Pressed sandwiches
‘Editorial’ or the ‘headliner’
Hot off the Press draws on newspaper lingo to name its sandwiches. Its most popular is the “editorial,” which includes grilled eggplant, chicken, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pesto on ciabatta bread -- pressed until the sandwich becomes nice and gooey. Two other popular sandwiches are the “headliner,” with turkey, roasted red peppers, provolone and pesto; and the “sportswriter,” with pastrami, Swiss cheese, tomatoes and yellow mustard. Both are grilled until the cheese runs and the bread is crunchy to the bite. (Editorial, $6.25; headliner, $5.75; sportswriter, $5.95.)
Hot off the Press, 601 W. 5th St., downtown Los Angeles, (213) 892-0940.
A Thursday tradition
At Campanile, Thursday’s Grilled Cheese Night has practically become an L.A. institution. Who wouldn’t line up for a divine croque monsieur topped with a crispy fried egg, or a classic grilled cheese with marinated onions and whole-grain mustard. If that’s not enough, there’s the inspired autostrada, filled with cured meats, provolone and spicy cherry peppers. If you can’t make it here on a Thursday evening, you might be lucky enough to find a pressed creation on the lunch menu, such as the prosciutto-cremini mushroom-Gruyere sandwich with citrus cream. (Sandwiches, $14 to $17.)
Campanile, 624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 938-1447.
Chicken, fish or vegetables
There’s quite a list to choose from at this quaint Santa Monica spot. If you love chicken, try panino di pollo marinato, a marinated chicken breast, mozzarella, Roma tomatoes and green pepper on crusty bread. If you prefer fish, order the panino garden melt -- it gives a whole new meaning to the tuna melt. It’s made with light tuna, artichokes, mozzarella, tomatoes, capers and caramelized onions on light, crisp Al Forno bread. If you love vegetables, the panino pesto is crammed with fresh grilled vegetables, Roma tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto on thin, delicate bread. All sandwiches are served with a mixed green salad with house vinaigrette. (Panino di pollo marinato, $7.95; panino garden melt, $7.95; panino pesto, $4.95.)
Panini Garden, 2715 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 399-9939.
A bit of Spain, touch of Cuba
You’ll find two pressed sandwiches at this new Pasadena restaurant. One is served on fresh potato dill bread, spread with hot mustard and topped with a layer of crisp red onion, slices of Manchego cheese and serrano ham served with an arugula salad. The other, a classic Cuban sandwich, is served on pan de agua smeared with a mustard/mayo mixture and is topped with a layer of light kosher pickles, slices of marinated pork, Swiss cheese and Black Forest ham, with a side of shoestring French fries with Cuban ketchup. Both sandwiches are pressed until the cheese is completely melted and the bread is golden and crisp. (Cafe Atlantic grilled cheese, $9; Cuban sandwich, $7.)
Cafe Atlantic, 53 E. Union St., Pasadena, (626) 796-7350.
--Jessica Strand