University City’s White Dog Café has long been known as a leader in sustainable food practices, and new Executive Chef Mark Andelbradt continues that tradition of serving quality organic, local and natural foods.  Having worked at some of the nation’s finest restaurants including Morimoto (Philadelphia and New York,) Daniel, Tru and most recently, Tao in Las Vegas, Chef Andelbradt was attracted to the sustainability concept at White Dog, and has added “responsibility” as a core tenet of the restaurant’s ideology.  Working together with Chef de Cuisine Eric Yost, he has introduced a selection of gourmet hot dogs that represent a variety of culinary influences and styles.

The 4oz all-beef dogs are made of hormone-free, nitrate-free and antibiotic-free beef that was raised on strictly vegetarian feed.  Served on a toasted Amoroso small hoagie roll, the dogs are grilled so that the juices inside come to a boil, expanding to the point of cracking and blistering the natural casing.  Piled high with toppings, the dogs are a substantial portion of food, offsetting the sticker shock of a $7.25 price.

Chef Andelbradt’s personal favorite is the Chihuahua, a Mexican style dog reminiscent of nachos on a bun: salsa, cheese sauce, pickled jalapenos, guacamole, tortilla strips and sour cream.  The Mastiff, a modified Texas Tommy, offers bits of rendered bacon, cheddar cheese, jalapeno and corn relish.  The Bloodhound features natural beef chili, cheddar, lime sour cream and scallions.  The Pit Bull, a Chicago-style dog that has been “dragged through the garden” offers onions, tomatoes, pickles and relish.  The Italian-inspired Pomeranian dog serves up tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, red onions, basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  And for traditionalists, the Schnauzer offers classic hot dog fixings: homemade sauerkraut, spicy mustard and sweet pickle relish.

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White Dog Cafe
3420 Sansom St Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Google Map)

Local superstar chef/restaurateur Jose Garces has now cemented his place on the national level by winning Food Network’s Next Iron Chef.  In honor of our local guy taking home the crown, today we are re-posting our interview with Chef Garces about sandwiches, originally published September 24th, 2009.

Unbreaded: What was the last really great sandwich you ate?
Jose Garces: I was just in New Orleans and had two great sandwiches.  The first was a fried oyster and fried shrimp po’boy was from Acme Oyster House with shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, and Diablo mayo.  The second was a killer soft shell crab club sandwich on brioche with bacon, tomato, and remoulade at Chef John Besh’s bistro Lüke.

UB: Tell us about an iconic sandwich memory you have from your childhood.
JG: I grew up in Chicago, and I remember my first Italian beef sandwich – brined and then roasted ribeye that’s sliced and put into a beef jus, served on an Italian roll.  I remember having a combo – Italian beef with grilled Italian sausage & giardiniera (pickled hot peppers).

UB: What is your favorite Philadelphia sandwich?  Is there another Chicago sandwich you love?
JG: In Philadelphia, Campo’s in Old City makes a fantastic roast pork, broccoli rabe and provolone sandwich.  I also love the super Persian from Ariana – lamb, feta, tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms on lovash – it’s always fresh and delicious.  In Chicago, I love the gyro from the Athenian Room on Halsted and Webster.  It has sliced gyro meat (a combination of beef, lamb, and spices), onion, tomato, tzatziki, on homemade lovash bread.  I always go for extra tomato and tzatziki.

UB: How did you develop the Village Whiskey burgers?
JG: Our burgers at Village Whiskey are hand-ground beef – we grind it ourselves – and topped with premium, top-quality ingredients.  The Whiskey King has a special place in my heart because I love a burger that is really over-the-top, but our classic Village Burger is fantastic, too, because we make it with the best ingredients we can get our hands on, including fresh tomato slices, Boston Bibb lettuce, and house-made thousand island dressing.  Also, all of our burgers are served with house-made Kirby pickles on the side.

UB: How do you choose which meats, condiments and breads work well together?
JG: That’s actually one of my favorite challenges.  Recently, we debuted a special menu of buns at Chifa, which are essentially bite-sized sandwiches, and choosing the right bread for each filling was critical.  For example, the rich glazed pork belly with hoisin and pickled carrots needed a soft, airy bun that would cradle the juicy meat without overwhelming it, so we chose a steamed white bun.  In contrast, we serve our grilled chicken and bacon with frisee on pan de bono, a cheese-based bun, to complement the savory flavors without adding sliced or grated cheese and changing the texture of the dish.

UB: Garces Trading Company will offer a café and a market selling charcuterie, cheese and bread. If you had to make the perfect sandwich from any of the items sold there, what would it be?
JG: It would be thin-sliced jamon Serrano and lomo embuchado with wedges of manchego, sweet red piquillo peppers and smoked paprika aioli on a crusty, still-warm baguette, perhaps with a green salad alongside to cut through the richness of the sandwich, all washed down with a glass of crisp Spanish verdejo.

