey
-lettuce
-tomato

...pretty standard, but then...

-thinly-sliced, breaded, fried eggplant
-provolone
-jalapenos
-black bean spread
-avocado (but I 86 the avocado, as the sandwich was introduced to me by M, who is semi-allergic, and it's rich enough without)

Now:

Critical Cross-Section shot:
Ask me why I love taking out-of-focus pictures of sandwiches, and I will tell you that I'm just a peculiar girl with peculiar predilections. But I will be lying, because the truth is it's totally on accident.
Fuzzy pictures aside, just trust me. This oblong of apparent banality will brighten the darkest corners of your sandwich loving soul. One bite might just taste like a really good turkey sandwich, then a little like an eggplant parm, and then later a burrito, and at times perverse and delightful combinations of the three. This is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Frankensandwich. It does take a bit longer to make than your average deli sandwich, but the proportion of added deliciousness greatly outweighs the added time.
And just like the sandwich, though the establishment that dispenses it looks completely unremarkable from without, it holds another special and strange secret within.


Doubtlessly and by far the best endorsement of a deli ever in the history of anywhere.

I've heard the other sandwiches are also exceptionally good, but I haven't been able to get away from the Chicago yet. I can't tell you what heroic genius decided to call upon this ragtag crew of humble ingredients to join forces and become this mutant, oneiric supersandwich - nor why it's mysteriously called the "Chicago" - but I like to imagine that maybe it was the dream-master, himself.

Franklin Corner
210 Franklin St (at Huron)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-8524

Primanti Bros. - holymother

This actually happened in March, and I took these photos back then, vaguely planning to start a food blog. It's only June now, and here we are! First post! I'm like a freight train - bound and determined. A very slow freight train.

My dearest friend Lisa lives in LA, and living in New York I do not get to see her often enough. So, for her spring break we decided to arrange to meet [approximately] in the middle, which turned out to be Ohio, where Lisa's family lives. Knowing my preoccupation with food, she left it up to me to decide where we'd eat. And I chose Primanti Bros...in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania.
Now, not to knock all of the exciting culinary delights to be had in Canton, OH - we enjoyed some delicious mini-burgers in a bar whose name I cannot recall at the moment - but just take a look at THIS...

...blurry photograph. Which actually works out perfectly, because it portrays how it might look in life, as your eyes well up with tears at beholding such a thing of beauty.
I am only a little ashamed to admit here that we were both a bit intimidated by its size, and so decided to share one. This here is one truly inspired feat in sandwich engineering. If you need further convincing of its impressiveness, here is a picture of Lisa wringing her tiny little hands - sweetly and patiently - in white-knuckled anticipation, as I annoyingly fumble to justly capture its essence in photo:


This is what makes Lisa a great friend, and me kind of a jerk.
Anyway.
French fries in the sandwich, people. And not just fries, but delicious, hot, fresh-cut fries, along with tomato, and coleslaw - all of which come standard on all the sandwiches. We went for the pastrami and cheese - despite the fact that the "Cheesesteak" is supposedly the local favorite, which according to the menu is the "2nd Best Seller" (the 1st is beer). The bread was pillowy and plush, cradling the rest of the ingredients ever so snugly, like puppies in a velvet blanket. Or something equally precious, and more delicious sounding. The warm fries melted the cheese onto the pastrami, bringing it all together into one succulent mass of gooey, fatty deliciousness, while the coleslaw added a fresh crunch. Everything came together in a perfect harmony of salty, tangy, starchy, crispy, gooey, and meaty. One could not ask for more from a sandwich, I think. And to wash it all down, a tall - really tall - mug of Yuengling. Mmmm, beer.

Was it worth it to drive across state borders for a sandwich? I probably need not say this, but, yes. Yes, it was.

We also visited The Mattress Factory, which was extremely fun. Really great installation pieces, many of which are viewer interactive. Like a fun house, but more conceptual and artistic, and mostly for grown-ups.
But me being me, and that sandwich being grotesquely delicious, that is the memory most likely to linger on.

And there's my first post.

Primanti Bros.:
[Several Locations]

We actually visited 2 of them:
Market Square
2 South Market Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

and

Strip District
46 18th St
Pittsburgh, PA 15222