Food Sculptures

Wall-E Sandwich.

Remember when you were a kid and your parents made you pancakes shaped like hearts or cut up your sandwiches into different shapes. Food shaped like animals or other objects always tasted better.

I recently saw a bento box inspired by the movie Wall-E. I personally love Wall-E, and have had that character on the brain ever since. I made AJ a cashew and pumpkin butter sandwich and created this little work of art.

Do you ever create your own food sculptures?

The Best Sandwich in the Country?

Long line at Saigon Sandwich in Little Saigon in San Francisco.

I was in San Francisco for work, checking out some meeting venues. After checking out the Asian Art Museum, I found myself hungry and in Little Saigon. While I was deliberating where I might eat, I saw this long line forming outside of a little sandwich shop. This small shop is located in a rather shady part of the Tenderloin District. But, after reading the Gastronomer's recent post on banh mi, I knew I had to stop and eat one. After all, a line this long must mean good things.

I saw people waiting in mini vans outside, while their kids waited in line for sandwiches. I thought to myself "Damn, this sandwich has got to be good!" When I finally got to the counter, I ordered the roast pork, or banh mi thit, and waited a couple more minutes while the ladies behind the counter methodically baked bread, and stuffed them with meat, pate, and veggies.

Roast pork Banh mi.

I bit into my sandwich and knew I was in heaven. The fresh baked bread had a nice crispy exterior with a soft chewy interior. The sweet roast pork and creamy pate was well balanced by the extremely fresh cilantro, jalapeno pepper, pickled cucumbers, and carrots. The heat from the peppers provides the perfect contrast to the sweet meat and tangy veggies.

The long lines are a good indication that I am not the only who digs these sandwiches. Interestingly enough, Playboy magazine just named Little Saigon one of the ten best sandwiches in the country. And for $3, that is one heck of a deal.

Saigon Sandwich

560 Larkin St

San Francisco, CA

Open Face Veggie Sandwiches

Toasted challah, goat cheese, eggplant, pesto, and fresh tomato.

I have been on somewhat of a pesto kick. With fresh herbs, garlic, and nuts to be found in abundance at the farmer's market it only makes sense. I made up a batch of baby spinach, walnut, and parmesan pesto. I didn't feel like doing a pasta dish, and instead decided to whip up a couple of open faced sandwiches. I sauteed some eggplant and then toasted some challah in the same pan. I spread goat cheese on the toasty bread, topped with eggplant, pesto, and slices of fresh tomato.

The combination of flavors was wonderful, with the freshness of the ingredients playing a critical part in the success of this dish. The tangy and creamy goat cheese was the perfect partner to the zesty garlicky pesto. The sweetness of the eggplant and the tomato worked so well with the two spreads. The toasted challah served as the perfect vessel for the delicious toppings.

AJ lifts the sandwiches every so delicately so as not to lose any of the sandwich components.

This sandwich is a keeper. Feel free to experiment with different kinds of vegetables. These would make an elegant addition to a Sunday Brunch or could serve as an appetizer at a dinner party.

Wouldn't it be good if it was good for you?

Carrot Lemon Curry Soup and Turkey with veggies on multigrain bread.

Parked in the small shopping center off of Broad St in Falls Church, next to ZPizza, is the wholesome Kennedy's Natural Foods. While I wouldn't say I am a health 'freak' (to use the term lovingly), I do love a meal that is healthy, as long as it's tasty. That tasty part of the equation is often the tricky part. Luckily, I have found a place the meets both needs.

Kennedy's Natural Foods provides a variety of supplements, gluten-free products, and healthful snacks. Located in the back of the store is "Kasha's Kitchen" - a deli serving up soups, salads, and sandwiches.

This place serves up some of the best soups I have tasted in the area. They are homemade and always deliver with big flavor. Malia and I headed here for lunch on a recent Saturday and ordered two small carrot lemon curry soups and split a turkey sandwich piled high with fresh veggies and brown mustard on their multigrain bread.

The soup was light yet creamy. The carrot gave it some sweetness, while the curry added spiciness and depth. The lemon added to the bright flavor of this soup. It went rather nicely with our sandwich, loaded with tons of turkey and fresh shredded carrots, cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, and onion. The vegetables added a nice crunch. The brown mustard packed some serious horseradish that made our eyes water. If you're not into that sensation, you might want to skip the mustard.

We washed them down with some Honest Teas (bottled in neighboring Bethesda, MD). These beverages are all organic and a 16 oz bottle will usually only cost you 100 calories. These drinks have just the right amount of sweetness provided by all natural cane sugar.

This meal left us full, happy, and guilt-free.

Kennedy's Natural Foods

1051 W Broad St

Falls Church, VA

2 out of 3 JAMs

Bahn-Mi- a taste of Vietnam

For a couple of weeks, Travis has been raving about this small Vietnamese place, Viet-Nam Banh Mi So 1, by his office that had these great pork sandwiches I "had to try". So this past weekend, we trudged out in the snow and cold to try them - needless to say I had high expectations.

