I Tried The Best Sandwich In America
Summary
TLDRIn a quest to find America's greatest sandwich, the video embarks on a journey across eight cities, sampling top contenders based on Instagram poll results. From Louisiana's Po' Boy to Chicago's Italian beef and New York's Reuben, each regional specialty is scrutinized. Highlights include a shrimp Po' Boy from a Louisiana local secret, a Cubano with a perfect bread from La Segunda in Tampa, and an Italian beef from Mr. Beef in Chicago. The search culminates in Philadelphia, where Angelo's Philly Cheesesteak, with its exceptional bread and perfectly seasoned meat, claims the title of the best sandwich, earning a remarkable 9.5 rating.
Takeaways
- 🗽 The video is about a quest to find the greatest sandwich in America, focusing on regional specialties.
- 📊 The selection of sandwiches was based on a poll on Instagram, incorporating votes and reputable sources.
- 🍤 The Po' Boy from Louisiana, specifically from 'Guys PoBoy', was highly praised for its perfectly seasoned fried shrimp and generous toppings.
- 🥪 The Cubano sandwich from Florida, particularly from a place that started in a shipping container, was noted for its balance of flavors and fresh ingredients.
- 🌭 The Italian beef sandwich from Chicago, with a notable mention of 'Mr. Beef', was celebrated for its juicy and seasoned beef, although the bread's texture was a point of contention.
- 🍞 The Reuben sandwich from Omaha, Nebraska, was highlighted as potentially the original, with 'Crescent Moon' offering a contender for the best Reuben in America.
- 🏆 The Philly Cheesesteak from Philadelphia emerged as the top-rated sandwich, with 'Angelo's' taking the lead for its perfect bread, seasoned meat, and overall excellence.
- 🏙️ The video features a range of cities across the United States, each contributing a unique sandwich to the competition.
- 🏆 The final verdict was determined by a combination of taste, presentation, and customer reviews, with a special emphasis on the quality of ingredients and preparation.
- 📹 The video provides a detailed review of each sandwich, including the viewer's personal experience and interaction with the food.
- 🎥 The script is from a video, suggesting a visual component that would accompany the described food journey and reviews.
Q & A
What is the main objective of the video?
-The main objective of the video is to find the greatest sandwich in America by visiting eight cities and trying various regional sandwiches based on votes from an Instagram poll.
Which sandwich received the fifth most votes in the Instagram poll?
-The Po' Boy sandwich from Louisiana received the fifth most votes in the Instagram poll.
What are the key ingredients of a traditional Po' Boy sandwich?
-A traditional Po' Boy sandwich typically includes fried shrimp, fully dressed on a Po' Boy roll, with toppings like fresh tomato, lettuce, and mayo.
What is the significance of the sandwich from Guys Po' Boy in the video?
-Guys Po' Boy is highlighted as a local secret in Louisiana, known for their shrimp Po' Boy, and it sets a high standard for the sandwiches tested in the video with an initial rating of 8.5.
Which sandwich was the fourth most voted for in the Instagram poll?
-The Cubano sandwich from Florida was the fourth most voted for in the Instagram poll.
What makes the Cuban bread in the video special?
-The Cuban bread in the video is special because it is made the old school way with a Palmetto Leaf, which creates a unique split in the bread, and it is fresh and flaky.
What is the most iconic sandwich in Chicago according to the video?
-The most iconic sandwich in Chicago according to the video is the Italian beef, which is served on a roll dunked in the au jus.
Which place was credited with inventing the Italian beef?
-Al's Beef is credited with inventing the Italian beef, as mentioned in the video.
What was the highest rating given to an Italian beef sandwich in the video?
-The highest rating given to an Italian beef sandwich in the video was 9.2 for Mr. Beef.
Which sandwich received the most votes and was considered for the final taste test in the video?
-The Philly cheese steak received the most votes and was considered for the final taste test in the video.
What was the final verdict on the best sandwich in the video?
-The final verdict on the best sandwich in the video was the Philly cheese steak from Angelo's, with a rating of 9.5.
Outlines
🥪 America's Greatest Sandwich Quest Begins
The video embarks on a journey to find America's greatest sandwich, starting with a poll on Instagram to determine regional favorites. The host visits eight cities to taste and rate iconic sandwiches, beginning with the Po' Boy in Louisiana. The search kicks off at a local secret spot, 'Guys Po'Boy', known for their shrimp Po'Boy, which impresses with its fresh, perfectly seasoned ingredients. The host also visits 'Domal Lisis', a historic bar turned food joint, and 'Parkway', a more touristy location, both offering their own takes on the Po' Boy. The segment concludes with the host's ratings for each place, with 'Guys Po'Boy' leading the pack.
