Sandwiches 15-24

I've been steadily making progress on the list...but have been way too lazy to post it. Here is the next batch:


#15: 2nd Ave Deli, Chopped Liver
I like chopped liver. Even as a kid I liked it. I think at the time I didn't really know what it is, but even now that I do, it's something I enjoy eating. And by enjoy eating, I mean as a spread. On a cracker. Putting this on a sandwich (especially Jewish deli style) is overkill. I got about 4 bites into this before I got liver overload. That left about 3/4 of the sandwich left. Don't get me wrong, it tasted great...there was just way too much of it.

#16: La Superior, Torta Ahogada
This was basically an inside out pulled pork sandwich, with tomato sauce instead of BBQ sauce. The sandwich sat in a bowl of tomato sauce, and even though I usually hate soggy bread, this worked really well, as the bread still held some texture. The pork was tasty and well cooked, and the combination of the hot sauce and tomato sauce made for a very satisfying meal.

#17: Luke's Lobster, Shrimp Roll
I had tried the lobster roll at their Hester Street Market outpost a few months ago and left pretty unsatisfied. The shrimp roll, however, put the lobster to shame. For half the price, and twice the flavor, this is definitely the better bet.

#18: Banh Mi Saigon, Chicken Banh Mi
I'm usually skeptical of getting chicken in Vietnamese sandwiches. It's often composed of shitty dark meat, with a texture like that of pork belly, but not nearly as good. The meat in this sandwich had a much better consistency, and the tastes were all A+. I don't think at this point I need to go into what's in a Vietnamese sandwich, as they're pretty standard. What sets them apart is the meat that's put in and how well it's executed. This was a winning sandwich on both fronts.

#19: Prime Meats, Egg & Cheese
I was pretty disappointed in this. It was basically just a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich on a biscuit. Alexa liked the biscuit, I did not; I liked the sausage, Alexa did not. I wanted to get the pretzel braid, but they were actually sold out when we tried to order it.

#20: Xi'An Famous Foods, Pork 'Burger'
This was basically a really good pulled pork sandwich in a long bun. It tasted great. Better than that, though, was the rest of the food there. They make great spicy noodle dishes. This place has become my go-to Chinese food place near my apartment.

#21: Bouchon Bakery, Tuna
I ate this sandwich so long ago, so I don't remember much about it. It was really good, and had a nice combination of tuna and veggies. I remember I also got some sliders that were great, and that the cafe was run by the guy who cooks at Per Se. So there's that. Also, it was on the 3rd floor of the Time Warner building and had a great view of Columbus Circle (if you're into that sort of thing). (I was.)

#22: Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto, Porchetta Calabrese
Another one that I don't remember much about (I REALLY should update this more often). This place was notable for letting Alexa and me in with our hockey sticks and sweaty clothes on. And almost giving us a free plate of deli meat accidentally.

#23: Keste, Saltimbocca
A calzone-like concoction of prosciutto and cheese baked in an airy, crispy bread, this was a great meal. It was nothing fancy, but it was cooked just right, and was really a case where simplicity was exactly what was called for.

#24: Milk Truck, Grilled Cheese
Despite the fancy cheese used, this was really just a grilled cheese sandwich. It was ok, but not worth the $6 or $7 I paid for it. What was really good here, though, was the dark chocolate milkshakes. If you find yourself at the Brooklyn Fleak Market, skip this and go to Asia Dog instead.

LUCIFER BURGER

I've been a supporter of the Luther Burger ever since I heard about it. A bacon cheeseburger surrounded by a doughnut??? Yes please! Obtaining one, however, has been a little difficult. Of course I could always buy a Krispy Kreme and cook up a burger, but I felt that just wouldn't be right.

For the longest time, I kept hearing that the only Luther burger being served in NYC was at the Google cafeteria. I actually got to first sample the burger at this location about a year ago, but I left pretty disappointed. The doughnut was fine, but the burger was basically an overcooked hockey puck sitting in a heating plate all afternoon. I called a mulligan on that one and decided to seek it elsewhere.

Finally, last week I heard about a place in Chelsea that served the elusive Luther burger, and decided I needed to go there as soon as possible. Tipsy Parson advertised on their door that they served "belly-filling goodness" and they did not disappoint. That is to stay, they served up tasty food fit for a fatty. I am a fan.

I had an initial moment of panic when I didn't see the Luther burger on the menu, but when I inquired about it, the waiter said they would cook me one up. Shortly after the beast arrived, and it was really quite a sight. There was no side dishes or garnishes, just a fat piece of shit on a white plate. It was if to say, "We don't want you to have any doubts about what you're eating - this is a BURGER covered in BACON wrapped in a DOUGHNUT. You fat fuck."

I looked past these judgments however and dove right in. And......it was great! Well at first it was at least. The burger itself was actually a nice piece of meat - juicy beef and cooked just right. The doughnut was sugary and well textured, and the bacon was just crispy enough. One initial problem was that grease from the burger had seeped into the doughnut, making it a little soggy, but I was able to overlook this for the most part. The flavors managed to work really well, with the saltiness of the bacon nicely playing off of the sweetness of the doughnut. The first two-thirds of the burger went down really well, but I got a little queasy towards the end. I stopped short of finishing it to spare my stomach any future agony, and instead picked at my date's mac n cheese, which was actually really good as well.

Would I do it all again? Probably. Just give me a few months.