We arrived at the tiny storefront with a simple menu of numbered sandwiches with a variety of meat options (beef, chicken, pork). Toppings are the same on most of them, the only customizable options being to omit something or make a sandwich "spicy" or "extra spicy". Travis recommended a #3, so we ordered three #3s (Travis was hungry), two extra spicy and one regular. We also picked up Stewart's sodas (yum), cream soda and root beer.

After a short wait and a walk later, I unwrapped my sandwich to see a crusty, good-sized baguette stuffed with marinated diced pork, lots of cilantro, cucumber slices, and carrots.

I took a loud, crunchy, crumb-flinging bite. Initially the bread overpowered my bite, but after a bit of chewing the pork flavor began to take over. It was salty and sweet, a bit like asian barbeque or chau siu (roasted pork), not overly saucy, and nicely accented by the cool crispness of the cucumber, the marinated carrot, and the cilantro. After a couple more bites I began to taste a softer part of the bread where the pork had soaked in a bit, so the bread itself tasted a little like garlic butter and pork. The only downsides to eating were that the bread was incredibly crumbly and Travis' office floor had a small pile of bread crumbs by the time I was done and the cilantro wasn't chopped but was in large pieces, meaning I had to at times tear it by hand.

Travis' extra spicy was indeed spicy, as they added both chili garlic sauce (the same chili sauce served at dim sum and similiar to Siracha) and chopped up chilies, but the sweetness of the pork still came through.

From a flavor profile alone, a very happy 2 1/2 JAMs. While the restaurant has no seating and isn't the brightest or most modern environment, the food is worth a trip, even in the snow.

As a side note, the Stewart's sodas only get 1 JAM. The cream soda was too sweet and lacked any sort of creamy foam that I like on cream sodas (like A&W cream soda) and the root beer didn't have the depth of flavor and bite that I like in a root beer. The sweet sodas did help to cleanse our palates of the pork sandwiches.

Grilled Cheese...the gourmet version

So I am sure you are all sick of my obsession with soup. So you will be happy to hear that I sought comfort from the cold in a different venue - the grilled cheese. I love a classic grilled cheddar cheese on wheat, preferably with tomato. However, I had an abundance of veggies that needed cooking, so I took the classic grilled cheese up a level.

Eggplant, onions, and portabellos getting soft and delicious.

I began by sauteeing some veggies I had leftover from the previous nights stirfry ingredients. The onions caramalized nicely. The eggplant softened and soaked up a little bit of olive oil, and the portabellos would add a meatiness to my grilled cheese.

Grillin' my cheese.

I decided that fontina and multigrain bread would be the best compliments to the delicious vegetables. I dabbed a little butter on the bread and let it fry. The cheese melted perfectly, and the crust was crisp and buttery. This grilled cheese was outta this world. The fontina was gooey with a slight nutty flavor that complimented the sweet vegetables nicely. I can certainly say that this is a combo I will repeat again.

Close up!

3 out of 3 JAMs

Hidden (and not so hidden) Gems in Charlottesville, VA

It was UVA's homecoming weekend (and Halloween to boot), which meant that yours truly was headed back to her alma mater for a reunion with friends (and some favorite eats).

Like most alumni, I have fond memories of eating at some local spots. One popular spot at UVA is Arch's, a frozen yogurt shop. Arch's always has vanilla and chocolate frozen yogurt, and a variety of Wow Cow (non-dairy options) flavors. As I drove down 29 into grounds (thats campus for you non-Hoos) I knew I wanted to stop at Arch's for a snack before heading to the Lawn to check out the trick-or-treaters. As I have been craving everything pumpkin, I could only hope they would be offering that particular flavor.

Pumpkin soft serve with chocolate chips.

As I looked up at the flavor offerings I spotted the elusive pumpkin! I asked for a sample (knowing that the wow cow flavors can be hit or miss). It tasted creamy, and sweet with hints of spices. I decided to go with it, topping my selection with chocolate chips. Another good choice would have been the gooey brownie topping (I could eat this half cooked batter all by itself)!

What tasted good at first, gave way to an artificial aftertaste. The chocolate chips saved it, but I wouldn't recommend this pumpkin yogurt. Best to stick with one of the more traditional flavors.

Tomato basil soup at Cafe Europa.

A hidden gem located right on the corner on Univeristy Avenue is Cafe Europa. This restaurant serves up a variety of dishes with a mediteranean flair: hot and cold sandwiches, side salads, and soups. While most places on the corner, were packed on homecoming weekend, this little place was relatively empty. Which worked out well for me and my friends. One of my favorite things to get here is the tomato basil soup. It is sweet and creamy with lovely strands of fresh basil. It is one the best tomato soups I have ever eaten. It comes with a crusty french baguette. On a cool fall evening there is nothing better.

Beaver Creek in Charlottesville, VA.

So I mentioned that it was homecoming weekend and there was a big game vs. Miami right? Well, we spent an unconventional afternoon on gameday. AJ, Dan, Malia, Veronica, and I drove down Ivy Road out to Beaver Creek to enjoy the beautiful weather and some delicious sandwiches.

A turkey, harvarti, cranberry on seven grain baguette from Bel Air.