🏖️ Exploring Florida's Iconic Cubano Sandwich
The video moves to Florida to investigate the Cubano sandwich, a simple yet iconic dish with Cuban bread, ham, roast pork, mustard, and pickles. The host visits 'Sang', a place that started in a shipping container and is now renowned for its Cubano, known for its brined ham and marinated roast pork. The sandwich is praised for its balance of flavors and textures. Next, the host visits the historic 'Columbia Restaurant' in Tampa, which claims to have the oldest recorded Cubano recipe. Despite a long wait, the host finds the sandwich disappointing due to dry roast pork and unmelted cheese. The final stop is at 'La Segunda Central Bakery', a Cuban bread institution, where the host enjoys the best bread on any sandwich so far, although the cheese remains unmelted. The segment ends with a tie between 'Sang' and 'La Segunda' for the best Cubano.
🍖 The Search for Chicago's Best Italian Beef
The quest continues in Chicago for the Italian beef sandwich, a beloved street food featuring thinly sliced beef served on a dunked roll. The host visits 'Owl', claimed to be the inventor of the Italian beef, and finds the sandwich juicy and flavorful, although a bit one-note. 'Portillos' is next, a widely accessible chain with a messier but more flavorful sandwich, marred by overcooked peppers and mushy bread. The final stop is 'Mr. Beef', where the host, despite potential bias, finds the sandwich to be the best of the day with its perfect seasoning, tender beef, and fresh ingredients, earning a high rating of 9.2.
🍞 Omaha's Original Reuben and L.A.'s Iconic Sandwiches
The video shifts to Omaha, Nebraska, to try the Reuben sandwich at 'Crescent Moon', which claims to have the original recipe. The host enjoys the sandwich's crispy toast, tender corned beef, and Thousand Island dressing, awarding it an 8. The journey then takes a brief detour to Los Angeles, where the host visits 'Langer's Deli' for another traditional Reuben. The host finds the bread moist and the corned beef flavorful, but the sandwich lacks salt and Russian dressing, resulting in a lower score of 7. The segment concludes with a visit to 'Catus', a highly voted location, where the host is disappointed by the overpriced and undersalted Reuben, which does not live up to its reputation.
🥩 Philadelphia's Legendary Philly Cheesesteak
The final leg of the journey leads to Philadelphia to taste the Philly cheesesteak, the most voted-for sandwich on the list. The host starts at 'John's Roast Pork', where the cheesesteak impresses with its chewy roll, well-seasoned meat, and perfect provolone, earning an 8.5. The next stop is 'Dandro', a place with a lot of local fame, but the host finds the sandwich lacking in salt and overly sweetened by onions, giving it a barely passing score. The video concludes at 'Angelo's', where the host is blown away by the perfect bread, seasoned meat, and creamy provolone that forms a sauce with the mayo. This cheesesteak receives a staggering 9.5, making it not only the best of the trip but also one of the best sandwiches the host has ever tasted, redeeming Philadelphia in the host's eyes.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Melting Pot
💡Regional sandwich
💡Poll
💡Po Boys
💡Cubano
💡Italian Beef
💡Reuben
💡Philly Cheese Steak
💡Voted for
💡Sandwich Ranking
Highlights
America is home to some of the greatest sandwiches in the world.
A poll on Instagram determined the best regional sandwich in America.
The journey takes us to eight cities across America.
Po Boys are a must-try in Louisiana, with fried shrimp being a popular choice.
Guys PoBoy is a local secret in Louisiana known for their shrimp pooy.
Domal Lisis is a 106-year-old bar famous for its food.
Parkway is a more touristy place known for its jumbo shrimp Po Boy.
The Cubano sandwich is iconic in Florida, with simple yet impactful ingredients.
Sang is a highly voted Cubano place in Florida, known for its brined ham and marinated roast pork.
Columbia Restaurant in Tampa is the oldest recorded Cubano sandwich location.
La Segunda Central Bakery is an institution for Cuban bread, producing 18,000 loaves a day.
Italian beef is a definitive Chicago street food, served in a dunked roll.
Owl, the alleged inventor of Italian beef, offers a traditional and juicy sandwich.
Portillos is a widely accessible Italian Beef restaurant with a diverse flavor profile.
Mr. Beef is a reigning champion for Italian beef, known for its fresh and aromatic ingredients.
The Reuben, claimed to be invented in Omaha, features corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing.
Crescent Moon in Omaha suggests they have the original Reuben recipe.
Langer's Deli offers a traditional Reuben with double-baked rye bread.
