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…

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)

On a sunny corner of South Street that straddles Washington West and Bella Vista, seemingly miles removed from the blaring car stereos a few blocks to the east, Supper’s new lunch menu boldly re-imagines classic sandwiches with a welcoming, come as you are attitude.

Acclaimed Chef Mitch Prensky strives to create “the ultimate version” of iconic sandwiches, adding his own stamp to a Reuben, a French Dip, a Hot Dog and a Banh Mi.  Having once worked as Sous Chef for the lunch service at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill (in addition to his classic French training and New York fine dining experience,) Chef Prensky truly loves the action at lunch and needed to get his ideas for sandwiches out onto plates.  Now available Monday through Saturday, Supper’s lunch menu has some serious sandwich action.

Supper’s version of the Reuben is served on Famous 4th Street rye bread, sliced thick and brushed with bacon fat and a mustard aoili.  Fried carnitas-style pork belly is tossed with thousand island dressing, and toasted with cooked sauerkraut under a layer of gruyere.  Chef tops the open-faced sandwich with apple chutney because pork, apple and gruyere work so well together, even when served as a reuben with a side of pastrami chips.

The Banh Mi features crispy fried Malaysian-inspired squid with bits of spicy Sichuan sausage, heaps of cilantro, lettuce and pickled peppers on a baguette that was baked fresh a few blocks away at Ba Le Bakery, paired with five spice chips.

The Supper Dog is made in house from 100% pork shoulder – “all killer, no filler” – on a house baked, buttered bun.  Wrapped in bacon and deep fried, it is served with grain mustard, BBQ onions, kraut and buttermilk fried pickles.  The Lamb French Dip, served with Herbs de Provence chips, is made from house-prepared lamb pastrami and lamb jus, is served with feta and olives on a baguette cut on a bias to help with the dipping.

The menu also features a burger borrowed from the dinner menu with horseradish cream, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, gruyere and a side of duck fat fingerlings. The lobster roll is served as a tried and true classic and paired with Old Bay chips.  Traditional fresh steamed lobster is mixed with lemon aioli, chopped celery, salt and pepper on a top-loaded buttered bun.

Chef Prensky is openly enthusiastic about sandwiches because in his opinion, the layers of ingredients combine to make each bite the perfect bite.  Among his local favorites are John’s Roast Pork, Sarcone’s, Jim’s Steaks, Ba Le Bakery, even a late night panini at Old Nelson.  He stresses that people should not overlook the bread when making sandwiches – you want the right type, the right thickness, and sometimes, like with their house made charcuterie, older bread can better than fresh.

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Supper
926 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (Google Map)

Chef Jose Garces has quickly grown to one of the top restaurateurs in Philadelphia, and has been honored by the James Beard Foundation as Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic.  The owner of Amada, Tinto, Distrito, Chifa, Village Whiskey and the forthcoming Garces Trading Company, Chef Garces has imprinted his mark on the dining landscape in Philadelphia.

Chef Garces will be competing in Food Network’s Next Iron Chef debuting October 4th, and he took a few minutes out of his increasingly busy schedule to talk with us about sandwiches.

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…

Coconut & Lime is firing up the panini press for a series of recipes this week, and taking some beautiful pictures along the way.  Rachel Rappaport’s mouthwatering recipes are making us hungry for crispy pressed sandwiches like Sesame-Ginger Pork and Prosciutto di Parma with Capicola.  We will be checking back throughout the week to see the tasty combinations that Coconut & Lime is sure to put between grilled bread.

We caught up with Coconut & Lime’s creator Rachel Rappaport:

Unbreaded: Can you give us a little background about C&L?
Rachel Rappaport: I started Coconut & Lime back in 2004 as a place to share my recipes with friends. It slowly grew until the point where I now do it full time. I really enjoy creating my own recipes for food and sharing them with my readers. It is a lot of work but worth it when I see how well my recipes are received by people who make them in their own kitchens!

UB: You’ve made a lot of sandwiches.  Can you give us some lessons learned?
RR: While I enjoy buying fancy meats and cheeses to make my own gourmet sandwiches, I really love making sandwiches out of leftovers from other meals. It makes the idea of eating leftovers much more palatable; it is almost as if you weren’t eating leftovers at all.

UB: If you could eat any sandwich in the world right now, what would it be, and from where?
RR: Luckily my favorite sandwich is easily obtained at our local Italian deli. It is called the Old World Italian and has great Italian meats and cheese and an olive spread that is truly divine.

