Homegrown: Reuben Revised

The Basics:
Zoe's pastrami with red wine sauerkraut on toasted onion rye bread. $8.95

The Tasting:
Overall, a good reuben. Not sloppy or greasy. The red wine sauerkraut gives the sandwich a unique flavor, but it isn't too strong. The sandwich could have used a little more pastrami, though.

The accompanying "South Carolina" slaw was very good and included pieces of green pepper, which gave it a nice flavor.

I definitely would recommend the sandwich; those who typically don't like reubens may like this one, too.

Other:
A good location in Fremont. The place itself has high ceilings and has lots of natural light during the day. The place is a bit small and you may have difficulty finding seating during busy times.

The breakfast menu look like something to check out, too.

Mike's Deluxe from MSM Deli

MSM Deli (The Magic Sandwich Makers)

2220 6th Ave.

Tacoma, WA, 98403

(253) 272-4814 (Highly recommend you call ahead during lunch and dinner hours, they get busy)

Msmdeli.com

The Basics

I went with the famous Mike’s Deluxe. A 9" French Roll piled high with Roast Beef, Turkey, Ham, Swiss, Cheddar, Lettuce, Sprouts, Onions, Tomatoes, Pickles, Mustard and Mayonnaise for $6.50.

Impressions

You can’t really be considered a true Tacoman until you have a Mike’s Deluxe at MSM. And if you want a true Tacoma experience, this is where to start. As I stated earlier, if you plan on ordering one of these during peak hours I highly recommend you call ahead. It’s more than worth the wait, but if you can avoid a 15 minute delay I would do it.

To be fair, this sandwich is a simple combination of all the basics, but for $6.50 it really can’t be beat. What it lacks in creativity, it more than makes up for in satisfaction and serving size. The bread is fresh and there’s never one ingredient that overpowers the others. There’s so much on there it can be tough to take it all in one sitting, but I always seem to manage. You can have the Magicians behind the counter make a custom sandwich for you, but really there’s no point. This one’s a winner and worth ordering every time.

Accompaniments/Ambiance/Service

The only side that comes with the sandwich is a dill pickle, but the store is filled with plenty to add. They have an amazing selection of microbrews and house-made salads or desserts. I usually just go with chips and vitamin water, though.

The restaurant is all class, which is evidenced by the fact they still have a picture up of my ’99 UPS Soccer team. You can get the sandwich to go, or sit in the dining area. Which to be honest is really nothing more than a bunch of tables and plastic chairs in a blank room. There is not much at MSM I would consider describing with the word ambience; this place is all about substance.

Verdict

When you think of sandwiches, the Mike's Deluxe is what comes to mind. I give it an unprecedented 10 out 10. Enough said.

RoRo BBQ - Pulled Pork and BBQ Beef

RoRo BBQ (aka Rowdy Cowgirl BBQ) is located in Wallingford (http://www.rowdycowgirl.com/)

Basics 
We dined on the Pulled Pork and BBQ Beef sandwiches ($9.95).

Impressions
Hailing from Kansas City, I consider myself a bit of a BBQ snob with a tendency to drown my food in sauce.  For a Seattle BBQ joint, I'd give this place a moderately strong thumbs up.  Good bun to meat ratio.  The pulled pork is pretty tasty and slightly better than the beef.  Our cat enjoyed both.  The Extra Spicy BBQ sauce was an ok accompaniment, but was not particularly spicy or interesting in flavor. 

Accompaniments/Ambiance/Service
Sides include cornbread, coleslaw, BBQ baked beans, veggie baked beans, potato salad, southern greens, succotash, fries or kettle chips.  On this visit we had the fries, which are salty and pretty tasty.  I'd recommend getting only one side of fries and another side if you're splitting, since the fry servings are huge.

Verdict
A strong second sandwich experience for the Seattle Sandwich Board.  If you're craving BBQ, a visit to RoRo should be considered.

Homegrown: Turkey, Bacon + Avocado

Basics
Turkey, bacon, avocado, aioli, mixed greens, tomato, and gouda on toasted country french bread. $9.95
Impressions
A well balanced sandwich - the bread, meats, and greens work well with each other without any of the ingredients overpowering the others. Definitely a sandwich whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
For those that do not know, Homegrown is aiming for sandwich sustainability by trying to balance ingredients sourced from organic and local producers. The turkey and bacon are from Zoe meats and the french bread is from the Essential Baking Company.
Accompaniments/Ambiance/Service
Your choice of Carolina slaw, homemade popcorn, potato chips. I went with the slaw. I liked it - a combination cabbage and green peppers (perhaps they need something spicier to substitute for green peppers). Do I also taste a hint of sesame oil?
The space is well lit and airy. There is limited seating at peak times so orders "to go" are a good option. It took them about 10 minutes to make my sandwich. The folks there were pretty friendly.
Verdict
A solid sandwich. Not sure I'd wait in a long line for this sandwich, but I'd definitely do it again. The $9.95 price tag seems about right.

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