Catus is known for its high-volume of votes and long waiting times for a Reuben.
Philadelphia's Philly cheese steak is the most voted for sandwich on the list.
John's Roast Pork offers a Philly cheese steak with a soft, toasty roll and well-seasoned meat.
Dandro is a place constantly in the Philadelphia Philly cheese steak conversation.
Angelo's is the most voted for Philly cheese steak location, with perfectly seasoned meat and the best bread.
Angelo's Philly cheese steak is rated a 9.5, making it the greatest sandwich of the journey.
Transcripts
as a Melting Pot of culinary Innovation
and creation it is no secret that
America is home to some of the greatest
sandwiches in the world and so that's
why we're going to find the greatest
sandwich in America so I threw up a poll
on Instagram asking you for what you
think the best Regional sandwich in
America is and it could be anywhere
we'll go we based that poll off of a
reputable article added a couple more
just for extra and the results are in
and this journey is going to take us to
eight cities Across America to find what
we're looking for with all that being
said let's begin at the fifth bottom
most voted for sandwich Po Boys you can
only have a true one if you start off in
Louisiana that's where we are it's kind
of a way of life here you can have them
however you want Choose Your Own
Adventure you could do shrimp you can do
beef you can do a mix of the
[Music]
two we moved uh we can't get away from
the music we really tried we tried for a
long time so enjoy the music while you
can we're getting the pooy the same way
across the board for every single place
that we go to and that is fried shrimp
fully dressed on a PoBoy roll for every
single spot so with all that said let's
begin in our first spot guys this is a
local secret it's not talked about
enough it's guys PoBoy they're famous
for their shrimp pooy I've been here
before by the way I really like this guy
it's literal Mom and Pop Shop little
blue building they're here every day
every time I come here and the product
is always incredible cheers oh God I'm
nervous for the other sandwiches we're
starting on a remarkable High every
little shrimp feels like it was made
love to crunchy light bin wispy breading
but you guys know how I feel about salt
and the salt levels in this sandwich are
quite literally perfect everything was
fried fresh it's super hot shrimp's
cooked nicely it's got like a seasoning
to it it's not just salt obviously the
bread is soft it just all makes sense
but what I really like is they don't
skimp on all the toppings it's loaded
with fresh tomato lettuce I'm a big Mayo
guy they load it up with the Mayo
without the Mayo the sandwich wouldn't
be what it is everything is what I want
it to be honestly this sandwich is
immediately starting us off at 8.5 I
rarely give eights we're going to need a
really good sandwich to beat this moving
on okay so we're at domal lisis a
familyowned neighborhood bar which then
added food but their food might be as
legendary as the bar I will say this
place is 106 years old only slightly
older than me it looks good the shrimp
are small like little baby shrimp I
can't complain about that I like that
it's pretty good I have some thoughts on
it the shrimp are cooked actually more
nicely here I will say a little more
juicy if you will breading's crisp it's
not overcooked which I appreciate
sometimes when people fry shrimp they go
too long they a little too dark this is
nice bread chewy crisp on the outside
actually spicing salty bread but I do
like it my one Coral so I wish the
shrimp had a little more seasoning on
them they're not necessarily UND salted
but they do kind of get lost in the
flavor of the ketchup and the Mayo not
perfect but it's very good and I would
100% come back here I think it's
deserving of a strong standing 6.5
moving on okay we're at Parkway a little
different of a Vibe it's maybe
considered the more touristy place can
you tell I can I don't want to go home
we're going to wait in line now for 400
years see you in a second we got the
sandwich it actually wasn't that bad we
managed to time this out so good I you
can probably see the line from here we
waited maybe 10 15 minutes got it in no
big deal now it's looking more like 45
to an hour this better stand up to that
and I will say visually in comparison to
the other two this definitely stands up
for being a more potentially touristy
location that's been there for 113 years
supposedly approached by Beyonce and
Barack Obama that's pretty high up there
this is pretty good one thing I like
about this they really load you up on
the shrimp they're not skimping at all
and these shrimp are big these are jumbo
shrimp not the little baby ones we got
before they're not seasoned as nicely as
guys but they are seasoned salt levels
are pretty good I just would have liked
a little more seasoning in general maybe
like 5% more the Mayo's present I do
kind of wish it was a little more evenly
spread some bites you get mayo some
bites you don't which I don't love I'd
like it to be more even same thing with
the pickles you got two back here so
you're basically going to have to eat
half this sandwich before you get to any
pickles look that's just me being anal I
get it they're moving quick so totally
fine this they much just really close to
the guys one but is it better the shrimp
are cooked a little bit better in this
