A Sunday Surprise

Greetings, Readers!

Recently, I visited a local eatery that had only become known to me.

Harvest Moon is a quaint stop on a quiet stretch of Magnolia Boulevard in Valley Village. On the day that we stopped here, they were happily celebrating their 2nd anniversary. Quite an accomplishment tin a city with high turnover of eateries.

Walking into Harvest Moon with its wooden tables, great views, and fantastic food on display, I was initially distraught. The menu was written on a chalkboard the size of one of the walls and was covered in chalk with all of the options available.

This was obviously going to be a bit difficult. My eye is always drawn to a cubano, though most of the times I have to talk myself out of it, unless of course it is highly recommended, lest this blog become strictly about that type of sandwich. Turning down the cubano here was tough, though when the menu stated that their BLT was highly rated, I was intrigued.

A BLT is not something I ever seek out at a restaurant. To me, it's incredibly easy to make at home, and I can't remember the last time I ever heard someone tell me about a mind blowing BLT but here it was, in front of my eyes. How could I refuse?

Besides the standard ingredients, I also opted to add in avocado and a fried egg. Joining these two friends between the slices of grilled white country bread were a few slices of sweet and spicy bacon, arugula, roma tomatoes, and lemon aioli. The bacon was amazing. A slightly sweet glaze along with a peppery kick melded together on top of the thick cut slices.

It was honestly some of the best bacon I've ever had.

Combined with the peppery kick of the arugula, the creamy avocado and the savory fried egg, this really was one of the best BLT's I've ever had, and a top sandwich overall. Even if you're not a big bacon fan, I urge you to try this. These strips may change your mind on the matter.

My only thought though is that while I enjoyed the grilled white country bread, I wondered if the sandwich might be more enjoyable with sourdough.

Besides the sandwiches, Harvest Moon has a delicious looking menu with plenty of options for lunch, brunch, or even breakfast. With its location in a quiet part of the city, this is a great restaurant to meet up with friends for conversation and great food.

Oh, and while you're there, make sure to pick up a box of Celia's Gourmet Toffee while you're at it.

Until next week, Readers...

The BLT
**** Stars
Harvest Moon Kitchen and Marketplace
12456 Magnolia Blvd.
Valley Village, CA
http://www.harvestmoonco.com/

A Place Like Home

Greetings, Readers!

Lately, I've been in the process of working on the changes coming to the blog here, and os have had less time to actually pursue new and exciting sandwiches.

But that doesn't stop me completely.

Nearly three years ago, I wrote about a place called HyMart in North Hollywood. It's a great Mediterranean sandwich shop tucked into a strip mall at the south end of the North Hollywood Arts District.

It's a fantastic place, and while I've visited it numerous times since my review, I've never had the urge to write about them again since because I usually get the same sandwich.

While different from the initially reviewed sandwich, The Chicken-iliki is a real stunner. It contains hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, cucumbers, Greek olives, avocado, feta cheese, lemon, olive oil, mint, basil, pepper, tzatziki yogurt, and tahini sauce all on display with the delicious and tender pulled chicken.

The sandwich is an explosion of flavor in your mouth. Each flavor complements the other without being overpowering, and the chicken is flavorful, tender and
juicy. Despite the amount of ingredients, this sandwich is light and refreshing, perfect for a summer afternoon in valley heat.

I could go on about the sandwiches here at this excellent small business, but really the amazing added touch, and the other reason why I will always share the secret about this amazing sandwich shop, is the service.

The people who run and work in this shop always offer up a happy greeting when you walk in. From the second you step inside their door, everyone is happy to see you, as if you're a member of their family and they haven't seen you for weeks. Every time I walk in their, one of the owners always greets me by name (though most of the time it's not the right name, I thoroughly appreciate the extra welcoming).

If you get a chance to check out HyMart (also known as Georgi's Place), definitely stop in. Not only are the sandwiches delicious, but you'll immediately feel at home.

Until next week....



