Los Angeles: 14 Top Open-Faced 'Sandwiches'
It's official! Sandwiches no longer require two slices of bread. Hell, open-faced eating options don't even have to be sandwiches anymore. Around Los Angeles, diners can now choose from a number of exciting face-up foods that are globally inspired. And we're not counting tacos or pizza, since that's just way too easy.
Joshua Lurie is the Los Angeles based founder of Food GPS
1. THE BAZAAR PHILLY CHEESESTEAK
Inside José Andrés' multi-faceted gastronomic pleasure palace, not every bite must cost a king's ransom. For instance, a section called Some Little Sandwiches includes a fun riff on a "Philly cheesesteak" — with football-shaped "air bread" piped with Fiscalini cheddar espuma and topped with seared Wagyu beef, sweet onion jam, a drizzle of olive oil, chives and sea salt. 465 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-246-5555 thebazaar.com
2. EURO PANE EGG SALAD SANDWICH
Chef Sumi Chang has carved out a nice niche for herself in east Pasadena with a pair of much-loved bakery cafés. One enduring Euro Pane dish that continues to give her venture a boost is the unique egg salad sandwich, featuring well-seasoned poached eggs served on a choice of bread (we prefer brioche) with sun-dried tomato paste, mixed greens and a light shower of chives. 950 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626-5770-1828
3. FARMSHOP NICOISE
The transformation is complete at Farmshop, a multi-faceted restaurant, bakery and market inside Brentwood Country Mart from chef Jeff Cerciello and front-of-house business partner Michel Darmon. At lunch, Farmshop's modern Niçoise salad comes on olive bread with albacore tuna salad, Kalamata olives, hard-boiled egg, sea salt and Dijon mustard, with crisp lettuce on the side. 225 26th St., Santa Monica, 310-566-2400, farmshopla.com
4. SQIRL BRIOCHE TOAST
SQIRL chef-owner Jessica Koslow and former Canelé cook Ria Wilson command the open kitchen, which started serving Silver Lake to complement G&B Coffee's residency. Koslow sources buttery brioche from Proof Bakery and lavishes the bread with seasonal toppings. Savory offerings might include kale, tangy tomatillo puree, lacto-fermented hot sauce and a fried egg; sweet Gravenstein apple butter and avocado honey; or black Mission fig jam and prosciutto de Parma. 720 N. Virgil Ave., Silver Lake, 213.394.6526, sqirlla.com
5. M.B. POST BENEDICT
At this postal-themed Manhattan Beach restaurant from chef David LeFevre and the Simms brothers, weekend brunch has become a phenomenon. So have LeFevre's bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits, which have their own Facebook page. Brunch and biscuits join forces to support a Benedict that comes in a cast iron skillet, complete with halved biscuits, layers of arugula, La Quercia prosciutto, poached eggs and cascading Hollandaise sauce. 1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, 310-545-5405, eatmbpost.com
6. MEALS BY GENET VEGETARIAN COMBINATION
Genet Agonafer sources ingredients from her native Ethiopia and has an especially deft touch that gives her an edge over Little Ethiopia neighbors. Injera, Ethiopia's signature sour "crepe" crafted from teff, forms the base of each of her plates and doubles as utensils. Giant discs are available with toppings of the bone-in lamb stew called Hirutye's Yebegsiga Alitcha, which radiates garlic, ginger and other spices, but better yet, order the Vegetarian Combination. Ten distinct piles form a colorful palette, including green lentils with fiery Ethiopian mustard, collard greens and sunflower seed puree. 1053 S. Fairfax Ave., Little Ethiopia, 323-938-9304, mealsbygenet.com
7. MOMED OHANYAN SOUJOUK FLATBREAD
Alex Sarkissian, a former fashion industry executive, operates a modern Mediterranean café in central Beverly Hills, drawing on influences from several countries. For instance, pide are oval Turkish flatbreads, and our favorite version features Ohanyan soujouk — a spicy sausage — red onion, piquillo peppers and molten Halloumi cheese, all molded into a singular product in the mesquite-burning oven. 233 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-270-4444, atmomed.com
8. MUSH BAKERY MANEISHE SANDWICH
Serop Agadzhanyan's Little Armenia bakery will gladly sell customers a special Maneishe Sandwich...as long as they provide 40 minutes notice. It's worth the trouble to receive a flatbread coated with zatar, a blend of oregano, sumac, thyme and sesame seeds. Employees layer on salty Cacique cheese, avocado, tomato, black olives, mint and an exclamatory dusting of Aleppo pepper. 5224 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-662-2010, mushbakery.com
9. PEACH CAFE HBAB
At Nita Milstein's artsy, Southern-tinged café in family-friendly Monrovia, her Open-Face HBAB is a sandwich featuring slabs of savory country ham, molten brie and a liberal slathering of apple butter. It's a study of textures and flavors. 141 E. Colorado Blvd., Monrovia, 626-599-9092, thepeachcafe.com
10. MEXICALI TACO & CO. CACHETADA
Esdras Ochoa and Javier Fregoso hail from the Mexico-California border town of Mexicali and now prepare takes on their native cuisine full-time. Many supporters followed the duo from their freeway-adjacent street stall to a brick-and-mortar establishment on the edge of Chinatown. Perhaps their greatest contribution to L.A.'s Mexican cuisine canvas is the cachetada, a crunchy tostada topped with meat (crumbly chorizo is best), molten cheese and a drizzle of spicy chipotle aioli. 702 N. Figueroa St., Downtown, 213-613-0416, mexicalitaco.com
11. PIZZERIA MOZZA CHICKEN LIVER BRUSCHETTE
The more casual Mozza from Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich features a sprawling menu. Executive chef Matt Molina, who collected a 2012 James Beard Award, includes several bruschette, perhaps none better than the version with chunky chicken liver, tangy capers, parsley and crispy sheets of guanciale. 641 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, 323-297-0101, pizzeriamozza.com
12. SHORT ORDER FRISEE LARDON RAFT
Short Order preaches sustainability, and the double-decker restaurant at the Original Farmers Market from Nancy Silverton, Bill Chait and the late Amy Pressman continues to crank up its efforts. Executive chef Christian Page now dismantles whole animals in-house, with rotating cuts of beef that fuel burgers. Our favorite open-faced raft involves brioche baked at sister establishment Short Cake, an almond wood-grilled patty of Magruder Ranch grass-fed beef, frisee, North Country Smokehouse applewood bacon lardons, a fried egg, shallots and lemon vinaigrette for complementary acidity. 6333 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, 323.761.7970, shortorderla.com
13. SKY'S GOURMET TACOS SUPER SHRIMP BURRITO
Barbara J. "Sky" Burrell makes some fierce tacos in Mid-City, and super shrimp burrito raises the stakes, with a sizeable pile of plump shrimp grilled on a flat top with chilies, cumin, garlic and oregano, shredded cheese and iceberg lettuce, spicy salsa and sour cream. The supporting tortillas (we suggest flour) are griddled in an identical blend of spices, helping to create a wholly unique "burrito," which hides nothing from the world. 5408 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.932.6253, skysgourmettacos.com
14. UPSTAIRS 2 LOBSTER BLT
Upstairs 2, a West LA restaurant that complements the ground floor Wine House, features seasonal small plates from executive chef Todd Barrie, including a Lobster BLT. Sweet pulled lobster meat adds a touch of luxury to traditional bacon, lettuce and tomato. The base is a square of toasted brioche and house-made mayo helps to meld the sandwich's key ingredients. 2311 Cotner Ave., Los Angeles, 310-231-0316, upstairs2.com
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