I read where the Trail Blazers like to have toasted PB&J sandwiches before their games. Given their record, I don’t think we want to claim it as ours.
I’d count the lobster roll. Sure, you can find them elsewhere, but it’s defining of New England for me, so much so that I seek it out when in the area. A lobster roll in Chicago doesn’t quite compare.
Yep.
Georgia:
tomato sandwich - tomato, mayo, salt and pepper
pimento cheese sandwich - shredded cheese, pimento, mayo, many variations such as cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, onion juice - famous at the Augusta National
Not that I’m a local, but for Louisiana (specifically New Orleans) I would have nominated the Muffuletta, which may be the pinnacle of the sandwich-making arts.
I live in Miami now, so the obvious choice is the Cubano, or Cuban Sandwich, which ranks pretty high up there on my list as well, along with it’s cousin the Medianoche.
Although, I have just learned of the frita cubana. I doubt it will supplant the cubano or the muffulleta in my pantheon of sandwiches, but it does look pretty good. May need to do some research soon.
I live in the west suburbs and a Polish Boy to me is also the vendor cart version, just a nice sausage sandwich. The first look I had of that sloppy version was when Andrew Zimmern visited Cleveland. I wouldn’t even try it, the addition of barbecue sauce to kielbasa does not sound appetizing.
I also agree with your pick of the Romanburger, and Mr Hero in general. Their waffle fries are superb, they kick Chick-Fil-A to the curb.
Dennis
Another “Yep”…
When i was a “wee lad” I cooked at Wayne’s Red Coach Inn. So i learned the "special cheese sauce from the masters…I went on to later bastardize the recipe into a No Boloney Breakfast Pony at of course, No Baloney cafe. Hint, the sauce is the key!
St louis, where i currently reside has a unique sandwich, available at most “hole in the wall” chines take put places, The St Paul sandwich
which is basically an egg foo young patty on white bread with mayo…mmmmmm I get them fully loaded.
tsfr
Barbecue sauce and kielbasa is surprisingly good. Hell, my Polish father even does it from time to time. (And it’s not all that different than a Texas hot link with barbecue sauce.) I’m not up on the whole French fry thing, though. I’d rather have those separate.
Making me Pittsburgh. Lived there for almost 6 years.
Beef on Weck was a Buffalo staple but I never had one. Bagel, cream cheese, and lox was our family’s style.
Evansville Indiana, The Hilltop Inn. It was rated the ‘Manliest Restaurant in America’. They serve a brain sandwich that is to DIE for. Go in hungry and with an open mind… it tastes like an oversized tenderloin.
West Michigan: The olive burger. A hamburger with “olive sauce,” which is a mixture of chopped green olives, mayo and olive brine (to make the sauce a little runnier and saltier).
I love them. I tell my wife it’s the reason why I convinced her to move to west Michigan.
This gets my vote for the best sounding sandwich I had never heard of before.
Dennis
I grew up in Philly, so I’ve gotta go with the Philly cheesesteak.
I’m also quite fond of Philly’s roast pork sandwiches.
I went to college in the Philadelphia area, but I figured that everyone already knew that Philadelphia had cheesesteaks. Most people don’t know what one is, but they know they exist.
Here’s a hint: A cheesesteak never has lettuce or tomato. Even peppers are pushing it.
I don’t know if this is unique to Chicago or not (I’ve never seen them anywhere else), but the pepper and egg sandwich is popular in Italian neighborhoods here.
Pretty sure that’s a Chicago thing and evolved out of the Italian beef places needing to sell something to their Catholic customers on Friday (now Lenten Fridays.) ETA: Although this suggests they do exist elsewhere, specifically Boston, so I’m wrong about that. (Though I must say, the pictured pepper & egg sandwich looks nothing like the ones I see around here. I’m thoroughly underwhelmed by them.
My own personal recipe: for every burger you’re making, mix one tablespoon mayo, 1/2 tablespoon olive brine, 4-5 finely chopped green olives. I add a few dashes of coarse black pepper and chili powder too, but that’s entirely to taste. Spoon it on and prepare for a taste of paradise.
I grew up in Cleveland and I…have…never…seen…a Polish Boy that looked like that. Granted, I moved away at 17 in 1978, so maybe it’s a “new thing.” I have to say that it doesn’t look or sound sound particularly appetizing.
I suppose the emblemic sandwich of Manhattan/Brooklyn would be the delicatessen production of pastrami or corned beef or brisket or tongue on seeded Jewish rye with spicy brown mustard and lots of sour and half-sour pickles on the side.
First runner up would be a classic “Italian Hero:” crunchy crusted long roll filled with cappicola, Genoa salami, provolone cheese, oil & vinegar and vegetables of your choice, including some or all of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce. Yummy variants include using fresh mozz instead of provolone, ham instead of coppy, sopressata instead of salami, adding mortadella, etc.
Then there’s the fresh bagel with a spread of cream cheese and some cold-smoked salmon. Red onions and tomatoes optional.
It goes back to the 40s, but it seems you are not to be scolded for not knowing of its existence, as even the local press didn’t cover it, it seems.
And it’s good, though, like I said, I prefer my fries off the sandwich.