Under the Table with Jen » Sandwiches

Taste Tickler

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:16:22 +0000

When I eat at Taste Tickler, I’m transported back in time. Back to college, when I could party all night and sleep until 4pm, my carefree lifestyle interrupted only by a)the occasional call from my dad threatening to cut off my funding unless I added another two whole points to my GPA and fast, b)the occasional mandatory class attendance policy, and b)the relentless sandwich cravings. In college, unless you’re highly evolved, you aren’t necessarily interested in house-cured meats and artisan cheeses and organic tomatoes and free range pepperoncinis, you’re much more concerned with volume, economy and flair, which is exactly what you’ll get at Taste Tickler, an immaculate little basement sub shop at the corner of NE Broadway and 14th. Sandwiches come on a stretch of soft chewy white baguette, in increments of 7″ ($4.95), 10″ ($6.95), and 14″ ($8.75), and can be adorned with pretty much any trimming or condiment you want, which is why mine always end up resembling a Christmas tree decorated by a kid who got into the mulled wine. They are big, they are cheap, they are fresh, and they are satisfying, even to a mature, adult, free-range pepperoncini snob like me.

Eastmoreland Market

admin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:32:54 +0000

Riding along the quiet, immaculately-manicured streets of idyllic Eastmoreland, it’s a delightful surprise when the stately brick manors and quaint bungalows briefly part to reveal a tiny gourmet market filled with organic produce, wines, meats, bread, Spanish and Italian specialty groceries, Illy coffee, fresh Voodoo Doughnuts, and exceptional sandwiches. Natives, accidental tourists, and intrepid sandwich seekers alike can be found nose deep in one of this well-hidden neighborhood favorite’s sandwich creations, like the popular Smoked Turkey and Goat Cheese with housemade chutney and grilled onions, hearty Rueben with corned beef and housemade pickle slaw on rye, and marvelously meaty Muffaletta–a fresh ciabatta roll gripping seemingly endless layers of paper thin ham, salumi, mortadella, swiss, provolone and spread with a feisty olive, caper and pickled vegetable relish. Dine in at one of the cafe tables up front or pick up a bottle of Broadbent vinho verde, a bag of Kettle chips, organic Willamette Valley pears, oatmeal cherry cookies by Finale Fine Cakes and Desserts and a bar or two of Theo chocolate, and you’ve got the makings of a mighty fine picnic, if you can ever find your way out of this utopian neck of the Southeast woods and over to one of the nearby city parks.

East Side Deli

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:52:39 +0000

Portland is has its share of sandwich visionaries, people who adroitly dream up dishy sandwich creations and post them on walls and chalkboards and invite you to partake of their sandwich genius verbatim. Then there’s the art of the free-style deli sandwich, that deceptively plain-Jane maverick that’s created anew each time with the stroke of a dry erase pen on a laminated sandwich card. The choose-your-own-sandwich-adventure where you decide between dijon or yellow mustard, sundried pesto or just plain mayo, roll or Dave’s Killer Bread, the inclusion or exclusion of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, black olives, pepperoncinis. You’re in control, you are mistress of your own sandwich strata, you’re nobody’s sandwich monkey. It’s something like that at SE Hawthorne’s punky little East Side Deli, where you can rock out to heavy metal while waiting for your custom made sub or sandwich, a heartily layered meal that will set you back a remarkable $5.50.

Built to Grill

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:59:30 +0000

Good Italian can be hard to come by in downtown Portland’s Food Cart Land, but Brook and Aisha have set out to change that with Built to Grill. Peek inside the spotless little silver cart on SW 3rd Avenue to see a lineup of luscious paninis sizzling under foil-wrapped bricks–like the spicy meat-laden Italian Hero with proscuitto, salami and mortadella with spinach, and pepperonicini, the satisfying Grilled Chicken with spinach, mozzarella and sundried tomato pesto, and the Portabella mushroom with carmelized onions and mozzarella, all made on Fleur de Lis Bakery ciabatta rolls. Add a cup of rich bean and pasta Pasta Fagioli soup or an order of hearty pasta, and stay tuned for homemade cannoli in the near future; as soon as supercute owners Brook and Aisha suss out the perfect homemade cannoli shells.

The Peoples’ Sandwich of Portland

admin — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:55:19 +0000

Communists and capitalists sit side by side at this quirky little Oldtown sandwich bar, sharing the camaraderie of a meaty Hammer & Pickle (housemade ham, pork loin, pickle, and Swiss) or vegan-friendly The People Sandwich (”Soylent Green” aka pesto-baked tofu, Peppadew peppers, and Oregon filberts), made on Dave’s Killer Bread and served with crisp housemade potato chips and a Tootsie Roll. Lines can reach Soviet-era grocery store proportions during peak sandwich-eating times, and with most sandwiches priced at $8 you might use up your entire lunch ration here, but the sandwiches are hearty, the service is friendly, and there are plenty of tables and barstools where you can relax and re-read your dog-eared copy of The Communist Manifesto.