UB: Any chance we’ll see IRON CHEF: BATTLE SANDWICHES anytime soon?
JG: You’ll just have to tune in and see…

Public House’s new Great American Pub menu gives Chef Al Paris the opportunity to show off his passion for sandwiches.  Chef Paris calls Philadelphia a true “sandwich city” and recognizes that sandwiches are one of the most identifiable elements of our collective civic identity.

The stack burger features two 3oz patties of black angus beef griddled on a flat top with thick cut bacon, pickles and American cheese on a toasted Le Bus bun.  It’s a fresher take on the classic bacon double cheeseburger found in fast food restaurants across the country.  By contrast, the 9oz Public House burger is loosely packed to retain a juicy, tender texture, and served with your choice of cheese and toppings.

The BBQ pulled pork sandwich is slow cooked overnight at 210 degrees in a braise made with orange, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes.  The after resting for a few more hours till the pork butt cools and absorbs the flavorful liquid, the fat is trimmed off and the pulled meat is tossed with a BBQ sauce made with coffee and root beer.  Served with crispy fried onions and a drizzle of sauce on a toasted bun, the sandwich offers a lot of complimentary textures and flavors.

The filet mignon sliders deliver three 3oz portions of tender center cut filet mignon on brioche buns with sautéed onions and a blue cheese cream sauce.  The Greek style chicken pita is Chef Paris’ interpretation on the classic gyro.  The chicken is grilled with the skin on, then removed before serving on a Kontos flatbread with carrot, tomato, tzatziki, roasted peppers and olives.  And Chef Paris’ cheesesteak springrolls – sliced ribeye with shredded provolone, sautéed mushrooms, onions and peppers served with a smoky BBQ ketchup – taste remarkably like an authentic cheesesteak (at least, on the inside.)

A resident of the Bella Vista neighborhood, Chef Paris loves many of the great sandwich places in and around the Italian Market: Sarcone’s, Geno’s, George’s, Ba Le, South Street Souvlaki and the South Street Diner.  But even in a foodie’s paradise like South Philadelphia, Chef Paris occasionally ventures out to Burger King to get a good, old fashioned, flame broiled burger.

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Public House
2 Logan Square Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)

Its origins are subject to debate, but there is no question that the Reuben is one of the country’s most popular and most delicious sandwiches.  Crispy buttered rye with russian dressing, sauerkraut, corned beef and swiss, the Reuben is a staple of deli cuisine, but two different Reubens claim to have created the eponymous sandwich.

Reuben Kulakofsky, a grocery owner from Omaha, is often credited with creating the sandwich at a poker game in 1925.  Arnold Reuben, a German-Jewish delicatessen owner in New York, also is believed to have invented the sandwich as early as 1914.  No matter what the true history of the sandwich may be, the Reuben can now be found on menus around the country, and is a quick and easy sandwich for the home cook.

But for those who really want to go the extra mile, try making your own corned beef or sauerkraut.

At Philadelphia’s acclaimed Cypriot restaurant Kanella, you will not find fusion, which Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides calls “confusion.”  Rather, you will experience the diverse culinary influences of the world cultures that have occupied and settled the chef’s native Cyprus over the centuries: Turkish, French, Venetian, Arab, North African, English and Greek, each of whom have left their imprint on the island nation.  Chef Pitsillides strives for authenticity, simplicity and freshness that reflect his passion for traditional ingredients and preparation.  Sandwiches are available at lunch, served Thursday through Sunday.

The grilled tuna sandwich exemplifies a North African influence (Morocco, Tunisia) with a robust spice rub that is paired with preserved lemon, olives, capers, garlic, slow roasted tomatoes and cilantro on a 7-grain roll (the same roll is used for each sandwich.)  The lamb sandwich offers a slow roasted shoulder or leg that is sliced thin then fried, served with spinach, scallions, dill and Greek feta.  The grilled Haloumi and Lounza sandwich is like a Cypriot ham & cheese.  A traditional cheese made of goat and sheep’s milk is grilled and tossed with tomatoes and a vinaigrette, paired with a thick-cut slice of smoked Canadian bacon.

All of Kanella’s meats and cheeses are organic, and the fish is always wild, never farmed.  Chef Pitsillides values nose-to-tail cooking because using the entire animal shows respect.  His commitment to Mediterranean cuisine is, in his view, the opposite of a trend; it is a stable, healthy way of life.  And aside from Kanella, where he thinks the value for the price is virtually unmatched, Chef thinks the best sandwiches come from your own kitchen.

