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| - Hello, fellow Yelpers! As a fan of big deli sandwiches, and a resident of Lakewood, and being in need of lunch, I decided I had to try this place. I'm happy to report that I'm super glad I did! Now, on to the details...
First, the good: contrary to what I've read on here, I didn't feel at all unwelcome by the guys working there. We discussed a vintage photo on downtown Cleveland on their wall as my sandwich was being made. Speed of service wasn't an issue, as I was the only customer (it was 1:10 on a Wednesday). It took a few minutes, which is about perfect. Any longer would be annoying, any shorter would indicate much of the sandwich is prepared ahead of time.
I decided on the Birdtown, since I am both Italian and reside in Birdtown. (Creative choice, right??) The Birdtown is basically a caprese sandwich with turkey added: it's roast turkey, thick-sliced fresh mozzarella, thinnish-cut tomato, and a generous double spread of basil pesto on fresh cut ciabatta. It's simple and delicious. Portions are stout, but not impossible for a hearty lunch. (Well, maybe for our trusty Lego construction worker there.) The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and just the right thickness to play nicely with the other ingredients. I'm a fan of pesto, and this one does not disappoint. Again, there's just the right amount there to integrate and not dominate. The use of fresh mozzarella - especially in 1/4"-thick slices - is superb. Being less salty than its low-moisture brethren, the flavor is milder and therefore needs more of it to stand up to the other ingredients. While I usually look for more meat in my sandwiches, I have to admit there's just enough turkey here to anchor the recipe without overpowering the rest of the flavors. To add more would imbalance the sandwich - which brings me to my sole small gripe: the ciabatta.
The bread itself is wonderful: crusty, mildly sour, reasonably sized, solid in the hand, and yet still gives a satisfying and not overly laborious chew. The issue here is quantity. I feel like if the middle third of this mini loaf had been removed, the resulting halves would be perfect. As it is, the bread blunts the flavor of the ingredients a bit too much. It's like being at a concert where the bass guitar is too hot in the mix: while it sounds good, it drowns out the other instruments somewhat. I found myself straining for a guitar solo of turkey and pesto and got the low rumble of ciabatta instead.
Oh! Almost forgot to mention the pickle. What a cute lil gherkin - and tasty, too! It was fun getting that instead of the usual dill spear. A great accompaniment to a great sandwich.
One last note: you need to know *exactly* where this place is before you go. There is almost no outdoor signage. Thankfully, the address is clearly printed on the awning.
To summarize, this is a solid sandwich shop whose fare justifies its price. Definitely worth a visit - on a regular basis!
UPDATE 6/16/16:
Went back yesterday and brought my father. He got the Lakewood and I got the Tower City. Both sandwiches were delicious! The Lakewood features a balsamic glaze, which my father described as "slightly sweet... maybe a little too sweet." Otherwise he felt the sandwich was well worth the price - and this is coming from a man notorious for his simple tastes and frugality!
The Tower City is monstrously large club sandwich. Much like my Birdtown from a week ago, all of the ingredients are fairly simply, yet clearly above average in quality. The bread is hearty and has a perfectly compliant crust: plenty of texture without sawing at the corners of your mouth like sourdough or traditional Italian bread often does. It also held up throughout the meal, which is a testament given everything it was tasked with containing! The bacon was thick-cut and flavorful without relying purely on salt flavor, the turkey and ham were excellent and sliced very thin, and again, the tomato could not have been executed any better. Currently one of the priciest sandwiches on their menu, but quality and quantity make this sandwich a value.
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