A popular sandwich place with fourth years and the law student crowd is Bel Air, a deli hidden inside a gas station off of Ivy Rd. These sandwiches were awesome. The turkey was juicy, and the herb mayo and cranberry sauce sang of autumn. There is nothing better than eating a great sandwich in the grass on a sunny cloudless day. The view of the water and changing leaves didn't hurt either. Dan proclaimed his turkey sandwich "the best sandwich I have ever eaten". How's that for a recommendation.

Turkey, calamata olive sprea, lettuce, and tomato on whole wheat everything bagel.

Last but not least, I must mention Bodo's bagel bakery. I eat at Bodo's at least once everytime I visit Charlottesville. This is quite possibly my favorite bagel place. The bagels are served warm. They are chewy, with a soft interior. My favorite bagel being the whole wheat everything. If you are sick of the typical egg, cheese, and meat breakfast sandwhich I would urge you to go with the turkey and calamata olive spread. The olive spread is salty and rich (no need to add cheese). The turkey is juicy and the garlic, onion, and poppy seed pack on more flavor. Now that's a sandwich perfect for anytime of day!

Wahoo-Wa!

Mmmm Meaty...

I was able to arrive in Boston on a Thursday night due to the generous scheduling policy of my organization. Unfortunately, my consultant bf had to work the following day. I amused myself Friday morning by exploring the Back Bay Area and then met up with him and his friend and co-worker, Justin. AJ, tired of the usual Cosi salad, had a moment of genius and proposed the Carving Station to satiate our hunger.

That huge butcher knife isn't exactly the warm welcome you would hope for...

You can see from the amusing pictures, that this isn't a vegetarian sanctuary.

If you are looking for meat, and lots of it, then this is the place for you. Recommended by the Phantom Gourmet, the Carving Station offers a variety of deli sandwiches, meat platters, and a couple of side dishes.

Pork BBQ sandwich with pita chips.

Always searching for the best pork bbq, AJ bites into his sandwich.

The pork bbq is tasty. The meat is juicy, but the sauce is a little overpowering with a mostly ketchupy flavor. (JAM Note: I personally prefer a little more vinegar to my bbq - Carolina style). The potato bun is available for most sandwiches and tastes like it was freshly baked that morning. Soft on the inside, with just a bit of chew to the exterior, it provides a nice compliment to the large layers of meat inside.

Roast beef with Vermont White Cheddar and bbq sauce.

I chose the roast beef sandwich on a potato bun. This sandwich was amazing. The roast beef was amazingly tender and juicy. Sometimes I just crave red meat and this sandwich certainly provided that fix. AJ agreed that this sandwich kicked butt. The cheddar gave a sharp tang that offset the sweetness of the bbq. I wasn't even hungry, but I had to finish this sandwich.

Large bites are required!

Justin savoring his turkey with cranberry sauce (a trend I am finding among sandwich shops).

I love the combination of roast turkey and cranberry sauce, especially this time of year. Another winner, it seems you can't go wrong here.

The Carving Station

2 out of 3 JAMs

Sticky Sticky Buns!

I came to Boston this weekend to visit my boyfriend who works here as a consultant. Next to seeing him, I think I was most excited to come to Flour Bakery. I had read about it in Blondie and Brownie, one of JAM's favorite blogs. Located in the South End, this bakery is owned by chef Joanne Chang. Her sticky buns have been featured in gourmet, the new york times, and Throwdown with Bobby Flay (click to view the episode).

Crowned with a Best of Boston Award, you can understand why I was hyped to sink my teeth into one of these delicious sticky buns. (JAM Note: These buns often sell out early, so be sure to call ahead if you really want one.)

This bakery sells an abundance of delicious treats from sweet brioche, cupcakes, cookies, tarts, and cakes.

AJ has the honor of getting the first bite.

AJ, Anna, and Josiah decided to accompany me to the bakery, because who doesn't love baked goods? The gang decided they wanted lunch as well as sticky buns. The line was pushed to the door. When we finally ordered we were starving. We decided to do dessert first and dug into the sticky buns. The dough was buttery and slightly sweet. A swirl of sugar and nuts ran throughout the dough. The caramel glaze was incredible, and definitely pushes these sticky buns into a different category. It was rich and creamy, with just a little stick-to-your teeth attitude.

J likes his sticky bun.

I am so excited!

A rooibos latte. A nice compliment to a sticky bun.

We all agreed that the sticky buns were awesome, but the sandwiches were delicious as well. AJ and I split a turkey with cheddar on whole wheat foccacia, with cranberry sauce and field greens. I love the combination of turkey and cranberry sauce. The bread was soft with a slightly nutty flavor from the wheat flour.

Anna got a roast beef with horseradish and red onions. I don't what it is about roast beef this weekend, but I loved this sandwich. The combination of the spicy horseradish and cool beef was amazing.

Chomp!

If the masses of people crowded inside this establishment means anything, then we definitely have a winner. This is a great place to grab lunch, or to indulge a sweet tooth (if you don't mind waiting a little).

JAM Note: You can order and pay ahead. This saves time waiting in line.

Flour Bakery
3 out of 3 JAMs