Tastings

The Chicken Sandwich

I have been afraid to write this review for days now.

It is not because I worry that I might change my mind about it. No, sir. I am quite certain what my feelings are on this fine meal, and they are not about to change. No, I have been afraid because I might not do it justice. What if I forget to mention some key nuance in flavor or texture? What if, after studying it for years, my English is not good enough to describe the deliciousness that The Sandwich is? Would I be banned from enjoying it ever again if my review did not measure up to expectations?

I considered playing the "foreign" card. It was tempting. But I looked at my friends, and I realized that they were all as scared as I. It was not the English. Perhaps we feared retribution from The Sandwich God. Or ourselves. But in any case, I could not offload this responsibility. I had to do this myself.

I guess I should formally introduce our layered friend. I speak of none other than The Chicken Sandwich, from Emma's, in Cambridge. Its ingredients are as follows:

* Smoked chicken.
* Smoked mozzarella cheese.
* Bacon.
* Oven-roasted tomatoes.
* Mayo.
* "French" bread (baguette-like).

All the ingredients are top-notch. I am not sure if Emma's does the smoking themselves (if they do, it's probably off-site), but it is in my opinion quite excellent. The tomatoes are fantastic; not quite as dried as sun-dried tomatoes, but not as watery as a fresh tomato. The bacon is quite good--the slices are a little thicker than you'd see somewhere else, and it's very slightly chewy. The Sandwich is light on the mayo, which I think is a good idea.

There are actually two options on the bread. The first time I had The Sandwich I was told that, unfortunately, they were out of the French bread, but that they could make it on sourdough. Unfazed, I agreed to try it with the alternate bread. In other opportunities I tried the original bread, and I must say, they are both excellent. The sourdough, being cut into slices, grills a little better than the French. But the French is naturally more crusty. (Did I mention that this sandwich is grilled, panini-style? Because it is).

And there you have it. A delicious medley of smokey flavors, yours for a reasonable price ($7.25, if memory serves me right). It comes served with tiny little pickles, which complement The Sandwich quite well. Unfortunately, you don't get the pickles if you get The Sandwich to go. If you plan on eating at Emma's, I suggest you plan to be there a little early--it tends to get pretty packed.

I hope that you, too, can discover The Sandwich.

Notes on 2004-03-12 by peter:

I don't believe I have ever tasted a finer sandwich.

Notes on 2004-03-15 by peter:

Emma's is closed on Mondays.

Posted by thunder at March 12, 2004 11:27 PM