Sandwich-Hands' Egg-cellent Adventure!

Wow, you're still reading this? Even after that outrageously cheesy title? Ok I'll try to make this worth it. After being thoroughly disappointed that Mr.Bartley's was closed on Sundays (and obviously didn't check the website before going there), my friends and I headed to Garden at the Cellar. Div, Jess and Kate were all in a burger mood, but I had heard so much about the egg sandwich (and after rave reviews from the waitress), I had to see what all the fuss was about. When the egg sandwich arrived, it looked like a piece of art; the skillet eggs were slightly protruding from the perfectly toasted bun, which was displayed affectionately aside a heaping pile of shoestring rosemary truffle fries. Lifting the top bun was like a pirate finding treasure in an underground cave. Excitedly, I took a long lingering glance at the fresh avocado slices, the melted cheddar cheese dripping toward the plate and the long, crispy applewood-smoked bacon strips with slightly burnt edges (just the way I like it). When the fatty avocado slices mixed with a garlicky-mayo spread on the slightly sweet brioche roll, the flavors that came together after that first bite were inconceivable. Let's just say I think I made my poor hungover stomach's day. I love breakfast sandwiches (usually sausage, egg and cheese on an english muffin from Theo's Cozy Corner on Salem Street is my go-to), but this glorified breakfast sandwich is in its own league. My only one suggestion would be to cook the eggs over-easy, I prefer my eggs more on the runny side. (Not so runny that it drips to my clothes, but enough so that the yolk can thoroughly soak into my sandwich.) The hard yolk ended up sliding out of my sandwich, and I was too busy micro-managing my avocado slices, ensuring they stay packed into my sandwich, to worry about the yolk. Definitely not a date sandwich, I went through a lot of napkins and had to re-fix my sandwich multiple times. Proven fact though: the messier the better.

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WARNING: This is not your typical deli sandwich.

Chez Henri is an upscale French bistro (with a chic Cuban twist), and (IMPORTANT NOTE) you can only order their famous Cubano sandwich at the bar. This is huge. The first time I went to Chez Henri, we got seated in the restaurant. All I wanted was the Cubano and I was highly disappointed when I wasn’t allowed to order it. (Admittedly it was really hard to stay mad at our total babe of a waiter; he looked like one of those ancient Greek warriors with wild, sun-kissed locks blowing in the wind. Where was that wind coming from anyways??)

Take two. Kate and I rocked up to the secluded bar on a Sunday night. Nervously flipping through the bar menu, we finally saw what we had excitedly been talking about all weekend – Pressed Cuban Sandwich, choice of traditional slow roasted pork or roasted vegetables with cheese. I had read a few reviews, so I was curious about the vegetarian Cuban. Very decisively (if you know me, that is an extreme rare occurrence), we ordered one of each to share. I can’t begin to describe the intensity and flavors that mixed together to create these sandwiches. Unexpectedly, I prefer the vegetarian. The marinated vegetables with the perfectly melted gruyere cheese made this sandwich incomparable to any other. Kate favors the traditional Cuban, so go with a friend and share! Each sandwich comes with a side of plaintain chips and salsa which is a really nice touch. Order the mojito, or if you’re more into beer, the Pretty Things went great with my Cuban.