There’s a small chain called Ikes on the West Coast, that uses a bread called Dutch crunch (haven’t found it out east), but the secret is they hollow out some of the bread, to make it less bready
A lot of people say the bread, the cheese, the sauce, etc.
I think what really can set a sandwich apart from an average one is texture.
I like my stuff sliced thin as for me, it has a better mouth feel. You can take a great roast beef, on great bread, but if sliced too thick, it’s all skewed.
Breads and Spreads, assuming you start good quality with the meat and cheese. The ratio matters as well. A sandwich should be 1/3 meat 1/3 bread and 1/3 “the rest” (cheese, condiments). A bread needs to hold up to the load and not fall apart. Now Spreads – look at the premium sandwiches – almost all have something unique going on with the spread. Its not simple mustard, mayo etc – its a complex blend. Huge difference.
You’ll note Subway has pulled focus on sauces/spreads. Sadly they cut the meat down to a veneer and a sandwich is mostly salad unless you pay for “double meat”. And sadly their hallmark – the in house baked bread – has also gotten cheap. Quiznos and Togos fell down the same slippery slope.
The final pet peeve – the lettuce, pickles, tomatoes et al should be dry! I cannot stand it when those elements flood the bread and make it soggy. Destroys the whole thing.
Too many places in the UK have gotten comfortable with either using nothing at all as a layer on top of the bread, or mayo. This is completely unacceptable. Butter should be the only thing used on bread, or at a push margarine. Any type of sauce like mayo, ketchup etc is not a suitable replacement for margarine or butter.
Stop cutting corners you tight, money grabbing arseholes and make a proper sandwich.
It’s the ingredients and how fresh they are. I still remember a sandwich my friend’s dad, who owned an Italian restaurant in NYC, made us. Homemade Italian bread with top end fresh prosciutto and mozzarella. I 0t had some oil or Italian dressing on it IDR it was 30 years ago.
Quality of ingredients is a big one. But a lot of people have said, so I’ll say this.
I usually toast my bread first, and if I have time, use a press to cook the sandwich a little. Then use some foil or wax paper to wrap the sandwich REALLY tight, and leave it for at least 5 minutes.
That heat and wrapping makes the sandwich stick together more, and it eats better.
If someone else makes it for me! Not as in one I ordered somewhere, but the kind of sandwich that someone who loves you would make for you. Those are the best sandwiches.
Have someone else make it. Almost every really good sandwich tastes better if someone else makes it. Same ingredients, same technique and same order of assembly and the other persons will taste better virtually every time.
Air, believe it or not: fold the deli meats so they overlap but still keep some gaps between the layers. It makes for a nicer bite than a dense stack of wet meat
Comments
From Subway to Jersey Mike’s.
The bread you choose
Sprinkling some spices on top the mayo.
really good crispy lettuce and onions. Also bread thats soft but absorbs meat juice without becoming sloppy.
Fried bacon
the sauce. A sandwich without sauce to one with sauce is what changes everything
Seasoning.
Almost nobody cares to put any on their sandwich. They just throw some condiments on and call it good.
Salt, pepper and other spices depending on the sandwich type can really take it to the next level.
A bit of vinegar can be good too if you want to skip the calories from mayo.
Even just some seasoning salt is really good.
Pesto
The bread. A nice sourdough elevates a sandwich
Cheese
Onions
Plain potato chips for a crunch. Trust me on this. ANY sandwich.
When someone else makes it for you
When it’s wrapped tightly in deli paper
Vinegar
Good bread! Goes a long way
Your level of hunger.
There’s a small chain called Ikes on the West Coast, that uses a bread called Dutch crunch (haven’t found it out east), but the secret is they hollow out some of the bread, to make it less bready
Not making it myself
When you’ve been swimming all day and then you put crisps in it
bacon
Pickled daikon
Joes brisket and an onion ring
Pickles
Capicola.
Oh and pepperocini.
Wickles – wickedly delicious pickles
Aside from bread, proper seasoning on the ingredients.
Avocado 🥑
Salad cream
Bacon, bread, real mayo
I learned that I can up my home-made sandwich experience by sprinkling a little dried tarragon on it. Works wonders.
SEASON YOUR TOMATOES PEOPLE
A thin slice of red onion.
Toasted
I don’t like mayonnaise, so sometimes I use some french onion dip as a spread. Tastes really good and it makes it not dry.
A lot of people say the bread, the cheese, the sauce, etc.
