The 100th Post - A Look Back

Dearest of all Dear Readers!

Hello and welcome to the 100th post here at The Danger Sandwich!

100. What a number. Truly crazy that I have gotten this far, but it is because of your support that I have been able to do so. This little blog keeps getting more and more hits every month, so I thank you for pursuing your love of sandwiches along with me.

100 weeks of sandwiching with friends, exploring cities, and finding out what it takes to make a delicious sandwich. It has been an experience that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and I am looking forward to the next 100 entries.

As I mentioned last week, I thought there was no better way to celebrate 10squared than by looking back at my top 10 favorite sandwiches on the first part of this sandwichology journey.

Problem is that I originally came up with about 35. So it took me a bit of time to whittle it down.

Each sandwich name will be clickable to take you back to the original post. Enjoy!

10.) The Winter Chicken Melt (Melt, Cleveland, OH) - My first stop in Cleveland was also rewarding on the sandwich hunt as this chicken melt warmed its way into my stomach.

9.) Mediterranean Madness (HyMart, Noho Arts District, CA) - Grape leaves stuffed in a wrap with lettuce, tomatoes, olives and hummus. What isn't good in this sandwich?

8.) The Stray Dog (The Wien, Los Angeles, CA) - a hot dog truck with high end vision for their dogs? This place is an awesome addition to any warm summer night in LA.

7.) The Schmitter (Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA) - At one of my favorite places in the city, this new Philadelphia staple is the perfect complement to a night at the ballpark.

6.) Banh Mi Sandwich (Banh Mi My Tho, Alhambra, CA) - it may be a trek to get to this shop in a strip mall, but the banh mi makes the drive worthwhile...and the price can't be beat.

5.) Hammer and Pickle (The People's Sandwich of Portland, Portland, OR) - A random find in Portland turned out to be the best sandwich I had in the town. An amazing cubano that will knock your socks off.

4.) Lavender Duck Confit Sandwich (Sweetsalt, Toluca Lake, CA) - The only sandwich I've reviewed thus far that uses duck, this sandwich is delicious, and doesn't fall victim to the usual duck problem: greasiness.

3.) Oinkster Pastrami (Oinkster, Eagle Rock, CA) - I talk about a lot of pastrami on this blog, because frankly it's one of my favorite sandwiches. Notable mentions are Brent's Pastrami in Northridge, CA and Paty's in Toluca Lake.

2.) South Street Steaks Cheese Steak (South Street Steaks, Burbank, CA) - No it's not from Philadelphia...technically. This shop, owned by two Philly transplants, is a great dose of home near the studios in Burbank. The best cheesesteak in town.

1.) The Cubano (Porto's, Los Angeles CA) - It's not the only cubano on the list, but it is the best (though not by much, Portland!). This is the sandwich I always go back to whenever I want something good for lunch. It is the standard by which all are measured.


What do you think of the list? Did some entries surprise you? Which of my reviews would you have put up in this list instead?

This little piggy went straight to my stomach...

Look out! DANGER ahead!

...and by DANGER, I mean PASTRAMI!

For this week's adventure, I headed deep into the concrete jungle of Eagle Rock in search of another of Los Angeles' highest rated sandwiches:

The Oinkster Pastrami Sandwich from legendary eatery...Oinkster.

I had heard about The Oinkster a number of times: wonderful reviews in LA Weekly, Top 17 Sandwiches of LA in LA Magazine, and through numerous personal reviews.

When I first arrived at Oinkster, I was greeted by a very lengthy line that stretched out the door and around the corner. But have no fear readers, as this lengthy line moves very quickly, and will not keep you away from your own taste of heaven for too long.

Wanting to tackle another of LA's 17 Best Sandwiches, I ordered the Oinkster Pastrami Sandwich: Pastrami cured for 2 weeks, Gruyere cheese, carmelized onions, and red cabbage slaw.

Wow. Seriously. For those less daring, the regular Pastrami sandwich does not contain those extras.

But seriously, why would you want to miss out?

The first challenge of the sandwich was figuring out how to eat it: It was oddly wrapped in paper and oddly cut, so that if you tried to pull it apart, the pastrami poured out into your basket.

So here's a tip: don't try to figure it out, just bite into the deliciousness, head on!

One of the things about Pastrami, for those that don't know, is that if it's not prepared right it can be tough, bitter, and fatty. If you don't take time preparing it well enough, it can be an incredibly offputting experience.

Oinkster's Pastrami is cured for two weeks, and is just perfect. Soft, delicate meat with an exceptional seasoned flavor. Not too strong, but not too weak.

Gruyere cheese is probably one of my favorite cheese of all time. it's lumped on here pretty thick, and is very gooey. If you're not used to cheese on a pastrami, it may be off-putting at first, but be adventurous!

The red cabbage slaw is the real surprise winner here. At first it's sweet, then it's a bit tangy, and is a great contrast to the rest of the sandwich. For how little is actually there, it's pretty noticeable, and very delicious.

The only part of the sandwich that I was not that impressed with was the roll. It was flaky, a bit dry, and didn't complement the sandwich well. I would have preferred the grilled rye of Brent's that I sampled a few weeks ago. Regardless, it's not bad enough to take away from the overall enjoyment of the sandwich.

If make it out to Eagle Rock to visit Oinkster, make sure you order a side of their fries (crispy, warm, lightly salted, and delicious), and get the spicy sweet Chipotle ketchup to dip the fries in.

You won't be disappointed.

So, another week, another sandwich.

A highly recommended sandwich at that.

This is my 11th entry here at The Danger Sandwich, and I hope it is as enjoyable for you as it has been for me so far. Please keep the suggestions coming (even for places not in Los Angeles), as I plan to keep moving forward in my mission of sampling delicious sandwiches, so that you may not have to face the DANGER by yourself.

Unless, of course, it's delicious.

Then by all means, have at it.

**** Stars

The Oinkster

2005 Colorado Blvd

Eagle Rock, CA

323-255-OINK

http;//www.theoinkster.com