sandwich – Page 23 – Michael Eats

A Genius Sandwich at Vilda’s

Published on January 1, 2023 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 209 Dovercourt Road, Toronto
Website: https://www.vildastoronto.com/

I think the word “genius” is frequently misused. A lot of people given that label are probably very good at what they do, but not necessarily a genius.

That being said, they’re serving a sandwich called “The Caesaroni” at Vilda’s, and whoever invented it is a genius. That’s just a fact.

The Casaroni, as per the menu: “Pepperoni pizza and caesar salad living in harmony inside a bun. Tomato Sauce, shredded mozzarella, pepperoni and romaine tossed in caesar dressing. Delicioso!”

It’s the type of thing that seems so obvious in retrospect. But would I have come up with it myself? Doubtful! Because I’m not a genius.

And it’s just as great as you’d hope, with an absolutely delightful combo of gooey cheese, flavourful sauce, meaty pepperoni, and zippy Caesar-dressed romaine. It’s like you’re eating a slice of pepperoni pizza and a Caesar salad at the same time. I could see a lesser version of this sandwich coming off as gimmicky, but this is legitimately delicious.

I also tried the latkes, which comes with an order of five brick-like latke rectangles. It’s far from traditional, but it features an outstandingly crispy exterior and a creamy interior; it’s great.

Quick Bites: Porchetta and Co., Ruru Baked, Good Behaviour

Published on December 27, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Porchetta sandwich from Porchetta and Co.

I’ve written about the porchetta sandwich from this place before, but just as an update: it’s still quite tasty. However, on this particular visit it was a bit on the dry side, which made me kinda wish I had ordered the House Special sandwich (which comes with a bunch of toppings) instead of the porchetta on its own. And indeed, ordering the porchetta sandwich sans-toppings, which used to be the shop’s bread and butter, isn’t even listed on the menu at this point. Still, it’s a top notch sandwich however you order it.

Super Baked at Ruru Baked

“Super Baked” at Ruru Baked is a thoroughly odd (but tasty) scoop of ice cream. It’s absolutely crammed with various chunks of cake and cookies and it’s certainly not unpleasant to eat, but I think it’s like 75% chunks and 25% ice cream? The ice cream is basically just there to bind the chunks together. I like a chunky ice cream as much as the next guy, but if I wanted to eat cake I’d eat cake. Still, it’s quite tasty, so I can’t complain too much.

Chocolate ice cream from Good Behaviour

And on the opposite end of the ice cream spectrum: plain old chocolate ice cream. Yeah, it’s kind of boring, but you know what? When the quality of ice cream is as good as it is here, it actually isn’t. The chocolate ice cream here has a super intense chocolate flavour, and a texture that’s abundantly rich and creamy. This place easily serves some of the best ice cream in the city (or the best? Maybe).

A Tasty Egg Sandwich at Egg Club

Published on December 26, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 531 Yonge Street, Toronto
Website: https://eggclub.ca/

As you’d guess from the name, Egg Club is all about egg sandwiches; every sandwich here features a fluffy omelet with various toppings, served on sweet Japanese milk bread. It reminds me a lot of Egg Bae, but I think I like this place better.

You can get sandwiches here with stuff like ham, bacon, or even lobster, but I went pretty simple with the eponymous Egg Club: “Balsamic Onion, Swiss Cheese, Creme Fraiche, Egg Club Sauce.”

Between the silky eggs, the cheese, the sweet brioche-style bread, and the creamy sauces, it’s a very rich sandwich. It’s a bit one-note (this was my biggest problem with Egg Bae as well), but the balsamic onion does a pretty solid job of bringing some sweet acidity that tones it down. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but there’s a generous amount throughout the sandwich, and it’s fairly essential in keeping things balanced.

An Upscale McRib at Aloette

Published on November 8, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 171 East Liberty Street, Unit 127A, Toronto
Website: https://aloetterestaurant.com/

Aloette has recently added a few new things to their menu, including a McRib-esque rib sandwich, and yeah, obviously I’ve gotta try that.

The Ribette Sandwich, as per the menu: “Slow cooked pork ribs, coleslaw, pickles, pickled onions, BBQ sauce.”

Okay fine, it’s actually not much like a McRib, which features a ground pork patty and is only tangentially related to ribs. This one contains actual ribs (but with the bones conveniently removed), and it’s extremely tasty.

It’s not smoky at all, which is too bad, but it’s porky and tender, and features some nicely crispy/charred bits from the grill. It’s slathered in a deliciously sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, and topped with pickles and pickled onions, which do a great job of adding some crunch and cutting through the richness of the fatty pork.

It also comes with a little tub of zingy coleslaw that you’re supposed to add to the sandwich yourself; BBQ sandwich + coleslaw is always a great combo, and yeah, it works quite well here.

It’s served on a fluffy, lightly chewy bun that holds up nicely to the saucy sandwich. It’s great.

I also tried the fries, which are crispy, fluffy, and perfectly cooked. Good stuff.

An All-Time Great Sandwich from Schwartz’s Deli

Published on November 3, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 3895 Saint Laurent Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec
Website: https://schwartzsdeli.com/

It’s been over a decade since I’ve been to Schwartz’s, Montreal’s legendary purveyor of smoked meat, and I wondered: is it as amazing as I remembered? Sometimes nostalgia can turn rosy memories into an unobtainable ideal, and of course, legendary restaurants like Schwartz’s run the risk of being overhyped.

Well, it turns out that Schwartz’s isn’t quite as amazing as I remembered — it’s even better, somehow?? Their smoked meat sandwich might literally be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

I should note that I ordered the sandwich fatty, which is clearly the way to go: the fat here is creamy and luxurious, basically melting in your mouth like unctuous meat butter. It’s so good.

The ultra-tender meat is crazy delicious; I don’t know what’s in the spicing, but it’s absolutely perfect. But then everything here is absolutely perfect: the meat is super tender, incredibly flavourful, and just the best thing ever. The absolute best. The sandwich has the perfect amount of meat, too — it’s generous, but not a comically tall pile that’s impossible to eat.

I got a side order of coleslaw, which was crunchy and zingy — the perfect counterpoint to the indulgent sandwich.

Hot tip: if you’re planning on coming here (and yes, it’s worth the drive to Montreal for this place alone), arrive early. I showed up at about 10:30 in the morning; the place was already quite busy, but I was able to get a counter seat immediately. By the time I left, the place was packed and there was a line out the door.