Dining: Tasty any way you slice it

Nov. 3 is National Sandwich Day, an institution worth celebrating. Where would the bag lunch be without the sandwich? The Wall Street Journal went so far as to dub the sandwich “Britain’s biggest contribution to gastronomy” because the label is typically ascribed to the country’s John Montague, fourth Earl of Sandwich. It is said he wanted something easy to eat with one hand so he could continue playing cribbage.
Below are some stellar sandwiches found in the Burbank-Glendale-La Crescenta area. Few of them could easily be eaten with one hand but all of them are worth picking up with two. I’m not saying these are the best sandwiches in town — that is a highly subjective test. I am saying these sandwiches are wildly popular with customers and taste great to me.

One other caveat: The term “sandwich” might include burgers, panini, wraps, banh mi (the list goes on) but for the purposes of my study I stuck with the classics, meat or veggies between two bread slices and Italian subs.
Mario’s S.O.B.

740 E. Broadway, Glendale
($8.95) (All prices listed include tax)

I see why there’s always a line at this venerable deli. The S.O.B. (spicy sopprassetta, oven-roasted chicken, balsamic vinegar) is an amazing Italian sandwich. A perfect balance between bread, cold cuts, vegetables, sauces and spices, I couldn’t stop eating it. Besides the eponymous ingredients, the S.O.B. has olive oil, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and mozzarella (or “mmm”). Another perk to grabbing a sandwich at Mario’s is that you can pick up some homemade pasta sauce, a slab of gorgeous lasagna or packages of imported pasta among hundreds of other Italian specialties.
Santoro’s Pastrami Sub

1423 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank
($8.67 for a large)

Giamela’s Pepper Steak Sub
216 W. Magnolia, Burbank

($7.50 for a small)
I know I’ll be raising some eyebrows listing these two long-standing sandwich shops together. They’ve had a friendly rivalry for 50 years. Santoro’s has been around since 1956 (I met a loyal customer who rode his bike there as a kid in the ’50s), Giamela’s opened in ’64. Doug at Santoro’s tells me the original owner, Pat Santoro and the Giamela brothers had a falling out back in the ’60s. The Giamelas shook their fist declaring, “We’ll put you out of business.” They opened their own Italian sub shop a mile away and they’ve both been at it ever since.

There are some differences in their sandwiches but when compared to eight other sandwiches I tried all over town, Santoro’s and Giamela’s are remarkably similar. And remarkably delicious. I chose the pastrami at Santoro’s — lots of hot, sliced, spicy pastrami is pulled out of a simmering pot and laid on a soft Italian bun. They top it off with a salad made from pickles, onions, tomatoes and seasonings. At Giamela’s I got the highly recommended pepper steak. Again, lots of spiced meat is pulled out of a simmering pot, laid on a soft Italian bun with cheese and topped with a chunkier version of the pickle, tomatoand onion relish. Messy, warm and oh, so satisfying.
Rayhun’s Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

120 N. Brand, Glendale
($8.67 incl. potato salad and pickle)

The bread is fluffier and the sandwich is smaller but the taste is unique. Franks Red Hot sauce gives the sub its buffalo flavor, chunks of chicken and house aioli give it decadent mouth feel. Mozzarella, lettuce and tomato cool off the heat. The dill-flecked potato salad that comes alongside is great.
Olive & Thyme’s Short Rib Sandwich

3821 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake
($14.17)

The priciest of the listed sandwiches but arguably the best. Smoky sweetness pervades the slow cooked ribs which are shredded and layered with caramelized onions, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise on thick-cut buttered boule, charred with grill marks. Nothing else, no lettuce or tomato to get in the way of the sublime, murmur-inducing experience. That’s the way they do it at this chic new counter-service cafe and marketplace in Toluca Lake Village where one can also pick up gourmet salads, Sqirl Jams, fine cheeses or dark chocolate desserts among other tasties.
Tickle Tree Cafe’s Eggplant Sandwich

2853 Foothill Blvd, La Crescenta
($9.76 incl. salad)

I’m normally a meat-and-bread kind of sandwich-lover but Tickle Tree’s eggplant version is hard to beat. They take great care with each ingredient. The tomato is baked with garlic and thyme, the red pepper is roasted, blackened skin removed, the eggplant is grilled to a soft, creamy texture, the basil pesto made fresh, and the provolone just the right amount of strong. All is grilled on delicate sourdough slices. Great balance and flavor. Hearty and filling, especially with the green salad alongside, and the only sandwich listed here that could possibly be eaten with one hand.
If John Montague, fourth Earl of Sandwich can travel through time and space, he ought to come to our community for National Sandwich Day but leave his cribbage cards behind.

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LISA DUPUY welcomes suggestions and comments at LDupuy@aol.com.