Laurelhurst Market

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:55:29 +0000

Raw meat and sandwiches, it just might not get any better than the Laurelhurst Market butcher shop. Step up to the meat counter and remember that you are here for a SANDWICH, try your best not to get distracted by the sanguine display of gorgeous glistening raw meats and decide to go home and barbecue instead. Since you are here for a SANDWICH, you have two choices–make your own, choosing from delicious housemade meats like smoked turkey, roast beef, pastrami, ham, corned beef, and pate, cheese such as white cheddar, gruyere, and aged provolone, and a variety of toppings includingfield greens, tomato, pepperoncini, zucchini pickles, horseradish, mayo ‘n dijon, and bacon–or–put your fate in the Laurelhurst boys’ capable hands. On any given day there are a half dozen or so house sandwiches up on the chalkboard to the right of the meat counter–try the porchetta on ciabatta with shredded iceberg and red onions, the smoked Wagyu brisket on a kaiser roll with Piccalilli relish, ham ‘n spicy sopressata with pepperoncinis and aged provolone, or perhaps the spicy tuna confit with capers and Calabrian chiles. All right, now that you’ve got your butcher paper-wrapped SANDWICH tucked safely under one arm, it’s okay to drool over the Flanken-style short ribs and then buy a few pounds of the Piedmontese skirt steak for the impromptu barbecue you’re planning to have as soon as you finish it.

Pearl Bakery

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:25:36 +0000

Should you need a sandwich fix come lunch time, pop into Pearl for a housemade sandwich on the freshest of bread, and now that Phresh Organic Catering is supplying hand-crafted soups Thursday through Saturday from 11am – 3pm, you might want a cup of soup as well, to dip your chocolate panini in.

Savor Soup House

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:39:35 +0000

Perched at the corner of SW 10th & Alder directly across from Jake’s, this darling little pink-shingled food cart turns out delicious sandwiches, soups and salads. Try The Taproot–turkey and provolone with pesto, lettuce and tomato on Grand Central Bakery’s como bread, The Caprese–sliced tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil with balsamic drizzle on a ciabatta roll, or pair a cup of hot tomato soup with fennel and orange with one of one of Savor’s dreamy build-your-own grilled cheese sandwiches–you start with Tillamook cheddar or gruyere and add ingredients as you like from a list that includes homemade pesto, apple butter, caramelized onion, hickory smoked bacon, sliced apples, and truffle oil. And when the rains a’pelting your office windows and you don’t feel like standing outside a food cart, even a pink-shingled one, you can call for delivery–Savor delivers to as far away as Lloyd Center.

Addy’s Sandwich Bar

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:06:04 +0000

Reading the chalkboard menu at Addy’s Sandwich Bar gave me a psychic jolt–I felt like Addy’d read my mind and listed every sandwich I adore and a few I’ve only dreamed of. Formerly of Sydney’s Cafe in NW Portland, Addy wanted a place of her own and bemoaned the lack of a good baguette sandwich source in downtown Portland, so she set up shop in a sparkling little silver trailer on SW 10th & Alder in early August. Her menu reads like it was imported from Paris–ham and gruyere with butter, turkey with Brie, cucumber and creme fraiche, country pate with mustard and cornichon, duck leg confit with apricot sauce–then takes a Spanish twist with the chocolate with olive oil and sea salt. All sandwiches are made on fresh Little T American Baker baguettes, and you can accessorize with an organic vegetable salad ($2.50), or Tim’s potato chips ($1.50). Nantucket Nectars, Izze sodas, Pellegrino, and Talking Rain bottled water are all available for $1.50.

Foster & Dobbs

admin — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:22:17 +0000

For a really long time, I thought Foster & Dobbs was a feed store. This was an unfortunate misapprehension, because I missed out on a lot of really good sandwiches. If you’re on the ball, and knew that Foster & Dobbs was a remarkable specialty wine, cheese, charcuterie and specialty goods shop, then you probably also already know the joys of savoring one of their beautiful sandwiches–mole salami (seasoned with chili & chocolate) and farmstead cheddar with red tomato & chili jam, or finnochiona salami (fennel & black pepper) with chevre and red onion confit, Oregon Albacoret tuna with preserved lemons and capers, and the mouthwatering Freddy Guy’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter with fresh chevre, served warm. You can also opt for the Ploughman’s Lunch–fresh bread, salad greens, and a pickle with your choice of cheese from Foster & Dobb’s marvelous selection of artisan cheeses. Or, if you’re thinking of picnicking in nearby Grant or Irving Park, have some salumi and cheese custom sliced, grab a baguette, some chocolate, and a bottle of wine, and make your own sandwich improv.