9 Underrated Sandwiches

Feb. 3 9:16 AM by ChendaNgak

With the Super Bowl offering opportunities to indulge in mass quantities of meat, cheese, and bread, we believe that some attention should be paid to some of the lesser-known sandwiches. They may not be on the menu at Subway or Quiznos, but these sandwiches should still be considered for consumption.

9- Po' Boy

Some people would look at a Po' boy sandwich and say that it's just a submarine sandwich, but it's so much more than that. This staple of the Louisiana diet consists meat or seafood (even alligator), lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, and onions on a baguette. The seafood is usually battered and fried so take note before you order.

8- Gyro

My big, fat, expanded waistline is demanding some answers. If you've ever had a good Gyro, you would understand. This Greek fast food is exotic, yet truly appealing to American taste buds. It consists of meat-usually chicken or lamb-roasted on a vertical rotisserie that is stuffed into a wrapped pita. If you go for the works, the toppings are usually tomatoes, onions, lettuce, French fries, and tzatziki sauce. (If you must know, tzatziki sauce is usually made of strained yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, and garlic.)

7- Dagwood

There are no hard rules about what goes into a Dagwood sandwich (shown above, sideways.). The only requirements are that it must be thick and multi-layered with meats, cheeses, and condiments. Named after Dagwood Bumstead of the comic strip Blondie, this tall wonder never caught on with real people--even in the 1990s when super-sizing was the norm. Now that eating is out of style, this sandwich will undoubtedly die a slow death. What a delicious shame.

6- Banh Mi

There is a saying in that when the English colonized India, they left behind a great infrastructure; and that when the French colonized South East Asia, they left behind great bread. That ain't no lie! The Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that usually consists of a variety of meats like grilled pork, grilled chicken and pate; then topped with pickled carrots, daikon, onions and cilantro. This is not your average All-American sandwich. Proceed if you consider yourself an adventurous gourmand.

5- Sloppy Joe

The Sloppy Joe is as delicious as it is simple: ground meat, tomato sauce or ketchup, and hamburger buns. One of America's most proudest inventions, it is a testament to the resourcefulness of Depression-era cooks, who had to stretch plenty of value out of low-grade beef. While the quality of meat has increased in recent years, the proliferation of Sloppy Joes haven't. Good luck finding it at a restaurant, as even the cleanest eater is going to end up with plenty of bits of beef and sauce on their face.

4- Fluffernutter

Most folks consider sandwiches strictly grounds for savory ingredients, but if the Fluffernutter is any indication, there's more to sweet sandwiches than just PB&J. The mixture of peanut butter and marshmallow creme is popular in the Northeast, but a unknown entity elsewhere. If you actually find a supermarket with Marshmallow Fluff on the shelves, we highly recommend whipping up a Fluffernutter for yourself.

3- Falafel

You wouldn't expect a high-quality sandwich to come out of the birthplace of Christ (Have you ever eaten a communion wafer? Yuck!), but the Falafel is an amazing example of the culinary quality of the area. Served in a pita (pocket bread) and filled with savory delights like vegetables, salad, spicy condiments and tahini, it can be found on every street corner in the mideast. That is, the non-war torn areas.

2- Torta

This Mexican delight is quite unique. It's served on an oblong roll called a telera and stuffed in almost any variety your stomach could lust after, depending on where you order it. Most places will offer beef, ham, turkey, and sausage with a chipolte mayonnaise sauce; then you can get it topped with avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onions. It's a hot sandwich and they usually warm the bread and sauce up on the grill before serving it up.

1- Croque Monsieur & Croque Madame

Bonjour Coronary heart disease! There are no veggies in this French import. The Croque Monsieur is a straightforward ham and cheese sandwich, grilled and topped with more cheese. (Not for the lactose intolerant!) If you want to live on the edge-the edge of a heart attack-then go for a Croque Madame, which is basically a Croque Monsieur topped with an egg. Au revoir, appetite!