but they're not seasoned as nicely the
bread is pretty much the same it's chewy
on the outside fluffy on the inside it's
kind of got everything else I give this
a solid 7.5 this is a great sandwich and
guys wins out of the three that you
voted for so far moving on to our next
sandwich and it begins in Florida
there's an iconic sandwich here the
Cubano this was the fourth most voted
for sandwich on the list it's a pretty
simple sandwich it's Cuban Bread Butter
pressed and toasted but what's in
between is what matters which is
typically a salty cured pork ham roast
pork mustard and pickles sometimes Mayo
so although it's a simple sandwich I'm
glad it's on this list because I would
argue that it's one of the most iconic
sandwiches in America specifically in
Florida we're going to be visiting some
places in Miami and nint Tampa based off
of your votes so let's begin we're at
sang this place started in 2017 of a
shipping container and today is
considered one of the best and was the
most voted for Cubano place in the
entire Florida area supposedly they
brine their ham for days and marinate
the rose pork for 24 hours they also
hold a Michelin bib Gourmand since 2022
you hear that this looks like a sticker
that you would put to wrap around a
cigar this looks remarkably good the ham
looks fresh sliced it's juicy but also
the roast pork the moho pork I thought
it was going to be like shredded but it
looks like they slow roast it chill it
and then slice it wow it's actually
really good I'm not going to lie Cubanos
are good I make them I eat them I'm a
fan of them but I I've also felt like
they are a little overrated sometimes
cuz like oh it's ham roast pork and a
pickle who cares but this this made me
realize I was wrong about that this is
delicious the outside's crispy it's
crusty you can taste the butter on the
crust it's salty it's a little sweet
it's acidic the cheese but the best
thing about it it's not overwhelmed by
any singular flavor it all works
together you get every little piece I do
feel like I wish the ham was a little
saltier I got a salt heavy pet but that
said this is a wonderful sandwich I'm
going to give it an eight sandwi you're
doing good moving on our next stop was
Columbia Restaurant in Tampa started off
as a saloon and over 120 years later
grew to a whole city block it's
beautiful it's got Vibes it's got great
music and it's got these stunning
artistic tiles this is supposedly the
oldest recorded Cubano sandwich right
here at this very restaurant I waited
for an hour to get this sandwich the sun
went from fully up to completely set I
think this died in the window to be dead
honest with y'all so I really hope this
is worth it that is ice cold cheese
there's a big different element of this
sandwich than the other one they added
salami to this which I had no idea was
going to be a thing I do like the
addition of the salami but it's not
really making up for the fact that the
sandwich wasn't preo I do like the
seasoning on it though the salt level's
good the roast pork on this is extremely
dry though I'm not going to lie but
everything else is seasoned nicely the
cheese isn't melted the bread is crispy
I mean it's like to me that gives this a
6.8 if it were like really nice and hot
and cheesy I might give it a 7.5 the
sandwich is still good I just wouldn't
wait an hour for it the bread that was
made was made by a place called launda
Bakery which also happens to be our
final stop this is their original
location which has been open since
1915 this isn't just some Bakery this is
an institution putting out 18,000 loaves
a day the old school way you know with
the Palmetto Leaf where they make the
split and everything I've made my own
Cuban bread and honestly I think theirs
is significantly better than mine
despite all that though it was the least
voted one on the list but we felt we
needed to go there anyway because it was
such a Cuban bread institution so surely
their Cubano may be a winner this
actually looks promising this toast
looks beautiful the bottom the top crisp
this fresh bread is absolutely Bonkers
this is the best bread we've had on any
sandwich it's almost flaky cuz it's
fresh now the place we went to yesterday
used the same bread but this one's
better because it's fresher the pickles
are nice not too acidic not too salty
ham is salty the brast pork is seasoned
pretty well it's not dry what I really
like is this yellow mustard or whatever
mustard there is in here it's almost
like borderline creamy like a Dees but
it's stone ground my biggest complaint
is is the cheese is not melted I don't
know what it is about these places that
they make the Cuban and they never melt
the cheese except for sangu but the salt
levels are better on this honestly I'm
going to also give this sandwich an
eight that's right we have a tie you
have a place in Miami and you got a
place in Tampa you know where to go
you're welcome moving on so we're in
Chicago for the one and only Italian
beef it is thinly sliced beef that has
been brazed in a nice Jew served in
between a roll that's been dunked in the
shoe it's juicy it's fatty it's messy
it's delicious it is single-handedly the
definitive Chicago street food this was
the third most voted for sandwich on our
entire list thanks to you so we're
starting this off at Owl now I have a
few points about this number one Al is
supposedly the inventor of the Italian
