the earl’s challenge: #11 — smoked meat sandwich [at “Mile End Delicatessen”]

Mile End Delicatessen

as much as i respect katz’s pastrami, i have a special place in my heart for mile end’s smoked meat ‘wich, a half-pound pile of deli deliciousness. the meat is dry-cured, smoked, and then steamed, which gives it a moister, deeper flavor than katz’s pastrami. in a nod to its new york tribemates, mile end applies mustard and shoves everything in between regular rye bread, but the similarities end there. this is the best deli ‘wich on the list, no doubt.

the earl’s challenge: #12 — breakfast melt [at “Murray’s Cheese”]

Murray’s Cheese

if i were a consumer of the silly juice, i would want to down several of these bad boys the day after a jag. the fried egg and fried nueske bacon are, of course, requisite for hangovers, but the creme de la creme is the fontina cheese. good Lord, but Murray’s has some awesome cheese. i would bathe in this cheese if i could (i.e., if i had enough of it and if i did not have a roommate/shred of dignity). hermione joined me in splitting this melt. i love hermione, but a little piece of me cried when i shared with her.

the earl’s challenge: #13 — croque monsieur [at “Bar Boulud”]

Bar Boulud

much like chef keller’s tuna tartine, chef daniel boulud’s croque monsieur is basically a fancy-pants upgrade of a classic ‘wich, in this case, the ham-and-cheese. rich cheese, smooth bechamel, and distinct ham flavors meld seamlessly in a decadently gooey ensemble. not as aggressively salty as the mark’s, and not as sloppy as breslin’s; refined, composed, restrained, but bursting with flavor; french.

the earl’s challenge: #14 — pastrami sandwich [at “Katz’s Delicatessen”]

Katz’s Delicatessen

whether you’ve seen “when harry met sally” an umpteen number of times, or whether your idea of a relaxing evening is vegging out in front of “food network” specials on the telly, you know about katz’s delicatessen, and you know about its world-famous pastrami ‘wich. if you slip the boys up front a few bucks, they’ll carve some extra slices for you, but the normal order is plenty prodigious on its own. katz’s pastrami is succulent, buttery-smooth, and nicely spiced, with fat ribbons lovingly left intact for the not-so-discriminating gourmands. slather on the requisite mustard, pack everything into puny slices of rye bread, and you’ve got culinary royalty. care to have what i’m having?

the earl’s challenge: #15 — duke’s churasco [at “Island Burgers & Shakes”]

Island Burgers & Shakes

i can talk about the moist, aggressively spiced blackened chicken. i can talk about the melted, gooey, sharp jack cheese. i can talk about a million things under the island palm trees, but i won’t, because i’ve temporarily lost my voice. why? because my tongue is singed and my tonsils are shriveled, all courtesy of the jalapeno peppers and the habanero chili coating applied to duke’s churasco at the tiki-themed Island Burgers & Shakes. i am proud to say that i finished this ‘wich in one sitting. i am less proud to say that there were many unpleasant “sittings” as a result of that culinary foolishness. something tells me that duke was never that merciless. so much for the aloha spirit.

the earl’s challenge: #16 — connecticut lobster roll [at “Red Hook Lobster Pound”]

Red Hook Lobster Pound

first, the lingo. a maine lobster roll offers its lobster cool and topped with mayo, while a connecticut lobster roll features warm and buttered lobster sans mayo. this connecticut lobster roll sings with lobster-y goodness, with its buttered roll and sprinkled smoky paprika complementing the unmistakable flavor of warm lobster. the ‘wich is a bit on the expensive side, but when the main ingredient is this stellar (and when you’re a long way from the isles), you shut up and indulge happily.

the earl’s challenge: #17 — smoked pork shoulder banh mi [at “Fatty ‘Cue”]

Fatty ‘Cue

what does it mean when a sandwich is served only on a weekend menu after midnight? it either means that the ‘wich is experimental, foisted onto drunk weekend revelers; or, it means that the ‘wich is so phenomenally good that it needs to be kept in short, limited supply, just in case the ‘wich hordes besiege the eatery. this smoked pork shoulder banh mi falls in the latter category, no question. the pickled daikon and fresh carrots and cucumber hint at classic banh mi flavors, but any adherence to tradition is blown out of the water by the ‘wich’s rich liver mousse, a spicy aioli, and tender, deeply marinated, chili soaked smoked pork shoulder. it’s the american south meets asia, in a sloppy bundle of goodness. the best “banh mi” on the list, bar none.

the earl’s challenge: #18 — quattro panino [at “‘ino”]

‘ino

the panini menu at ‘ino is ridiculously long. what’s a guy to do when he can’t choose one? choose four, of course! i chose, from left to right: 1) italian sausage, with butternut squash mustard, rucola, and fontina; 2) artichoke, with fennel and fontina; 3) chicken, with over-roasted tomato, asiago, and rucola; and 4) roasted veggies (red pepper, tomato, and eggplant), with goat cheese. this is going to sound sacrilegious, but i preferred the all-veggie ninnies to the meaty ones. sacre bleu!

the earl’s challenge: #19 — tuna tartine [at “Bouchon Bakery”]

Bouchon Bakery

when you eat a tuna sandwich with a knife and fork, you know you’re not in (culinary) kansas anymore. celebrated chef thomas keller’s bouchon bakery offers a tartine featuring rich, creamy tuna generously piled on top of a large piece of french country bread. deviled eggs, sliced and spiced, tango with fresh radish slices, while olives and a garlic aioli provide a salty, pungent counterpoint. while i would normally wolf down a tuna ‘wich in a couple of minutes, i took my time with chef keller’s creation. truly the best tuna ‘wich i’ve ever had.

the earl’s challenge: #20 — sloppy bao [at “Baoguette Cafe”]

Baoguette Cafe