Chicken-iliki
**** 1/2 Stars
HyMart Sandwiches
4795 Vineland Avenue
North Hollywood, CA 91602

Breakfast For Champions

Photo courtesy Cassie Craves

Greetings, Readers!

Over the past few weeks, I have developed somewhat of a fascination (maybe obsession is the better word) with breakfast sandwiches. The combination of eggs, avocado, bacon, and other ingredients between two toasty halves of an English Muffin is an excellent way to start the day along with a cup of coffee.

So, since the weekend is quickly approaching (not as quickly as we'd all like to have it though), I have provided a few links and tips for your Saturday morning breakfast sandwich and encourage you to share you own suggestions, tips, and favorites.

If you'd like to put scrambled eggs on your breakfast sandwich, I found one of the best tutorials on making the perfect, fluffy scrambled eggs. It comes courtesy of one of my favorite chefs of all time: Gordon Ramsay.
You can find the directions here and they will knock you over with their flavor and lightness. A perfect addition to a morning sandwich.

The other way I like to cook eggs, sunny side up, is a great way to enjoy a creamy yolk that is able to be soaked up by whichever bread you choose for your sandwich. A simple as cracking an egg into a warm pan until the yolk is cooked (though still runny). With each bite into the sandwich, more of the flavorful yolk is released, changing the flavor profile.

For a great breakfast sandwich idea, here's a fantastic recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine.

Of course to complement the eggs, whichever way you choose to make them, we have to have bacon. As I've made very well known here on the blog, I'm a big fan of this pork product. Sometimes though, in the interest of making sure it's cooked fully through, I make my bacon a little too crispy. So recently I tried baking my bacon in the oven.

Lay down a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil, lay down the bacon and cook for a few minutes at 375 degrees. When the top side is looking like it's cooked, give your bacon a flip and allow it to sit in the over for a few more minutes. The end product is a thoroughly cooked, slightly crispy bacon. A much better experience then burned pan bacon.

For the bread, an English muffin is always a great way to go, but I'm also a huge proponent of sourdough in the morning. The sour edge to that bread is a great complement to the umami flavors of the rest of your breakfast.

So there you go, Readers. I have put forth my own ideas on sandwiching for breakfast, but what do you prefer? Anything else you like to top your morning sandwich with?

Until next week...

P.S. - Always Tapatio.

The Burgers of Burbank (Part 6)

Greetings, Readers!

Two weeks ago I mentioned that on one of the days of our burgering adventures, Bryan and I had taken on the challenge of eating five different burgers in an afternoon.

The first burger that we sat down for at The Great Grill Restaurant caught my eye immediately when I opened the menu as it was a combination I never would have dreamed of: a peanut butter burger.

That's right. No joke here, folks. The 50's Nutty Burger features a 1/4 pound beef patty with lettuce, thousand island dressing, and a healthy dose of peanut butter.

I know, I know. Thousand Island dressing AND peanut butter? That sounds like it could be a recipe for disaster, but with writing a blog called "The Danger Sandwich" you have to go out on a limb and risk your life sometimes.

The main thing about the burger is that the peanut butter flavor is such a dominant flavor on the sandwich. For the most part you can't even taste the beef patty, and if it wasn't for the texture you wouldn't even know there was meat on the sandwich.

Every once in awhile you could get a little taste of Thousand Island dressing, but it wasn't as gross of a combination as you would think, especially since the peanut butter quashed any competing flavor from that ingredient.

The second burger we tried, The 1/4lb Great Burger, was more like a 1/4lb Average Burger (zing?). Sure bacon, avocado and cheddar were added to the 1/4lb patty, and this time around I could definitely taste the beef aspect of the hamburger, but nothing stood out. It was a pretty standard burger that didn't have me dying to come back for more.

This visit was definitely a disappointment. Where the promise of experimentation with burgers (the 50's Nutty Burger), and the possibility of deliciousness with a good old stand-by (the 1/4lb Great Burger) I initially had high hopes, but sometimes even the prospect of burgers can let you down.

Next time, I'll have a few burgers from our 5-in-one-day outing that will make these two look like an easily forgotten memory of sandwiching.