beef this is what we've read this is
what we've heard number two this is the
original owl's location okay so we kept
this as OG as humanly possible to kick
this off right this is their Italian
beef it looks pretty good it's messy
it's drippy it's juicy I mean I can just
tell look at this thing it is quite
literally dripping so first one of the
day here we go cheers okay I like it I
do like it the bread is nice and chewy
but the first bite you get it's almost
like just gushing in your mouth with
salty slightly spicy juicy beef broth
it's not a complete mushy sponge it's
still chewy it's got Integrity I like
that the beef is nice and tender it's
not dry which I appreciate flavor-wise I
feel like it could be a bit more diverse
it feels a little one note I'm not
tasting much of the peppers the
jardinera it doesn't really give much
it's a wonderful Italian beef if you go
here you'll probably be happy I don't
know that this is the best or not but
I'll give it a solid 7.8 so owls didn't
really do well but the other two Italian
beefs could still beat it and become the
best sandwich in America okay we're now
at Portillos this is the most voted for
place on the entire list of Italian beef
this is the most widely accessible
Italian Beef restaurant in Illinois
probably honestly in America cuz they're
scaling outside of Illinois it makes
sense they be the most voted for but
that doesn't necessarily mean they're
the best we got their typical Italian
beef by the way we're ordering all these
the same traditional Italian beef with
both a mix of sweet and hot peppers and
dipped on both sides same exact way all
locations just to keep it fair this one
is the messiest I feel like they made
this one a while ago it's almost like
too wet to eat now hang on right away
this is better than owls flavor way
better I don't care if there's MSG in
here or not it can tastes better the
flavors are Diversified it's beefy it's
Rich it's a little bit of a pickled
flavor from the peppers the is in
the Jew and the beef the best part about
it is the beef flavor isn't lost my one
deduction though is texture the peppers
are super overcooked way too mushy the
bread is just completely obliterated
they either dunked it too long or this
has been sitting for too long cuz it's
honestly a mushy mess but the beef is
nice so all in all I'd give this an
eight not bad Portillos moving on our
final stop was Mr Beef but it turns out
they were filming the bear we came back
later that night where our buddy Chris
stayed open for us he fired us off some
beefs gave me a kiss as usual not going
to show that on camera and it was time
to taste and see if the reigning
Champion still holds up uh I need to
address something I know people are
going to think well Josh you've been to
Mr Beef before aren't you friends with
him isn't there a bias here listen I've
eaten around I've had different Italian
beefs already and I became friends with
him after I had his sandwich so let's
see if it upholds the standard just the
smell of this is unbelievable first
thing I'm smelling beef I smell the bra
I can get the jarder you can smell the
celery and the chilies on it I haven't
even taken a bite that's said I am going
to take a bite could this end up being
the best sandwich out of everything
we've had so far are we looking at the
best sandwich in America it's juicy it's
seasoned perfectly I don't even know
where my brain is Right Now jera by far
is the best I of any of the sandwiches
we've had it's fresh I taste the celery
I taste the chilies I taste every last
little aromatic that's in there the
seasonings there's like a little bit of
olive oil in the jarder like it's
supposed to so it's got some fattiness
to it but the beauty of the sandwich is
the main event beef and I'm talking like
a nice steak combined with the nicest
roast beef you've ever had it's thin
it's tender it's not dry at all it melts
in your mouth it's fatty it's salted
perfectly it doesn't need any more or
any less salt it's right where it needs
to be despite the fact that it's so
messy it holds together pretty well and
this bread it cannot fall apart it
doesn't fall apart but it does absorb
those juices so it's both juicy and
spongy but chewy at the same time out of
all the Italian beefs we've had today
I'm going to give this one a solid 9.2 a
staggering 9.2 a rating that is very few
and far to come by around here but our
journey has many sandwiches and States
left moving on to the next sandwich we
are in Omaha at the Crescent Moon The
Original Ale House for one thing and one
thing only the Reuben this was our
second most voted for sandwich in all
votes you guys submitted everyone thinks
that the Reuben was invented in New York
actually we found out that is not true
it was invented in Omaha Nebraska this
place Crescent Moon suggests that they
have the original recipe now Ruben is a
sandwich with corn beef sauerkraut swiss
cheese thousand island dressing or
Russian dressing to be specific on Ry
bread that has been grilled or griddled
sometimes the bread's toasted sometimes
it's not I personally prefer toasted so
I will be judging off that so let's eat
it oh yeah the big waste management
garbage truck arrived in this location
and he's going to park right there this
is a Ruben it's good let's talk about
this toast we ordered this ahead of time
it sat closed like this and I was
worried about that the toast maintain