Eat To Win
Where did these sandwich ideas start? During my starving student days, I’d raid friends’ shelves, pantries, and fridges trying to make a tasty, filling meal for the lot of us. Truth be told, there were as many straight-to-the-compost-bin failures as there were successes.
To make a truly addictive sandwich, I now trust my sense of taste and the results of my trails and errors to guide me. When my stomach is grumbling, I ask myself, “What am I actually craving right now?” and go with my intuition for the answers. The very first thing that pops into my head is the ingredient I reach for. Then I fantasize about the perfect complimentary ingredients and eat the sandwich in my mind.
Some of the most fun combinations I’ve ever made were created out of leftover dinners. Recently I made a sandwich from Jack in the Box tacos with habanero salsa, ranch dressing, and American cheese (deliciously disgusting!), and a BBQ beef brisket one with cornbread, mac 'n' cheese, and creamed spinach. Both were on Dutch crunch bread with generous portions of Dirty Secret Sauce, of course!
E.K. is the original “good-looking sandwich.”
Numbered “1” on the Ike’s sandwich list, it
inspired everything that came after it.
The first 11 sandwiches Ike’s ever sold were all the #9.
Stunningly, it took Ike’s three days to hit that mark.
The Paul Reubens was my first
award-winning sandwich.
A sandwich so good it inspired a sequel, the
“Championship Edition,” that took home ESPN's
Fanwich award for sports sandwich of the year.
Mike officially put Ike's on the map when Yelp
miscategorized us as a vegetarian restaurant.
Created by one of the first Ike-ciples.
The “Three-Way” got Ike's on Man v. Food.
Making its yearly appearances on “must-eat” lists,
it outsells every other Ike's sandwich.
IN OUR SHOP: MAKER-FOR-A-DAY WITH IKE'S SANDWICHES
Treat yourself and a friend to an afternoon of learning the ins and outs of sandwich crafting, Ike's style, and work with the master himself, Ike Shehadeh, as he shows you his sandwich making tricks of the trade. You'll design your own signature sandwich, name it, and toss it up on the Ike's menu for major bragging rights. Ike will donate the profits to At The Crossroads, a nonprofit organization that aims to building better lives for the homeless youth of San Francisco.
$2,000
Check it out in our Shop.
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This story originally ran in Volume 3 of The Bold Italic magazine – SF By Design – which is available for purchase as a single issue or with a subscription.