Until next week, Readers...


The 50's Nutty Burger
* 1/2 stars
The 1/4lb. Great Burger
** Stars
The Great Grill
126 N. San Fernando Blvd.
Burbank, CA

The Burgers of Burbank (Part 4)

Greetings, Readers!

Recently, while in the pursuit of the best Burgers in Burbank, Bryan (@818NewGuy) and I embarked on our most dangerous leg of the tour.

We tried FIVE different burgers in one day.

Actually FIVE different burgers in about two hours.

But that's another story for another day...well, the next five weeks I should say.

For this week though, I wanted to focus on a restaurant that I have passed by numerous times while living in the area but never actually got around to stopping in until recently: Mo's Fine Food.

While burgers aren't the only thing on their menu, or even the biggest section, it is obvious that this restaurant treats crafting their burgers like an art form.

We selected the Menage a Trois burger, a thick and juicy patty topped with a healthy dose of avocado, Swiss cheese and bacon (the Trois).

From the first bite of this burger, it was evident that it was bound for greatness. The half of an avocado on the top provided a very subtle buttery flavor with an incredibly smooth and creamy texture. The bacon with its smoky flavor was well cooked, but not done to a crisp. The Swiss cheese was thoroughly melted and added its signature smoky flavor. The lettuce on top of all of that added a bit of textural crunch and freshness.

All of that was delicious, and we haven't even discussed the main star of the sandwich: the beef.

A little pink on the inside, this was one of the juiciest and most delicious burgers I've had in quite some time and definitely the best burger thus far on this adventure. The flavor of the certified Angus beef here is stellar and despite the flavorful other ingredients, shines through at the same time as blending well with everything involved in this sandwich.

This was a handmade patty that was crafted with love for the art of burgers and it shows in every aspect of this sandwich. Even an excellent bun was selected for this as it held together easily until the end.

Applause is in order here as Mo's not only rocked with the burger, but also provides a great place to relax and enjoy some food after work. Low key atmosphere and dimmed lighting topped off what was already a great burger outing.


But let's not stop here simply because we've found an excellent example of a burger. There are still so many yet to come.

Until next week, Readers...


Menage a Trois Burger
*****
Mo's Fine Food
4301 Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505

Yeah Baby, Yeah!

Greetings Readers!

This week my adventures found me at one of my favorite places in Los Angeles: Swingers.

Now you may not know that this is one of my favorite places because it's been quite some time since I've been there, but I used to visit there quite often. A few times a week in fact.

Having landed on their front doorstep by luck, I decided to walk in and try one of my favorite sandwiches there for review here. Maybe it's just me though, but something felt a little different on this visit, like something had changed.

Oh well, the sandwich should still be good, right?

I ordered the stuffed grilled cheese which has jack and cheddar cheeses, sliced tomatoes, guacamole, and grilled onions on grilled sourdough bread.

It really sounds delicious, and I remember it being amazing, but this sandwich fell short this time.

The blend of jack and cheddar cheeses were great and the guacamole and grilled onions were a delicious addition. Even the grilled sourdough was excellent.

It was the tomatoes that steered this entire sandwich wrong though. They were too watery and with very little taste, essentially washing out the taste of the other items on the sandwich. When i pulled out the tomato from the second half, the taste returned and the sandwich was much more enjoyable.

It'd definitely recommend removing the tomato to anyone looking to try this sandwich. Maybe next time I'll even ask the waiter to leave it off as well.

Until next week, Readers!

P.S. - Philadelphia readers, I will be back in the 215 at the end of this month. If you have suggestions as to where I should visit for a great sandwich while I'm home, please leave the suggestion in the comments section. Looking forward to trying a number of different places.

Stuffed Grilled Cheese Sandwich

*** Stars

8020 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90048

swingersdiner.com

Potato Chips Are Always A Good Thing

Greetings, Dear Readers!

I should tell you that there is one thing in life that I love almost as much as I love sandwiches, and that is potato chips.

Hands down, 1000% love affair with those crispy snacks. So when I heard about a restaurant called Potato Chips, I had to check this place out.

