The "Best Sandwich In America" - Roast Pork with Broccoli Rabe and Sharp Provolone - DiNic's, Philadelphia, PA

I finally had the pleasure of transferring one of these to my stomach. This sandwich just works- thin sliced, juicy slow cooked pork, the slight bitterness of the sauteed broccoli rabe, and the sharp bite of the high-quality provolone all meld together. I tucked into this one on a particularly stressful day, and it washed all of my worries away. The next time you are in Philadelphia- you should run, not walk, over to Reading Terminal market and grab one of these. The cheesesteak doesn't even compare. Dinic's is it- even the Travel Channel's Adam Richman agrees- he recently declared this sandwich the winner of his "best sandwich in America" series. Check out Adam's thoughts about Dinic's sandwich after the jump...

When in Philadelphia...

When in Philadelphia, grabbing a quick cheese steak is practically a requirement. The last time I was there, and had to find a quick lunch, I ended up stopping at a nondescript food truck sitting at the corner of North Broad and Callowhill, next to the Philadelphia Inquirer building. This is the classic Philadelphia street food- a piece of comfort food that is to Philadelphia what the dirty-water hot dog is to New York. This sandwich doesn't even try to be anything other than a good, hearty, utilitarian lunch. It is not high-end, just good solid street food, just like it should be. It did not come from a kitchen as well known as the highly publicized Genos or Pat's King of Steaks. This Cheesesteak came from a more humble origin- and is possibly more authentic in it's own unassuming way. It comes from Gus' Lunch Truck - apparently a local neighborhood fixture that's been in place for 21 years. Gus' future is uncertain- Gus plans to retire and may sell the truck if there is no longer enough business to keep them going. I didn't know any of this when I enjoyed my cheesesteak, but now I appreciate having the chance to have had a part of this little piece of the city's history.

Wawa Turkey Gobbler Hoagie

Sub sandwiches are, without a doubt, a "New Jersey thing." There are many sub shops, big and small, including large chain stores. Most convenience stores- notably the two most common in the state, Quick Check, and Wawa have deli counters that feature fresh subs  - and remarkably, despite the fact that they are convenience stores, actually put together a really good Jersey style sub. One of the more recent additions to their menu is the turkey gobbler hoagie...

It's a simple concept, that we've all made some variation of a day or two after thanksgiving, but, despite none of the ingredients being anything more than mundane convenience store fare, when it comes together, it's greater than the sum of it's parts. Start with a good New Jersey sub roll, pile on some stuffing, cranberry sauce, sliced turkey, and some turkey gravy, then wrap it tightly in a paper wrapper. By the time you get it home, the roll will probably be a little soggy from soaking up the gravy, and the sandwich will probably be somewhat ugly looking- but the while idea of wrapping your sub and carrying it around for a while is the secret ingredient. It allows all the flavors to meld together and get to know each other. Ugly? maybe, Good, yes!

The cranberry is key, the tart/acid cuts through all the heavy meat, gravy, and extra carbs from the stuffing, bringing the whole thing into balance. That said- this is far from a healthy sandwich- but if you like the thanksgiving leftover thing, you'll enjoy tucking into this one- it's thanksgiving in sub form.

Short Rib Sandwich - Taos, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Taos is a Bar/Restaurant in one of the residential areas a short drive from Giant's Stadium. I've had the occasion to grab a business lunch there twice in the past three months, and had the same dish both times, which, I think, can reveal a lot about a restaurant. I'm talking, of course, about the Beef Short Rib sandwich...

The "Morning After" Sandwich - Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving leftovers are a staple of the American diet in late November- some families may have enough leftover turkey and trimmings to make several days worth of meals out of. "Heat it and Eat it" is always a good option- but two or three meals later, it gets boring, fast. Here I walk through a simple idea for a hearty leftover sandwich. This sandwich is a meal in itself, and is starchy enough to help soak up all that excess alcohol the next morning for those of you who indulged in a little too much wine on the big day...

Grilled Cheese + Pulled Pork = Food Porn

Grilled Cheese as "Food Porn"

A well-formed brown crust, oozing cheese, a saucy pork filling, all melding together and drooling on the plate... The humble grilled cheese never disappoints when it comes to alluring food photos- even for a mediocre photographer such as I.

Today's lunch was a simple grilled cheese sandwich- store bought slices white bread, swiss cheese, and about a tablespoon of leftover barbecued pulled pork. The sauce from the pork makes friends with the cheese, and produces something greater than the sum of it's parts when encased in a crunchy, yet still slightly chewy bread shell. Next time I make one of these there will be a little cole slaw on it too... oh yes, there will be cole slaw...

Hoagie Hut - Bridgewater New Jersey

Hoagies, Subs, Grinders, Heros... there are many names, but they all translate to "really big sandwich." New Jersey is one of those places that has a long tradition of great hoagies/subs/whatever. The New Jersey style hoagie has a few distinguishing features- but they are probably not all that unfamiliar to people from other areas.