Food trucks, vendors, restaurants battle in sandwich showdown

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A certain restaurant has claimed a great deal of fame and acclaim for its french fry- and coleslaw-topped sandwiches. But is it really the best Pittsburgh has to offer?

The new food festival, Strip Search 2017: Sammich Showdown, is itching to find out.

The showdown will pit more than a dozen restaurants, street vendors and food trucks against one another on Saturday in search of the region’s best sandwich. Organized by the nonprofit Strip District Neighbors, the competition will be from noon to 8 p.m. and be staged in the former Tom Ayoob/Benkovitz Seafoods lot in the Strip District at 21st and Smallman streets, across from St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

Heavy-hitters such as Peppi’s, Spork, Wholey’s Fish Market and Downtown’s Meat and Potatoes will be participating. Kelly O’s also will be vying for your vote, along with Point Brugge and its cousin restaurant Park Brugge, Muddy Water Oyster Bar and Strip District Meats. Food trucks include Edgar’s Best Tacos, Bull Dawgs, Lucy’s Original Banh Mi and PGH Sandwich Society.

Spork will be dishing up a brisket “weck,” its version of the roast beef sandwich served on salty kaiser roll that shot to fame in Buffalo, N.Y., in the early 1900s. Wholey’s, conversely, will put its reputation on the line with a lobster roll, while Meat and Potatoes will offer a chicken “coup de ville” sandwich. Kelly O’s will double its chance for a win with a pair of classic diner offerings: a Reuben and an “outrageous” breakfast sandwich.

A panel of celebrity judges will determine the day’s best sandwich between 4 and 5 p.m, while attendees will determine the People’s Choice award.

Admission is free, but there’s a cost for samples and non-sandwich foods. Craft cocktails from Wigle Whiskey and wine from Pittsburgh Winery also are on the menu and so are brews such as Southern Tier Nuskool IPA and Great Lakes Holy Moses Belgian Wit, along with Yuengling Lager and LaBatt Blue Light.

To work off the calories or to work up an appetite, there will be live music by Pittsburgh rock ‘n’ roll band Chase and the Barons. Local musician Juan Vasquez also will perform.

Strip District Neighbors’ president Mike Lee came up with the idea for the contest last fall mostly as a fundraiser for the community organization. But he also sees it as a chance to increase programming for the Strip District’s growing population.

Proposed changes on Smallman Street, which include new office buildings and luxury housing, and further development of the riverfront Three Rivers Heritage Trail are providing more opportunities for events in the Strip, Mr. Lee said. Organizing a food competition “allows us to get into the fray with events that can be repeated every year.”

The group decided to kick the event off with sandwiches because they’re on so many menus. The contest is called the “Strip Search” for a reason. “Every year we’ll switch it up, with a rotating menu,” he says, that focuses on a different, equally delicious eat.

Since the Strip has a builtin crowd on Saturdays, program manager Gordon Hall says it’s not unreasonable to expect some 750 to 1,000 people to show up.

“Our neighborhood is known for food,” he says.

1 pork butt pounds) 2 tablespoons salt ¼ cup black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (unless smoking or barbecuing) 1 cup Sriracha hot sauce 1 cup soy sauce 1 cup sesame oil 10 garlic cloves 3 scallions, finely sliced ¼ cup sesame seeds ¼ cup jarred sliced jalapeno peppers

1 pear or peach, finely diced (optional) Add scallions, sesame

Coat pork butt in salt and seeds, and jalapeno peppers, pepper. as well as the fruit, if

Cook meat in a smoker using. or on a barbecue (using your Heat through. Use the preferred wood chips) or pulled pork to top your preferred slow cooker on low overnight pizza base. (which is my preferred Serves 4 as the topping method). The meat needs to on pizza then 6 to 8 as an be seared on all entree on the second goround. sides. (Hopefully your slow cooker has an insert that can be used on the stove top.)

In the morning, combine Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic (about 4