At its most basic, a sandwich is a simple, nourishing lunch. Bread, meat, maybe cheese. A condiment or two.
But Americans are obsessed with sandwiches, as evidenced by their proliferation on menus everywhere.
Sometimes, a great sandwich is nothing more than really good ingredients, and sometimes, there’s a lot more to it.
Here are my 10 current favorite restaurant sandwiches in St. Paul — with one outlier found in Roseville, but I know I haven’t tried them all. Who serves your go-tos?
Saigon Dip at Ngon Bistro ($14): I cannot stress enough what a genius idea this sandwich is. Brisket, cooked in Ngon’s rich, wonderful pho broth, gruyere and sweet caramelized onions would be good, but also dipped in a pork belly jus? It rises to the level of greatness. The fries are deep golden and delicious, too. 799 W. University Ave.; 651-222-3301; ngonbistro.com
Broodjes sandwiches at Amsterdam Bar and Hall ($5): Why stop with one sandwich when you can have two? These little gems, served on slider-sized rolls, span many cultures and flavors, but my favorite is the seared pit ham with gouda — thick cut ham, griddled for caramelization, just enough cheese for richness, and I like to add red cabbage, which I think is worth the extra $1, for crunch. 6 W. Sixth St., St. Paul; 612-285-3112; amsterdambarandhall.com
Ham and cheese sandwich from Brunson’s Pub ($10): Oh, how I love this sandwich, which combines sweet, smoky ham, creamy brie, peppery arugula, juicy tomato and plenty of tangy honey dijon aioli on a crusty, squishy telera roll. Whatever you do, don’t upgrade to the fries. Stick with the pub’s house-made potato chips and order a side of the dill-onion dip to go with them. 956 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 651-447-2483; brunsonspub.com
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Walleye Sandwich at Tavern on Grand ($14.50): Tavern on Grand’s walleye is famous for a reason, and when I have a hankering for a fish sandwich, this is where I’m going. Flaky fish, done your way (I usually like it fried on a sandwich), topped simply with lettuce, tomato and your choice of sauce. I recommend the very Minnesota-spicy jalapeno tartar. 656 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-228-9030; tavernongrand.com
Bologna Sandwich at Saint Dinette ($12): Whenever I ask my husband if he wants to go to Saint Dinette, his answer is a pleading, “Bologna sandwich?” I’m always happy to oblige and tuck into my half of a bun that can barely hold the mounds of sweet-salty bologna given a proper ride on a griddle for maximum flavor and topped with house-made American cheese. He likes to put the briny pickles on his half, I prefer to munch on them separately. We only share it so we can try more menu items, because chef Adam Eaton is always coming up with something new and delicious. 261 E. Fifth St., St. Paul; 651-800-1415; saintdinette.com
Torta at Pajarito ($13): No photo can fully capture the goodness contained in this monster of a sandwich, which contains tender, grilled beef, house-made jalapeno Cheez Whiz, grilled peppers, lots of fresh, green cilantro and is served standing at attention in a puddle of bright and smoky, slightly spicy tomato sauce. The easily shareable torta paired with the restaurant’s freshly fried tortilla chips and a flight of salsas is a great way to salve any wound. 605 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-340-9545; pajaritostp.com
Beef and Cheddar at Maverick’s ($8): Tender, slow roasted beef, and plenty of it, drenched in a real cheese on a just-right pretzel bun, served at lightning-fast speed. What else does your lunch hour need? 1746 N. Lexington Ave., Roseville; 651-488-1788
Porketta Cubano at Iron Ranger ($11): If you haven’t been to this tiny new tavern on Grand Avenue, what are you waiting for? While you’re there, order my favorite thing on the menu, this brilliant mashup between a traditional Cuban and an Iron-Range favorite, the porketta sandwich. The pork is tender and juicy, the ham, Swiss and pickles just right, and kicky giardiniera is added to take things up a notch. 1085 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-487-1913; ironrangermn.com
Baguette sandwich at Salty Tart ($9): Looking at this behemoth of a crusty-chewy baguette, overflowing with salty-sweet Peterson meats ham, thinly sliced gruyere and a generous swipe of arugula butter, I thought, “Wow, I’ll have lunch tomorrow, too!” Then I finished it. No regrets. If you’re looking for a lunch to take back to the office, skip the greens the sandwich usually comes with and get a cookie and an iced tea or coffee, all for $11. 289 E. Fifth St., St. Paul; 612-874-9206; saltytart.com
Brisket Sammy ($13) at Revival: The sandwich game is strong at Revival, so much that it was tough to pick a favorite, but the crunch and acid provided by sweet pickles and a mustard slaw put this meaty behemoth over the top. Thankfully for sandwich lovers, the equally juicy, smoky pastrami sandwich, currently available only on Mondays in St. Paul, will be a regular offering at the new Revival Smoked Meats in Keg and Case West 7th Market, which is set to open Sept. 14. 525 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-340-2355; revivalfriedchicken.com
