The glory of the well-made sandwich: 6 savory favorites
A well-assembled sandwich is the perfect meal, a flavorful pocket of essentials.
Here are some of my Palm Beach County favorites.
Junior’s Combo Reuben
You’ll find this hefty beast on the “Meet the Reubens” section of Junior’s enormous menu. This “combo” includes pastrami and corned beef stacks on rye toast, the meats topped with Swiss cheese and grilled sauerkraut. You get Russian dressing and bold mustard on the side. Nothing demure about this sandwich – it involves three Reuben “halves,” so you may want to invite a couple of friends to share it. Plus, you’ll want to save room for a slice of Junior’s addictive cheesecake. Junior’s: 409 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 561-672-7301 The Woods’ Ribeye Steak Sandwich
The ribeye sandwich at The Woods is a work of art: perfectly tender grilled steak topped with balsamic onions, “drunken” cheese and tomato and served on a toasted baguette.
Of course, one can order a 16-ounce ribeye at Tiger Woods’ steakhouse/sports bar and be perfectly satisfied. But there’s something spectacular about layering the steak with contrasting flavors on a crusty roll. I’m not sure why it works, but it does. The Woods: 129 Soundings Ave. (Harbourside Place), Jupiter; 561-320-9627 The Montaditos at Papa’s Tapas
These well-accessorized,
open-face sandwiches pay tribute to Spain, homeland of “Papa” Cristobal Parra, patriarch at this familyowned restaurant in Pineapple Grove. Whether layered with thinly sliced serrano ham, Spanish anchovies, Manchego cheese or roasted peppers, the montaditos are delicious. Papa’s Tapas: 259 NE Second Ave. (Esplanade Plaza), Delray Beach; 561-266-0599 Bistro Bistro’s Cuban Sandwich
There’s something gloriously nontraditional about this Cuban. Bistro Bistro chef Alan Ponze layers ham, cheese and pickles on a crusty French baguette – he’s from Lyon, hence the baguette. But instead of layering
in sliced pork, Ponze adds a layer of fresh pulled pork for the win. The result is earthy yet luxurious, delicious enough to sweep a Miami Cubana off her feet. Bistro Bistro: 506 Northwood Road, West Palm Beach; 561-596-3769 Prep Kitchen’s Aubergine Sandwich
This veggie delight is featured on chef Matthew Byrne’s new grab-and-go menu at his Prep Kitchen space, adjacent to Kitchen. He layers wedges of fried, crispy eggplant with roasted peppers, creamy burrata cheese and pungent rocket salad on a long roll. The result is flavor, flavor, flavor. Prep Kitchen: 319 Belvedere Road, No. 4, West Palm Beach; 561-249-2281 El Cholazo at Buccan
Behold the result of a supreme collaboration between Buccan Palm Beach and chef Clay Carnes of Cholo Soy Cocina in West Palm Beach. Not only is it as lushly colorful as a Frida headpiece, it’s brimming with good stuff: housesmoked pork, pickled peppers, slaw, scallions and special “Cholo” sauce, all on a buttery brioche. (Sandwich shop open from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.) The Sandwich Shop at Buccan: 350 S. County Road, (entrance on Australian Avenue), Palm Beach; 561-833-3450