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Kanella
1001 Spruce St. – Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Google Map)

The term “food porn” generally refers to stunning close-up photos of food, but over at Heavy.com, they’ve adopted the more literal definition and conducted a national survey to determine which sandwich America most wants to… um… make babies with. Dubbed the search for America’s sexiest sandwich, Heavy.com enlisted the services of a market research firm to survey ordinary Americans about which type of sandwich would make the best sexy time.

The survey offered the choice of copulating with six different photos of sandwiches, including a BLT, a Meatball, a Ham & Cheese, a Meatloaf, a Chicken Salad and an Open-Face Roast Beef. The winner, earning 1-in-3 votes, was the Ham & Cheese sandwich. According to one of the respondents, “It seems like it would like to cuddle afterwards.”

So we ask you, what sandwich gets you hot under the covers? A roast pork? A hot pastrami? A French dip? Let us know what gets your heart pounding in the comments.

What Is America’s Sexiest Sandwich? [Heavy.com]

Union Trust is one of the most dramatic restaurant spaces in Philadelphia, and their new $7.17 menu is a dramatic deal for budget-conscious diners.  Featuring a kobe beef burger (in addition to other drink and food specials,) Union Trust is making the classic steakhouse burger more affordable and accessible.

Chef de Cuisine Chaz Brown’s 8oz kobe burger is served on a brioche bun with a sweet onion jam, tomato compote and cheddar.  The Akaushi beef (a direct descendant of the Mount Aso herds from Japan) is sourced from Heartbrand Beef in Texas.  The meat is all natural and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than other brands of beef.

Also on the Union Trust menu, though not part of the $7.17 special, is a ribeye sandwich dusted with cajun seasoning and cooked to temperature, served with crispy fried onions and choice of cheese on a torpedo roll.  Vegetarians can savor the marinated portobello sandwich with roasted red pepper, spinach, basil pesto and a heaping slice of Claudio’s fresh buffalo mozzarella.

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Union Trust Steakhouse
717 Chestnut St. – Philadelphia, PA 19106 (Google Map)

When Annie Tran opened Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich a year ago, she wanted to offer a banh mi that was closer to the authentic sandwiches than anything she could find in South Philadelphia.  And to ensure that the food was true to the traditional, she brought in her mother, whose recipes come directly from cooking at her temple in Vietnam.

Having  tried all of the local bread producers, Annie settled on a bakery in New Jersey whose rolls are crispy, soft, and “not too bready.”   Lightly toasted before serving, it is a perfect canvas for the mayo, cucumber, pickled carrot, jalapeno and cilantro that accompany the selection of proteins.

The house special, a combination of Vietnamese ham (cha lua), slow cooked BBQ pork (nem nuong), and pork ears (thit nguoi), is served with a spread of pork liver pate.  Other meat options include pork, chicken or beef that is marinated in lemongrass and fish sauce before being grilled.  Vegetarians have a couple options of fried tofu sandwiches – which are kept entirely separate from meat sandwiches – prepared either with a lemongrass marinade or sautéed with onions and mushrooms.  And for those who still cannot decide, ask for a half-and-half with two fillings.

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Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich
48 N. 10th St., Philadelphia PA 19107 (Google Map)

It is fitting that on a street as rich with history as Philadelphia’s Camac Street that Terra’s Chef Eric Paraskevas channels his own history in the form of a trio of miniature sandwiches.

The Cubano represents his background in Latin cuisine from his time at Lolita.  It features sliced house-roasted turkey, pulled pork carnitas in Chef’s own chipotles, and adobo seasoning with a pickle and cheese, on a buttery crisp toasted ciabatta.  The local beef burger, which speaks to his support of the local foods movement, is served simply with tangy cheddar on a brioche bun.  As a nod to Chef’s Greek heritage, a lamb burger is paired with fig aioli, and served on a Parker House dinner roll.

And now, bursting with World Series excitement, Chef Paraskevas has added a plate of mini Schmitters to the menu; though in our experience, when it comes to Schmitters, bigger is better.

Terra
243 S Camac St Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Google Map)

Nothing says baseball like a hot dog.  So to celebrate the Phillies competing in the World Series, Paesano’s chef/owner Peter McAndrews has created an original hot dog inspired by the traditional ballpark fare, but with a “Philly Style” upgrade.  Starting with a beef hot dog with kraut and brown mustard, the dog is paired with scrapple, sharp provolone, long hots, onions, tomatoes and a fried egg.  Chef McAndrews is still playing around with the recipe, trying out little improvements to get it just right.

Known for now as “The Phanatic”, Paesano’s is soliciting name ideas from all of their customers.  Just stop in, try one, and suggest a name for the permanent menu.  A name will be selected at the conclusion of the World Series and the winner will earn a free sandwich at Paesano’s once a week for a year. Once you’ve submitted your name, leave it for us in the comments!

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Paesano’s
152 W Girard Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)