UB: What’s your favorite sandwich to throw together in the middle of the night?
RR: Grilled cheese! Made with sharp Cabot cheddar and occasionally some Canadian bacon or tomato.

Via [Coconut & Lime]

Chef Jose Garces and Chef de Cuisine Dave Conn have brought a taste of San Sebastian to Philadelphia.  A tapas and wine bar modeled after the Basque region of northern Spain (purported to have the most bars per capita in the world), Tinto is a bit more upscale than traditional pintxos bars, casual dining and drinking establishments where people go from bar to bar, grazing their way through the night.  Spanish pintxos bars serve an array of small bites on bread – seafood, cured meats, ham, chorizo – all laid out on the counter for patrons to serve themselves.  Patrons collect the skewers and toothpicks from each small bite they eat and present them to a cashier in lieu of a bill from a server.

Tinto offers a number of bocadillos (sandwiches) at lunch and dinner; though dinner portions are actually smaller sandwiches.  Only the shortrib and oyster bocadillos are available on both menus.

The short rib bocadillo, a sandwich characterized by big flavor and tender, flaky meat, is the result of a complex braise composed of grain mustard, smoked paprika, Spanish beer, and some other secret ingredients.  It is served on a Metropolitan demi baguette with frisee, bits of crisp bacon, shaved asparagus, a cracked pepper caramel sauce that balances the savory meat, and a cool celery root aioli.

The fried oyster bocadillo features seasonally fresh oysters dusted with smoked paprika and fried golden crisp.  In summer, Tinto uses Wianno oysters from the cold waters of Cape Cod; in spring and fall, oysters are sourced locally; and in the winter, oysters are brought in from the West Coast.  The oysters are paired with a sweet pickled red onion escabeche and a spicy-tangy tartar sauce.  Fresh aioli with cornichons and capers is married with a Basquaise sauce flavored with choricero and espelette chiles that are traditionally used in the production of chorizo.

Tinto sources its meats, seafood and produce as locally as they can, working with local farmer co-ops to get seasonal ingredients like Jersey tomatoes in the summer.  The menu has evolved since opening in 2007, incorporating modern American influences using Basque flavors and techniques.  At the end of the night, Tinto’s staff gets to enjoy what’s left of the braised shortrib, as new pieces are cooked fresh each day.  Chef Conn gets a smile on his face talking about the occasional 2-foot sandwich he wolfs down after the restaurant closes.  He also enjoys falafel from Mama’s Vegetarian and a roast pork sandwich from George’s.

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Authenticity is everything for Xochitl’s Executive Chef Dionicio Jiminez.  These are the sandwiches you’d find at a neighborhood taqueria in Hispanic South Philadelphia , or if you went to Puebla, Mexico, about an hour south of Mexico City, where Chef Jiminez grew up.  Only the queso fresco would be somewhat different – Chef Jiminez notices a difference in the texture of the queso from Mexico and here in Philadelphia.  The local product is more like ricotta salata, and the Mexican is closer to mozzarella.

90% of late night customers order sandwiches.  Chef Jiminez describes them as good late night food because they are refreshing and light, not greasy or heavy.  Tortas are served on special-order bolillo bread, a soft but crusty oblong roll similar to a Portugese roll.  Each torta is filled with avocado, onion, black beans, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo; only the protein changes.  Filings for the tortas are prepared on a flat-top grill, very simply seasoned with salt and pepper.  Skirt steak from the entrée menu is cooked to medium and cut into small strips that are tender and not overly chewy.  Spicy crumbles of longaniza, a lighter alternative to chorizo, are rich and boldly flavorful.  The Queso Fresco is grilled on each side so it melts, but still has a hint of its crumbly texture.  The Chicken Milanese, simply dredged with fresh bread crumbs, is a milder flavor that allows the creamy, ripe avocado to shine. The result is a winning combination of flavors and textures.

Chef Jiminez has resisted calls to add sides; a sandwich on the plate is enough food.  (House-pickled jalapenos garnish each order.)  The sandwiches are big enough that many people end up taking half home.  On his own time, Chef usually makes giant mash-ups of several sandwiches on a single roll.  He also likes Pat’s for a cheesesteak and the veggie sandwich at Misconduct.

Xochitl offers a Thursday late night special menu: from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., the restaurant serves “Staff Meal,” a late night menu in its lounge with all dishes under $8.  Every item on this menu is available for half-off the normal price.

