Put on your sandwich gloves, it’s time to eat some sandwiches

Where do you go in Buenos Aires to sink your teeth into that perfect sandwich? With almost every café and restaurant serving up some sanguche of sorts, only few really do it right. The ideal sandwich needs to have at least three important components to survive in the elite world of killer sandwiches:

#1 The Bread: This is key, my friends. It must be fresh, mustn’t be from the local chino, and it’s best if it is made in-house. Fanciness is always an added plus. (Ex: Focaccia and ciabatta are fancy, pan bimbo is not).

#2 The Main Attraction AKA the GOODS: This is the meatiness, what aids to give the sandwich that extra umph: the bacon, the chicken, the grilled vegetables, the beefy goodness.  Fatties, vegans, calorie counters, no matter what your sandwichinsides pleasure may be, there will be something for you. Important note: The main attraction must be cooked well, correctly seasoned and dancing with flavors, because you don’t want no rubbery chicken that tastes like dookie.

#3 The Fixins’: Probably what I consider to really make or break the sandwich, the fixinzzz (pronounced with a Southern drawwwl) is what allows all the flavors to marry in an amorous way.  Included under this category could be a fancy sauce, a spread, a flavored mayonnaise or as we call it in the biz – aioli, caramelized anything, pickled whatever – it’s what makes dat sandwich SHINE.

So without further ado, here are my top choices (and in no particular order because it’s hard for two different sandwiches to compare) of the best sandwiches in Buenos Aires.

HOT Pastrami @ La Crespo, Villa Crespo

The Bread: A hybrid rye-pumpernickel bread.  Simple yet comforting.

The Goods: HOT pastrami. 170 grams of the good stuff. Homemade, thinly sliced, lean, perfectly cured, pretty in pink color. Pastrami in Argentina is a bit different than the pastrami I’m used to; it’s more of a corned beef-pastrami combo. Nevertheless, it’s the total HOTNESS, HOT always in caps.

The Fixin’s: Spicy dijon mustard on the sandwich, playful pickles and a whopping portion of extra sweet caramelized onions on the side.

Polo Brie (or Polo Tom) @ Marfa, Delivery

The Bread: Marfa’s infamous baguette tries to fool you, looking very similar to chino bread, but it ain’t.  Often times delivered warm, I could easily just eat this bread with butter, and call it a day.

The Goods: It’s grilled chicken mother truckers!  Crunchy, browned, well seasoned, but still plain enough to go nicely with massive gloobs of Brie.

The Fixin’s: Here we go! There are two versions of this sandwich: first, the traditional with tomato, homemade mayo and caramelized onions. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, but here is where it gets kicked up a NOTCH – order the Polo TOM and they will throw in bacon and avocado.

If you aren’t into this type of sandwich, try the Machote (ultra tender pulled beef, brie, caramelized onion, arugula and honey mustard) or the Club de Barrio (Grilled chicken breast, bacon, mozzarella, tomato and honey mustard).

Roger Sandwich @ Loreto Garden Bar, Colegiales

The Bread: Focaccia (here’s the fancy bread I was talkin’ about). This is homemade, really good, soft but not too soft so that it falls apart.  They got it right.

The Goods: Grilled chicken breast, white meat, nicely cooked, no nasty cartilage pieces.

The Fixin’s: Roger is one Lactose-filled fat ass: Brie, Parmesan and cream cheese with a Guacamole-esque mashed avocado, arugula and sun dried tomatoes.

En El Nombre de Postre can cook a helluva pollo-packed sandwich as well.

Brie, Goat Cheese & Chutney Sandwich @ A Manger, Palermo SohoThe Bread: Whole wheat or white, take your pick. It’s not the best bread, but it does the trick.

The Goods: A double whammy of cheeses: Creamy goat cheese and creamier Brie. Ask for it toasted and it’s a grilled cheese sensation.

The Fixin’s: Sweet and tangy apple-onion chutney, fancy mustard, tomato and lettuce. Absolute wonder in a bite, the chutney brings a smiling complexity (yes, I am just talking about a sandwich). Chutchutchut, you can even buy a small container of it para llevar.

A Manger boasts a menu of over 20 sandwiches, with prime choices like Smoked Turkey & Cheddar Cheese (it’s fake cheddar, but not as asqueroso as most) and a winning Chorizo and Gruyere sandwich.

Pollo Clásico @ NOLA Gastropub, Palermo

The Bread: Freshly mother fuckin’ brioche baked daily, son. It’s a pillow of wonder.

The Goods: A generous portion of perfectly fried chicken breast that has been marinated for over 24 hours in cajun spices.

The Fixin’s: Simple homemade spicy mayo. Ask for pickled jalapeños if you like your shit extra picante. If it comes with coleslaw on the side, add that goodness to the sandwich.

Bondiola Sandwich @ Porota, Palermo Hollywood

The Bread: Rosemary ciabatta – that’s EXTRA fancy!

The Goods: Pick up the pork! Slow roasted pork shoulder, incredibly tender, forkfalling apart.

The Fixin’s: Thinly shaved cheese, fresh tomatoes, pesto and here’s the kicker: grilled calabaza. The sandwich might be a little wimpy for a growing boy or girl, but the sweetness of the calabaza is a dopeass bondiola-fied bite.

CHORIPAN or BONDIOLA @ Any of  THESE carritos, THIS bizarre place in the park, or or THIS place on Carlos Calvo & Bolivar, San Telmo

The Bread: This is what really makes or breaks a good choripan: the bread needs to be fresh, soft inside with a chewy crust and lightly toasted on a dirty grill.

The Goods: This also makes or breaks a good choripan: plump, juicy, thick well done chorizo. Insert your own penile joke.

The Fixin’s: No drama here, just add a good chimichurri (preferably with a bit of spicy kick) and vinegary salsa criolla.

It’s not really fair for to the other sandwiches than the choripan is included in this list because it’s the ultimate A-list celeb in the sandwich world.

Where do you go to eat the best sandwich in Buenos Aires?

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