Fuggetaboutit in San Mateo

Sandwiches, quite possibly the most versatile and fun lunch option anywhere, have always been a mainstay in my life. From my years growing up in NY(pastrami and corned beef heaven), to cheesesteaks in Philly(hoagie vs sandwich?), to my Italian roots, to California style(AVOCADO), the possibilities are endless. From the choice of bread to meats to toppings. Heck, I love a good Safeway sandwich if only because of the olive tapenade option.

So working in San Mateo means needing a reliable and close sandwich shop. One that has variety in all the areas I mention, and doesn't break the bank. Because living in Bay Area, shit gets $$$$. Burgers for $18? I remember growing up and hitting delis or Schlotskys(in its short stay in White Plains), and you could get a whole meal for $5. So the fact that getting a decent sandwich for under $10 feels like a victory also feels like a defeat, especially when the sandwich doesn't deliver the goods.

In San Mateo there is a spot called Americano. And this is a sandwich shop! Small hole in the wall in a small strip mall. You walk in and there are 40 sandwiches to choose from. And they run the gamut of options. 4 types of bread, including dutch crunch and sourdough, which did not exist in my life on the east coast, but are ever so important now.

Meat options til the sun comes up, from turkey to chicken to italian meats to roast beef, bacon and pastrami, and combos of them all!

They have all the standard toppings, and their secret, aka, Godfather sauce. A deli with a Godfather sauce, ya, that sounds like home, or New Jersey for you Sopranos fans who don't know any better.

The thing that really got me here is the availability of capicola. If you don't know what Capicola is, and you watch the Sopranos, then you weren't paying attention and probably think the Bada Bing was an amusement park(which it kinda was, but I digress).

Capicola is the meat that Tony loved, though he called is gabagool, because as we all know, New Jersey isn't the classiest of places. Who else would take the name of one of the most sensual of the cured meats(though not the most sensual George), and it's lovely Italian name, and make it sound like drool? Probably the people who named New Jersey the Garden State, but that's a debate for a blog that isn't this one.

Anyway, anytime I see Capicola, I gotta have it. If you don't know what it is, click here. A deliciously cured pork shoulder, with lots of fat, it can't be beat.

For me, the sign of a good sandwich is the thinness of the meat(unless its pastrami or corned beef of course). Why is thinner better? Simple, the thinner the slice, the more surface area of meat in your whole sandwich. 1/4 lb of meat in 1 chunk is not the same as 10 super thin slices, where each slice has the potential to deliver goodness. And at Americano, they slice them thin!

There is one sandwich here I really love, the Deuces. I'm not sure why they don't call it the Pittsburgh, because like in Pittsburgh, they put french fries on this sandwich. With Capicola, Bacon and Salami! And Mozzarella. And this place doesn't skimp on cheese.

But what I love about this place is when you make changes, they don't charge you extra. So on a recent visit, I subbed the fries for onion rings on my Deuces, and whoa nelly! That was a great idea. From the amazing combination of flavors from the 3 meats, to the ooziness of the mozz, adding in onion rings, with that deliciousness of fried bread and cooked onions, really brought it all together.

So if you are ever stuck in traffic on the 101 in the San Mateo area, which is a definite possibility, jump off the Hillsdale exit and get yourself a tasty sandwich. And then hit Bevmo for a road soda while you sit in traffic.

Kidding...