OC Register: Orange County's Best Sandwiches

Anne Valdespino from the OC Register provided insight this past weekend into Orange County's Best Sandwiches. Lucky for us, we can find four of these right here in Irvine!

By Anne Valdespino, OC Register

Gourmet grub gets fancier all the time so it’s no wonder that in this era of sheltering we’ve returned to comfort foods. According to data tracked by think tank Black Box Intelligence, the three pandemic takeout foods outperforming all others are pizza, burgers and chicken.

But let’s not forget the humble sandwich. What could be more satisfying than a hearty meal stuffed into heavenly bread? So here’s a round up of sammies with fillings you’ll crave.

Spaghetti Grilled Cheese Sandwich at Burnt Crumbs: We can’t exclude this legendary creation filled with spaghetti and toasted like a grilled cheese. The Travel Channel’s Casey Webb, host of “Man v. Food,” swooped in to do a segment on it in 2018. He compared it to his mom’s pasta dinners. “These guys took that and made it into a sandwich: garlic bread, spaghetti, sauce — but they kicked it up a notch, they made it spicy,” Webb said. Price: $11. Find it: 8549 Irvine Center Drive (Los Olivos Center), Irvine, 949-502-5998, burntcrumbs.com.

Brussels Sprouts Banh Mi at Sessions West Coast Deli: Oversized sprouts are charred outside but still have a bit of fresh crunch. They’re doused in a chili aioli that soaks into the French roll, making this a joyfully messy knife-and-fork affair. Jalapeños add extra spice, and green and magenta watermelon radishes sliced on a mandoline make it Instagrammable. Price: $11. Find it: 4736 Barranca Parkway (Woodbridge Village Center), Irvine, 949-333-3949, sessionswcd.com. (pictured below)

Italian Hoagie at Philly’s Best Cheesesteaks: Most fans rave about the cheesesteak, and it is legit. But we can’t get enough of the Italian. Capicola, Genoa salami and mortadella from Boar’s Head are piled high with provolone cheese. We recommend getting it made traditionally with oil, vinegar, oregano, lettuce and tomato, which give it that authentic Little Italy flavor when the sparky dressing soaks into the bread. Mmmmm! Price: $9.78. Find it: 4250 Barranca Parkway (Stonecreek Plaza), Irvine 949-857-2448, eatphillysbest.com.

Tandoori chicken sandwich at Maast Indian Cuisine: Tender tandoori chicken gets slathered with a cheesy queso and chutney, and you control the spice level. It’s grilled golden brown and the crinkle-cut fries it comes with can be “smothered” for $1 extra with more of that queso and chutney. Price: $9. Find it: 17951 Sky Park Circle, Unit F, Irvine, 909-306-6835, maastindian.com.

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