I've been Rabe'd!

After my college roommate Kate introduced me to Taylor, a DC-based sandwich shop, I have been on a quest to find a comparable sandwich in Boston. Preferably one with sharp provolone and sautéed broccoli rabe. I knew this would be a difficult mission. Taylor’s run by a couple hipster babes that travel all the way to Philadelphia, every morning, to pick up loaves of bread. They mean business.

On my expedition, I managed to find one almost comparable sandwich – which is a better compliment than it seems. To start off, Nick Varano’s Famous Deli, in the North End, has a few sandwich options with broccoli rabe. I usually mash Joe Dimaggio’s and Don Deluises’s signatures to create a sandwich with fresh breaded chicken cutlet, broccoli rabe and sharp provolone on ciabatta. Admittedly, it is pretty satisfying and usually my go-to on account of availability and proximity. The shop is cheesy and touristy, but, unlike many sandwich places in Boston, it is actually open on weekday nights. (One of my complaints to the city of Boston, right after the no happy hour law.)

Nick Varano’s isn’t the one though.

One day a few months ago, Kate, Ev and I were out seeking adventures in Brookline when we came across a sandwich shop called Cutty’s. Unfortunately we showed up a little late, and they had already run out of their slow-roasted pork, only available on Saturdays. I went for the “spuckie”, fennel salami, hot capicola, mortadella, hand-pulled mozzarella, and olive-carrot salad – all craftily placed in a fresh loaf of ciabatta (bread made my Iggy’s). The sandwich is toasted and delicious. The olive-carrot salad is unique and adds a subtle, crunchy bite to the flavorsome sandwich. It’s a creative twist to the traditional Italian.

Fast-forward to this past weekend, when I showed up at Cutty’s doorstep once more. Intrigued that they only sell the slow-roasted pork on Saturdays, Div and I split the pork rabe (photo to the right) and the pork fennel. The rabe is sautéed and placed on top sharp provolone while the fennel is pickled and topped with roasted garlic. Both specials come on a sesame seed roll, but only the rabe is served hot. To curtail any suspense, I’ll tell you straight up that the rabe is truly the superior sandwich. The sautéed broccoli rabe seeps garlic and olive oil into the hard, crusty roll, and the sharp provolone melts right into the perfectly roasted pork. I have no idea why this delightful sandwich is only available on Saturdays, but I’ll definitely be back for more. Well done, Cutty’s.