I think what really can set a sandwich apart from an average one is texture.
I like my stuff sliced thin as for me, it has a better mouth feel. You can take a great roast beef, on great bread, but if sliced too thick, it’s all skewed.
The moistmaker.
Butter. Just a veil of butter on the bread.
Great bread or rolls is a must
Proper piling of the lunch meat. You can’t just slap a few slices down flat, you have to fold it such that it adds volume and texture.
Black pepper and oregano
Special sauce.
When it has a diagonal cut.
Bread and Butter
Pepperchinis.
Mayo and avocado
Onions
Marmite, it’s always Marmite.
Quality of the meat.
Good ingredients. Definitely not any American „cheese“, but actual good cheese for example.
Hot peppers
Breads and Spreads, assuming you start good quality with the meat and cheese. The ratio matters as well. A sandwich should be 1/3 meat 1/3 bread and 1/3 “the rest” (cheese, condiments). A bread needs to hold up to the load and not fall apart. Now Spreads – look at the premium sandwiches – almost all have something unique going on with the spread. Its not simple mustard, mayo etc – its a complex blend. Huge difference.
You’ll note Subway has pulled focus on sauces/spreads. Sadly they cut the meat down to a veneer and a sandwich is mostly salad unless you pay for “double meat”. And sadly their hallmark – the in house baked bread – has also gotten cheap. Quiznos and Togos fell down the same slippery slope.
The final pet peeve – the lettuce, pickles, tomatoes et al should be dry! I cannot stand it when those elements flood the bread and make it soggy. Destroys the whole thing.
The way the contents are layered and assembled. It matters. Proportions matter.
Marmite
Piccalilli
Kerrygold butter makes a huge difference for me.
Branston Pickle
Using butter.
Too many places in the UK have gotten comfortable with either using nothing at all as a layer on top of the bread, or mayo. This is completely unacceptable. Butter should be the only thing used on bread, or at a push margarine. Any type of sauce like mayo, ketchup etc is not a suitable replacement for margarine or butter.
Stop cutting corners you tight, money grabbing arseholes and make a proper sandwich.
Real butter.
Branston pickle
Arugula
I think a good Russian dressing on a turkey and cheese sandwich takes it over the top.
Crisps
MSG!
Buttering the bread and toasting it
Banana peppers
Someone else making it for you (adds the element of surprise)
When it takes its bra off
Bread
Its the quality of bread and fresh herbs
It’s the ingredients and how fresh they are. I still remember a sandwich my friend’s dad, who owned an Italian restaurant in NYC, made us. Homemade Italian bread with top end fresh prosciutto and mozzarella. I 0t had some oil or Italian dressing on it IDR it was 30 years ago.
Quality of ingredients is a big one. But a lot of people have said, so I’ll say this.
I usually toast my bread first, and if I have time, use a press to cook the sandwich a little. Then use some foil or wax paper to wrap the sandwich REALLY tight, and leave it for at least 5 minutes.
That heat and wrapping makes the sandwich stick together more, and it eats better.
Bread, it’s always the Bread
Bacon
Miracle hwhip.
Kewpie Mayo + Onion powder
Trust
All sandwiches rated on a 5 star scale lose 1 star if it cannot be picked up and put down in between bites without falling apart.
Bacon!
If someone else makes it for me! Not as in one I ordered somewhere, but the kind of sandwich that someone who loves you would make for you. Those are the best sandwiches.
Bacon
Good pickles. Not the nuclear green ones from a jar, but actual good pickles that still resemble a cucumber
Wrapping it and letting everything get to know each other for a few minutes
When someone else pays for it, or somebody else makes it.
Bread choice and height
Texture… add something crunchy: lettuce, radish slices, potato chips…
Wasabi Mayo. 😉👍🏻
The sauce and a good cheese!
Good bread, fresh vegetables and quality cold cuts.
Oh, BACON!
Tiny pickles cut just right
Buttered and grilled.
The bread you choose & the flavour of sauce
Fresh veggies,bread, cheese and oil and vinegar.
Have someone else make it. Almost every really good sandwich tastes better if someone else makes it. Same ingredients, same technique and same order of assembly and the other persons will taste better virtually every time.
Arugula
Air, believe it or not: fold the deli meats so they overlap but still keep some gaps between the layers. It makes for a nicer bite than a dense stack of wet meat
Two beef patties, cheese, fried eggs and bacon.