The selection isn't expansive, but everything on the menu sounded amazing. Particularly amazing sounding was the Spicy Salami sandwich.

Salami, goat cheese, red onions, reg peppers, avocados, and shredded lettuce piled onto a flaky golden roll. Sounds delicious? Sounds right.

The roll was excellent. Golden, flaky, crispy, and slightly toasted, this roll was the best choice for this sandwich.

The goat cheese was a bit dry, and its pungent flavor contrasted well with the strong flavors of the salami, which was equally delicious.

The lettuce, peppers, and avocado were all incredible fresh, flavorful, and added an excellent crunchy contrast that really helped tie the whole sandwich together.

Every ingredient in this sandwich stood out on its own, but also contributed to an amazing overall flavor. This sandwich was excellent.

So the lesson I've learned this week is that my love of potato chips can now extend to places named Potato Chips, and both of them lead to my tastebud nirvana.

Until next week, Readers!

Spicy Salami Sandwich

**** 1/2 Stars

Potato Chips

7613 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Fun Times in San Diego (Pt. 1)

Salutations DANGERfans!

Last weekend I made my way down to San Diego to celebrate the marriage of two friends of mine (congrats Eric and Wendy), and like any true Sandwichologist, i used this excursion to seek our new delicious sandwiches far from my base of operations.

Scouring the internet for the word on the street, I happened to find stellar reviews on a place called the Brown Bag Deli.

The Brown Bag Deli is truly a local hot spot.

Because you seriously need to be a local to even know where this place is.

After driving back and forth a few times, it was finally spotted, tucked into a corner of a strip mall on an major street in Ocean Beach. The inside of the deli lacked windows and any flair. Obviously it needed no pizazz to attract locals.

A promising sign, indeed.

I ordered the Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich with the works on Foccacia bread. This sandwich was piled high with the fixings and was quite a challenge to even take the first bite.

Seems to be a pretty great sandwich already, right?

Well, let's discuss what went wrong.

The bread is really the main culprit here.

Focaccia should be a golden colored bread. Maybe even a slight crisp on the outside with a nice soft interior. It should be able to support a decent sandwich without being too tough.

The focaccia at Brown bad was still doughy. It's as if someone took it out of the oven ten minutes early. No golden color, no flavor, and practically raw. Disappointing at best.

The turkey was bland, a bit too moist, and too thickly cut for being deli meat.

The "works" were the only bright spot in this sandwich. Lettuce, onion, banana peppers, avocado, jalapenos, mustard, and mayo worked for this sandwich and really gave it the only life that the sandwich had.

If the turkey and bread had been better, this may have been a delicious sandwich, but sadly, it was not meant to be.

Next week though, I tackle another sandwich from my time in San Diego, so be sure to return for more DANGER!

Until next time...Dia De Los DANGER!

* 1/2 Stars
Brown Bag Deli
1912 Rosecrans Street
Point Loma
San Diego, CA 92106

An Oasis in the City

Welcome back dear readers! Was your weekend as DANGERous as mine?

While combing through the Mummies exhibit with an oncoming sickness this weekend, I found a new oasis of Sandwichery on the USC Campus.

Following the directions to Sandwich Island, I must admit, I was lost for some time.

I stood outside of the address listed for Sandwich Island, but could only see an Asian Food stand. After pacing back and forth, and becoming increasingly worried that this highly recommended shop was no longer here, I looked inside and realized that Sandwich Island was truly an island: A small stand inside of a large cafeteria.

I am not one to make snap judgments, but I have to admit that at first I was a bit skeptical as to how DANGERous a sandwich in a campus cafeteria could be.

But how soon I was proven wrong.

My first sign that this was truly an amazing find? The Sandwichologist who worked here was incredible.

Without even thinking when asked which sandwich I should try, she sold me on the Turkey Avocado Sandwich, and watching her make it was quite fun. You could tell that not only had she been making sandwiches for awhile, but she enjoyed it and took pride in her creations.

Before she had even put the top half of the roll onto the sandwich, the contents stacked about 4 inches high, and were then beautifully pressed together into a nicely compact sandwich.

