In having less flamingly spectacular food, the delis and sandwich shops of this trip have been largely passed over in my blogging. This seems wrong, as, if you include pb&js, sandwiches are the largest food group. My first blog was about a sandwich, and it seems fitting to add to that now that I’m more experienced.

Cochon Butcher
New Orleans, LA
For the first time in my life, I didn’t order the meat lover’s special, with pastrami and bacon, and surprisingly, I didn’t regret my decision. Dad ordered it, and so I of course tried some of his. It was almost overwhelmingly umami, and however tasty, I liked my turkey lover’s better. Dad pointed out that a turkey lover’s should really just have turkey, and that the lettuce and avocado made it more of a turkey adulturator’s sandwich, but it was good all the same. Exceedingly fresh, it managed to be warm while keeping the vegetables crisp and the turkey moist.

Chick and Ruth’s Delly
Annapolis, Maryland
They specialized in three pound hamburgers and gallon milkshakes, but I just ordered a pastrami sandwich. Hot pressed and oozing melted cheese, it was filling and then some. I’ll forgive their misunderstanding of how deli is spelled, as they clearly know how one should be run.

Central Grocery
New Orleans, LA
Few restaurants can claim to have invented an entirely new type of sandwich. The muffaletta, named after a type of italian bread, consists of salami, provolone, and olive salad on an entire loaf of bread. It’s a great deal, as it only costs a $18, and can easily feed four people.

Banh Mi Coda
Albuquerque, NM
I was not expecting good Vietnamese food in New Mexico, but several of the Californians and a Portlander on Yelp said the same before going on to mention how they’d been proven wrong, so I decided to give Banh Mi Coda a try. Their sign still advertises Coda Bakery, and the chairs with images of coffee cups on them seem to indicate that the previous tenants of that space had failed where they prospered. Soft baguette, fresh veggies, and well-cooked meat made for a delicious and inexpensive meal, and with Banh Cam, fried sesame, mung bean, and coconut balls, as dessert, it was a great find.