The Sandwich Sleuth.

I've been in Seattle for exactly 11 months. In that time I've constructed nary a social life. I live in a storefront apartment that closely resembles a cave with a 75 lb pit bull suffering from chronic halitosis. I live across the street from the most annoying tourist destination on the planet, and I walk the same way to work everyday. It's simple living. I moved here to work.

I have however discovered some amazing food in this the Emerald City. My research has deduced that the taco scene here is miserable, and the hot dogs get a B-. The sushi is amazing, and the dishes from the Asian persuasion in general are top notch, grade-A, the real deal.

The sandwiches though? The sandwiches are world class. Here are my favorite sandwich finds in Seattle so far.

1. Paseo Caribbean Restaurant.



The Cuban Roast - What's not to like about pork shoulder roasted so slow that it forms a puddle of taste bud torturing drippins' in the butt end of a lightly toasted baguette? I can't explain how my mind exploded the first time I tried this soulful sammy, but I didn't stop talking about it for days. Here's what makes it amazing: aforementioned slow roasted pork shoulder, seasoned aioli, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, crisp romaine lettuce, all topped off with wide-cut caramelized onion. It is a salty, sweet, spicy panty party in your mouth people. Don't eat this sandwich if you have anything to do for the rest of the afternoon. It will put you down in a food coma infirmary fairly quickly. Nap time!

Paseo always has a line out the door. Do not let that deter you. It moves quickly. Believe me, it's worth it.



There it is. In all its glory. This is the best sandwich I've ever eaten.

2. Delicatus.

The Fists of Fury -Delicatus is a newcomer to the Seattle sandwich scene. I went there over lunch on a whim. I had never heard anything about the place outside of a blurb in The Stranger describing it as one of a holy trinity of sandwich spots downtown in Pioneer Square. I'm a sucker for a new sandwich, so what the hell? The Fists of Fury is a perfectly constructed sandwich. It's daring. It takes risks. It's a fucking game changer. Take a look at what makes this freak so deaky: pulled pork, topped with cilantro, cucumber, wasabi aioli and last but not least, Tobiko caviar. What? pulled pork and caviar on the same Italian roll? Blasphemy! No, no you brainwashed traditionalist. This sandwich is the fucking future. This is a sandwich engineered by taste bud artisans, zany eccentrics, or wild willed pioneers. Stephen Hawking couldn't describe the complexity of this sandwich in his robot voice and make it any easier to understand. You just have to try the piggy from the sea to believe.



Here we have the aforementioned Fists of Fury alongside another delicious entrant into the sandwich Olympics, The Mud Honey. Sliced roast beef, turkey, Zoe's slab bacon, white cheddar, horseradish aioli, house BBQ, on a toasted Italian roll. Delicatus has an amazing assortment of sandwiches divided into two lists. The Traditionalists and the Progressives. I will be back to try their other specialties soon enough.

3. The Other Coast Cafe.

The Rajun Cajun -There's something about Other Coast sandwiches that hearken back to my college days. Maybe it's the hippy squatter kids that work behind the counter, or the rich, fresh baked bread smells that draw me into this place every time I walk by. Whatever it is, The Other Coast Cafe is a simple sandwich haven. Nothing too crazy, new age, or plain fucked up. They make a good, big ass sub sandwich here that will fill you up for the entire day. My favorite sandwich here is a tie between the simple Italiano, and the fantastically rich Rajun Cajun. The Rajun was the sandwich that most seem to flock too, so I'll define its parts in this post. First of all, the bread at Other Coast is important. These fresh baked Italian rolls create a firm foundation for whatever you care to pile on. In the case of the Rajun Cajun, the bread is imperative. This sandwich is made hot, and it is a gooey masterpiece. Cajun style turkey, pepper jack cheese, cheddar, tomato, onion, spicy salsa mayo, and hot peppers. You might a fork to eat this one, and a bib.



Apologies for the crummy photo.

These are just a few of my picks from the past 11 months. I've heard great things about Salumi, Tat's and quite a few others. They are all on my list. If you have a favorite sandwich destination in the Pac NW, please feel free to fill me in.