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Paesano’s is not just Girard Avenue’s favorite neighborhood spot anymore.  It is now openly celebrated as one of Philadelphia’s very best sandwich destinations, a draw for food tourists from around the region and beyond.  An extension of Chef Peter McAndrews’ classic Italian BYOB Modo Mio (itself a Best Of Philly winner for Prix Fixe), Paesano’s was named Best Of Philly Sandwich Shop and was named Glen Macnow’s overall winner of the Great Italian Hoagie Hunt.  We caught up with Chef McAndrews to find out where he goes from here.

Paesano’s opened with a simple mission: Chef McAndrews wanted a decent lunch place for himself and the Modo Mio staff.  When the space across the street from Modo Mio became available, Chef and his partner, Nathan Baynes, jumped in and started making food that is affordable with integrity, cooked in the Italian theme and style.  Chef McAndrews believed that sandwiches could be made with more taste and love than most other places; he explained that there are a thousand cheesesteaks, but probably only 30 that are good, that achieve harmony of meat, cheese, onions and bread. (for the record, Chef McAndrews likes his steak chopped.)  The results speak for themselves: “the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted,” and “my favorite sandwich place” are common refrains among customers, who line up down the street to get a bite at lunchtime.

An Italian cooked sandwich shop, not a traditional hoagie shop, Paesano’s uses Liscio’s hoagie rolls because they hold up to wet sandwiches better than other rolls.  And they cut off the ends of the bread because in Chef McAndrews’ view, no one wants to feel like they got shortchanged on ingredients because of that end.  But don’t worry – you’ll find the ends reemerge as bread crumbs across the street.  The sandwich names are largely based in the Italian language: Gustaio (lamb sausage) means “good taste”; Arista (roast pork) means “the best part of the pig”; Diavlo (spicy chicken) means “the devil”.  But Daddy Wad (the award winning Italian hoagie) has a decidedly different etymology: it was Chef McAndrews’ childhood nickname, befitting a self-described “big kid.”

The Daddy Wad’s coronation as Best Italian Hoagie has catapulted it to the top selling item at Paesano’s, displacing the Arista, a porchetta sandwich with broccoli rabe, Italian long hots, sharp provolone and natural jus.  The broth is the key to the flavor, according to the Chef, who sources locally-raised Lancaster suckling pigs (under 21 lbs).  The roast pork is topped with broccoli rabe that is cut properly for a sandwich (bite-sized) and enough sharp provolone to add that creamy, tangy burst of flavor.   The Gustaio, Paesano’s lamb sausage sandwich, is a harmonious balance of flavors: intense gorgonzola, sweet heat from the sundried cherry moustarda, hearty lamb, and sweet fennel on flatbread.  And the Tuscan Tony, Paesano’s decadent take on the Texas Tommy, serves up a fried hot dog wrapped in soppresata then smothered in Bolognese sauce.  With options for vegetarians and meat lovers alike, Paesano’s satisfies all comers.

The formula is working.  Customer service is personal, gracious and natural in its diverse, dynamic, integrated Northern Liberties neighborhood.  So it is clear why Chef McAndrews wants to keep things the same.  But with the surge in popularity, Paesano’s is struggling to keep up with the volume.  They need more space, and see a broader opportunity (including Center City) but are not in a hurry and want to make sure that any change is fully thought-through.  No matter what the future holds, it is clear that today, Paesano’s has found their niche and has earned their spot at the table among Philadelphia’s best sandwiches.

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

Tria is known as a destination for wine, beer and cheese, but Executive Chef Jenny Harris has crafted a sandwich menu that offers gourmet ingredients with the same dedication to quality as their fermented fare.  Look no further than the bread for proof.  Tria uses three different bakeries to source each of its breads: ciabatta from Le Bus; baguettes from Bakery Perrier and brioche from Wild Flour Bakery.  Working with vendors such as the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative ensures that ingredients are fresh, local and seasonal.

Tria’s philosophy of making great products affordable and accessible is expressed in its sandwiches, like the smoked chicken with truffle oil, Lancaster cheddar, piquillo peppers, tomatoes and arugula on ciabatta.  Or the grilled artichoke panino with spicy Tuscan pepper, white beans and Bulgarian feta, that brings together a range of textures: crisp bread, bits of melted salty feta, and tender artichokes and peppers.

