the southeast connecticut grinder

A grinder (also known as a sub, a sandwich, a hero, or a hoagie) is basically the best invention of mankind.

I returned to my homeland of SE Connecticut last weekend and I was excited at the prospect of consuming a grinder. Not a sub. A grinder. So on the last day we were there we stopped by the grinder shop we used to go to all the time when I was little and we went to the beach.

In retrospect I am terribly sad that I didn't get a photograph of the inside of Renaldi's One Stop Grinders, located at 588 Hartford-New London Tpke in Oakdale (my hometown). The inside of Renaldi's is hilarious. Its a tiny tiny little shack located next to the package store (same name, Renaldi's). At the register, I kid you not, they sell smoking paraphernalia. Only in Oakdale, guys. Only in Oakdale. The old glowing Pepsi menu with the list of their types of grinders is to the right of the register. Victoria and I order a turkey grinder and an italian grinder.

We made our way to the beach and decided to eat our grinders before we got sand all over them. What can I say. Grinders are somehow different then the subs here in Wisconsin. The bread is fluffier and despite that its always white bread its somehow very flavorful. Shredded lettuce, tomatoes, a little american cheese, and whatever kind of meat you decide to get. We opted for oil over mayo as we were going to the beach without a cooler. Basically grinders (and Renaldi's grinders in particular) are the best kind of sandwiches. In my opinion. So simple yet somehow completely delicious in everyway, shape, and form.

Awful Sandwich Mistakes

Dudes. DUDES. I was at Panera yesterday and I ordered a Sierra Turkey sandwich and I got home and it was TUNA. Goddammit. I HATE tuna.

This is the worst sandwich mistake you can make in my world. Besides...I don't know. A sandwich made of raw chicken.

BARF-O-MATIC!!!!

Where's the Avocado, Atlanta?

I have to take a moment to register my Extreme Sammich Outrage- ESO for short. Not once, but twice in the last week I have ordered what promised to be delicious sandwiches at Atlanta restaurants and have been sorely disappointed.

The first time, I was at the Corner Tavern, the newish one in the Old Fourth Ward. I debated between ordering the delicious Asian Tuna steak Burger (with red cabbage slaw and sesame dressing) or the Super T which said it was a "steamed sandwich" (steamed hams?) turkey, jalapeno jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado and vinaigrette on a baguette. The tiebreaker for me when faced with decisions like this tends to be the presence of avocado. Girl, I love me some damn avocadoes. So the Super T it was and boy was I hungry!

Boy was I bummed when I got the sandwich and it was thickly sliced turkey (yeck!), shredded iceberg lettuce and a pinkish tomato all on a soggy-ass hot dog bun (probably the effect of the steaming). And NO AVOCADO TO BE FOUND. What the eff Corner Tavern? Don't make promises you can't keep, jerks.

Then on Friday night I was at Apres Diem in Midtown. It was 10:30 at night and still 90 degrees in Atlanta, so I was a little pissy to begin with. And sweaty. And a little heat burned due to some uh, delicate waxing earlier in the day. You know, all the reasons a girl might crave and deserve a damn good sammich.

My honey got the Roasted Portabella Sandwich which features grilled portobello mushroom and eggplant, roasted red peppers, and Feta cheese served on focaccia bread with lettuce, tomato, onion, and sun-dried tomato mayonnaise. He had them replace the feta with herbed goat cheese and it was ridiculously good.

What did I get? The Veggie Melt which promised to be thinly sliced roasted yellow squash, zucchini, red onions, and portabellos with avocado to top all under a blanket of provolone. What did I really get? A limp soggy sandwich that was missing not only the avocado once again, but the portabellos too! OMG, Apres!?!

The silver lining in all of this is that my smarty sweetie brought me 4 avocados from the Farmers Market yesterday so at least I have some delicious avocado sandwiches in my future. But in the meantime, I'm giving Corner Tavern and Apres Diem two knuckle sammiches in their ever-loving, avocado-lacking faces!