We don’t typically post about fast food here on Unbreaded. This post will be atypical and unusual. Full disclosure: I have an odd fascination with fast food unicorns. They’re the mythical creatures of the commercial dining world. I enjoy the novelty of limited or rare offerings. I remember going out on Burger King crawls just so I could catch the remaining Western Whopper or Rodeo Cheeseburger before they reached the end of their limited runs. By the time Homer Simpson was chasing down the Krusty Ribwich, I had already lived a whole lifetime of chasing down limited, rare or new fast food offerings. Even when I was in LA a few months ago, I had to snag a McRib after being delighted by it’s return to the menu.

When news started surfacing about the reality of KFC’s Double Down, I knew I’d be trying it. There was no question. Touted as “man’s greatest achievement or evidence of our civilization’s impending doom” by The Consumerist, the Double Down employs humanity’s own curiosity as a passive marketing tool.

The sandwich is simple. It’s bacon, pepper jack and swiss cheese and “Colonel’s Sauce.” The game changer? Instead of bread, customers have the option for either fried or grilled chicken patties of the Colonel’s Original Recipe.

Casting aside the validity of this item really being a sandwich or not, I’ll just give a summation of the experience. The chicken taste was a bit overpowering to the point where it actually contested the bacon’s inherent supreme power. Pepper Jack is a favorite cheese of mine, and coupled with the Colonel’s Sauce (likely to be just mayonnaise with random spices), I was able to bear the swiss cheese – which is one I simply don’t really enjoy. I did miss the bread though. Without it, there was absolutely no veil for the obviously expected greasiness and saltiness.

In summation, I’ll quote my friend Mikey Doc (who actually beat me in trying the sandwich out even before I did), “My god, that was the most American thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Now I wonder, is this ‘sandwich’ the first of its kind to be marketed as unbreaded?

A great beer selection and imaginative menu make Local 44 a welcome addition to the West Philadelphia neighborhood of Spruce Hill. Opened this past January, the bar has been working on perfecting and improving on its existing menu of delicious sandwiches and pub grub.

During a recent visit we found a very intriguing addition to the menu – Reuben Fritters. Although by definition not a sandwich, these delicious bites pay homage to the classic – pastrami and swiss cheese are fried golden in a rye bread batter. The dish is fittingly garnished with sauerkraut and drizzled with Thousand Island dressing.

The ‘Breakfast BLT’ further improves on one of my all time favorite sandwiches: well cooked Lancaster County smoked bacon, lettuce tomato and pepper jack cheese are topped by a monstrous sunny-side up egg that was cooked to perfection. Cutting the sandwich in half sends yolk oozing throughout, gently softening the thick cut toasted sourdough and adding an incredibly delicious texture. The dish is served with housemade chips and horseradish sauce for dipping.

The ‘All-Day Veggie Burger’ consists of two large homemade patties, lettuce and tomato on a bakery fresh brioche bun served with a side of fresh cut fries. This monstrous sandwich is the closest a herbivore will get to a Big Mac and only gets more exciting when adding a combination of the slew of toppings offered including jicama slaw, vegan chili, bleu cheese and more.

Polish off these great eats with a Ayinger Celebrator or one of the 19 other brews on tap or cask and you’ll leave Local 44 with a giant grin and a full stomach.

Gallery:

Get your sandwich on:

Local 44
4333 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Google Map)

Lately it seems that our nation is on a neverending quest to make everything taste like bacon. I am personally a fan of bacon, when used in moderation, and truly believe it makes a great addition to many a sandwich. Other people aren’t so reserved with their hunger for bacon, and will seemingly put it on anything; peanut butter and bacon sandwich fans, I’m looking at you.

The main problem I find with bacon is the cook time and clean up involved is just too frustrating when I want to throw together a quick turkey sandwich for lunch. That is where Baconnaise comes in. This mayonnaise based, smokey bacon flavored condiment is the newest product from J&D’s, creators of the now very popular Bacon Salt. I for one can’t vouch for how it tastes, and I’m not the biggest fan of mayonnaise but I think it’s definitely worth a try. It is important to note that Baconnaise is a certified kosher product, so even non-bacon eaters can enjoy the taste of bacon!

You can purchase Baconnaise and Baconnaise Lite for $5.99 a jar from the official store.

Have you tried Baconnaise or plan to try it after reading this post? Let us know in the comments.