The smoked salmon sandwich, Chef Harris’ personal favorite, features Alaskan wild smoked salmon with a bright mustard-chive vinaigrette, roasted mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, arugula and tomato on a soft and chewy fresh ciabatta.

Tria also offers a selection of decadent dessert sandwiches on grilled brioche with chocolate, fruit and mascarpone.  The banana and sweet mascarpone sandwich with goat’s milk caramel sauce is both crispy and moist, gooey and bursting with flavor.  The caramel sauce seeps through the grilled bread and creates a layer of sweet crust that compels you to take another bite.

We asked Chef Harris to describe what makes a great sandwich.  Start with really good bread and focus on one or two featured ingredients; the rest of the fillings are there to complement and enhance those central flavors.  With meat, try a bolder, saltier cheese; with vegetables, go for a lighter, softer texture.  Chef Harris encourages people to try new cheeses on their sandwiches, like fontina or caciocavallo, similar to aged provolone.  And she recommends a wheat beer with most sandwiches, or potentially red wine with something earthy like the Wild Mushroom panino.

When she’s off-duty, Chef Harris enjoys a sandwich on pita or flatbread with turkey and hummus, or perhaps some aioli.  She also likes the grilled chicken sandwich at Bitar’s and just about any sandwich at Tuscany Café.

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Tria
123 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)

Kadima means “let’s move” or “keep going” in Hebrew, which Chef Michael Solomonov believes captures the essence of sandwiches: quick; in and out; continue on with your day.  Maybe that’s why 95% of lunch customers order a sandwich at Zahav.  Or perhaps it is the incomparable value of eating a James Beard acclaimed chef’s food for just $10.

Israeli cuisine is decidedly more robust than falafel and hummus.  In fact, Israeli food is a combination of dozens of world influences brought to the region by individuals and communities that have come to settle in the Holy Land.  Romanian and Balkan food coexists with Yemeni and Moroccan cuisine; as immigrants flood into Israel, they bring their native cultures and flavors with them and Israel has developed a diverse and multicultural national cuisine.

Laffa bread, which is similar to lavash or pita, is baked to order in a 700-degree wood burning oven that gives it a unique character and flavor: aerated, puffy, dense but not delicate.  The wood oven, which is seldom used anymore even in Israel, imparts a soft but crisp texture to the bread.  The dough is not totally uniform – thumbprints are a must in order to get that bubbled, crackled texture that is darkened in spots but still pliable, so that it bends and stretches as it rips apart.

The sandwich menu includes the Gibraltar (swordfish), the Turk (ground beef), the Galil (eggplant), the Sabra (chicken), and Monsieur Merguez (lamb).  Though the featured ingredients change, each sandwich is fired over screaming hot coals and served with Zahav’s speckled green tahina full of herbs (parsley, dill, chives, mint), sesame paste, garlic, cumin, lemon juice and salt.  The creamy spread has a deeply nutty and vibrantly herbaceous flavor, full of healthy natural oil.  Sandwiches are served with well-done Israeli pickles.

The Sabra consists of grilled chicken skewers, or shishlik, that are marinated in an onion marinade that tenderizes the meat and caramelizes over the hot coals.  The sliced onions are seasoned with sumac that gives a mildly sour flavor that plays off the sweetness and smokiness of the grilled chicken.

Zahav’s juicy North African Merguez lamb kebab is made with garlic and a spicy harissa, and is served with matbucha (a cooked pepper and tomato salsa) and the creamy herbed tahina.  The richness of the meat is balanced by the depth of the two sauces and the dense but light laffa that crackles with each bite.

Chef Solomonov revealed a few details about his next project, Percy Street Barbecue, scheduled to open this October.  The Texas BBQ restaurant will be very casual with a Southern bluesy feel.  Percy Street has two wood smokers being delivered from Texas so the meats will get that unmistakable smokiness that comes from slow cooking over oak and mesquite for 24 hours.  Percy Street will specialize in dry BBQ, notably brisket, and also pork shoulder and pork belly (which we hope turns into a sandwich.)  Homemade sausages, spare ribs, and chef Erin O’Shea’s corn bread got our mouths watering, and the promise of Yards Root Beer on draught nearly buckled our knees.

And when he’s not working on barbecue or eating a simple hummus and laffa sandwich at Zahav, Chef Solomonov enjoys the Vietnamese sandwiches from Viet Huong, particularly the char broiled pork banh mi.

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Zahav
237 St. James Place, Philadelphia PA 19106 (Google Map)