Pastars, Westminster CA
*** Pastars is Westminster is closed***
I know I shill my instagram a lot here, but I honestly think that it plays an important part of my gluttonous food driven lifestyle. We could argue for days about how it has affected the landscape of dining, but ultimately it has become a great source to find new places to try. Pastars in Westminster has been popping up in my feed lately and has been making a splash with local food fiends. They just had their grand opening several weeks ago to some rave reviews. They’re known for their pasta, but the porchetta sandwich is worth going out of your way for (hence, this blog post).
Pastars Porchetta Sandwich
Bread
Pastar’s porchetta sandwich uses rustic loaf of sourdough bread. It’s thickly sliced and toasted crispy. It takes a little more effort to bite through everything, but the thickness does well to hold the sandwich together. For anyone who doesn’t want to open their mouth too wide, you may want to use a knife.
Filling
Let’s face it, there’s only so much I can write about a turkey sandwich on this blog. So when I come across something intriguing or unique I really get excited. Porchetta is an Italian dish that is the boneless loin of pork wrapped in the belly with herbs and then roasted. It is varies in preparation, but Pastars may be my favorite. With a beautifully caramelized crust of crispy pork on the outside and a tender herbaceous loin in the middle. Melted swiss adds some creaminess to the sandwich and pickled red onion gives some texture. The crispy caramelizd pork fat along the outside is what I imagine a meal in heaven is like.
Sauce
There are more sauces in this sandwich than there needed to be. The meat could’ve spoken for itself with it’s juices are herbs but I can understand why the chef would want to add some more boldness to it. The fig jam is the strongest flavor in the sandwich. It’s a nice addition if you like sweet flavors. Really where you get the best flavors of everything is on the outer layers of the sandwich, where the jam is less prevalent and you can taste the steps put into making this stellar sandwich.
The olive oil based Salsa verde is a nice mild addition of fresh herbs that compliments the meat and adds flavor to the bread. A touch of spice from Dijon mustard is subtle but great with the meat and peppery arugula. The Fig jam’s sweetness was great as a final note to the sandwich, even though it may have been too much in the middle.
Price
The full porchetta sandwich is $18 with a drink and potato chips. It’s a bit pricey, but worth it. If you feel you can’t finish a full, you can also order a half porchetta for $9. Regardless of whether you come for their pasta or the sandwiches, Pastars is a place that I urge you to try.
-Vy
[Click thumbnail for sample menu]
Pastars
14250 Beach Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683