The sandwich is really dependent on what you want inside of it, since the only basics are turkey and avocado. I decided to go all out though and had pickles, onions, lettuce, and sprouts with spicy mustard.

I don't normally like tomatoes on my sandwich. I'm not sure how you feel dear readers, but I find that a lot of sandwich places tend to offer very mealy tomatoes of low quality. So I tend to pass on these.

The turkey was very fresh and full of flavor that is still very noticeable even with all of the extras on the sandwich.

The salad on top of the meat was also very fresh, especially the sprouts. I am a fan of earthy tasting raw vegetables in general, but specifically like them very much in a sandwich where they can add a nice contrast. If you've never had sprouts on a sandwich, you should consider adding them.

The avocado was also very fresh, creamy, and buttery. It actually might be one of the best avocados I've ever had, and there was plenty of it in the sandwich. The problem with an avocado is that with even the slightest period of exposure to air, it begins to oxidize and turn brown, making even the freshest avocado lose some of its subtle flavor in a short period of time. Not the case here though.

Before I could fully stand up from the table, my Sandwichologist asked me numerous questions about the taste of the sandwich, told me what she made daily, and what sides she handmade (the potato salad is made daily and is delicious). Truly a respectable lover of the Sandwich.

In conclusion, if you can make it down to the USC campus and find this hidden gem, you absolutely should. Reader beware though! During normal school hours, Sandwich Island, is packed more than a Sandwich Continent.

**** Stars
Sandwich Island
3333 S Hoover St # B,
Los Angeles, CA

Maybe I should try something....healthier.

Good morning and salutations, DANGERites.

Welcome to another edition of The Danger Sandwich.

Before beginning the usual dangerousness, I must say I have come upon a realization over the past few months of writing this blog. Something that may help you in your own search for your Danger Sandwich.

Even though this search for a Sandwich that will take my life because of its amazingness is a personal journey that I alone must embark on, I have found that having company along with you for a sandwich excursion can always make the experience that much more enjoyable.

Good talk, good food, and of course, people asking for your opinion while you're eating (and sometimes even staring at you until you give your initial opinion) can be incredibly enjoyable and add to the overall experience.

But is this anything new? Have I not known that good company can always improve the atmosphere and overall experience of eating? Of course I'm not that dense, but it never hurts to be reminded of this fact...especially if the sandwich is delicious.

For this week's review, I headed to Barney's Beanery in Santa Monica with a few very close people (maybe too close for how DANGERously I tend to live.

Barney's is a great place. A very cool sports bar on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, you can't go wrong with one of their burgers here. I've tried many, and have never been let down.

This time though, I've decided to try something new, something potentially more DANGERous.

I tried the Avocado Melt.

Prepare for DANGER.

The Avocado Melt contains half of a sliced avocado, loads of Jack Cheese, grilled onions, tomatoes, all on grilled marble rye.

I am a huge fan of avocado, and can never have enough on a sandwich. It was perfect here, very flavorful, thinly cut, and with a perfect ripe texture that was very creamy yet a little firm.

The marble rye, while normally it would be a very good choice for this sandwich, was grilled just a little too long. The bread in for this melt should have some toasting to it, but I feel like it was just overdone in this case. The bread became a little too hard and tough.

The tomatoes and grilled onions also seemed to take a bit away from the sandwich. They were cooked too long and most of their favor had disappeared, leaving a very bland addition from two vegetables that can normally add a nice punch up to any sandwich.

Despite this though, the sandwich was still enjoyable. The only downside being that I know it's potential was so much higher than it ended up being. So, if you happen to make it out to Barney's Beanery, I'd suggest you just stick with a burger, especially if it's your first time.

Next week, I will be tackling some more recommendations from readers. My last few weeks have been a slight letdown, so I need to have a great experience or dear readers, I will be in DANGER of becoming lost in Sandwich Limbo!

It's like real limbo, just a bit more delicious.

Until Next Week!

*** Stars
Barney's Beanery
1351 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401