The Sandwich Society [Revisited] Santa Ana CA

Some time ago, I tried and wrote about The Sandwich Society in Santa Ana. While I look back at my blog post with a little disdain for my writing and demeanor, my feelings for the Sandwich Society has endured over the years. It’s a nice balance of traditional deli mixed with modern OC food; Where you can find a simple turkey sandwich share the menu with something with hot cheetos stuffed into it. I’m not going to review all the sandwiches I’ve tried (my fingers will cramp) so let’s just go with a favorite.

Oh and if you want to see the old post, you can click here.

The Pork Belly Sandwich

Bread

Bread has always been an integral part of a good sandwich and it’s excellent on this one. I think it’s a baguette from a Vietnamese bakery, it seems to fit all the criteria of a good Viet French bread. The light and crispy quality of it mixes beautifully with the soft and saucy fillings. Honestly, I think it would go good with any sandwich filling they have. You can also order Dutch crunch bread here, give it a try.

Filling

The sweet and soft braised pork belly is nicely offset by the pickled onions and cabbage. The unctuous fattiness of the meat mixed with the melted provolone and garlic mayo melt into the crispy baguette beautifully; while the spice and briny flavors clean the palate nicely. I thought it would feel more decadent in my mouth, but the produce really did change the dynamic of the sandwich.

Sauce

The garlic mayo was a little more downplayed while trying to compete with the meat and pickles. I’m not sure if I would miss it too much if it wasn’t in the sandwich, but it certainly didn’t hurt it. The sweetness of the meat was really played up combined with the spice of the jalapeno and sweet/vinegar flavors of the pickles.

Price

Pretty much everything on The Sandwich Society’s menu is under $10. The portions are good and there are some interesting items on the menu to try. If you want a little more food, you can get a side of their house deli salad for $0.50.

The Sandwich Society is a good spot for many different tastes. Whether you are looking for a solid basic sandwich or something a little more experimental, you can find it here. In terms of price for quality and variety, it’s a good restaurant that doesn’t fall into the trap of a mundane deli.

-Vy

[Click on Thumbnails for sample menu]