That is the Greatest Tuna Sandwich in Los Angeles

Welcome again to Extremely Opinionated, an ongoing collection the place Eater editors delve into a particular, often-debated meals in Los Angeles. First, we mentioned the most effective of the town New York type pizza, Italian gastronomy sandwiches, Korean barbecue, breakfast burritos, beef pho, burritos, particular breadsand ham steak. This version takes a better take a look at the oft-divided tuna sandwich.

Tuna sandwiches may be some of the divisive dishes of the sandwich style, though they solely depend on a couple of components. For some, a tuna sandwich brings nostalgic reminiscences of park or summer season picnics on the seaside; for others, the scent alone is sufficient to flip their stomachs. However I prefer to suppose {that a} well-made tuna sandwich, or my cousin the tuna fondue, is among the many finest iterations of protein between slices of bread.

The guts of the sandwich is the tuna itself. The filling ought to style like tuna, however don't lean dangerously into the territory of being too fishy. A wholesome dose of mayonnaise helps to realize a clean texture – as a result of there may be nothing worse than dry tuna. Different fillings and parts, comparable to diced bees or salted capers, can range, so long as there may be consistency and intention behind the flavors. A great tuna sandwich also needs to be primarily tuna in composition. If it's not, then it's only a piece of mashed greens or a grilled cheese sandwich.

The correct bread can also be important for an excellent tuna sandwich. Delicate breads like challah or ache de mie (a French sandwich bread much like a Pullman bread) are nice selections, in addition to basic Italian bread. For the tuna melts, a sourdough sandwich bread can come within the combine, or one other bread like a complete grain bread that may get an audible crunch. A country loaf is generally out of the query, except it's two completely even items minimize from the middle. The bread shouldn’t be so thick that it turns into troublesome to eat the sandwich, or so crunchy that it damages the roof of the mouth. If that bread you’ve got mendacity round would make a very good grilled cheese, it might most likely make a very good tuna soften.

To say the least, the tuna sandwich could also be easy, nevertheless it's extremely straightforward to get it flawed. After weeks of analysis, these are the 2 finest tuna salad sandwiches and two finest tuna steaks in Los Angeles.

General favourite tuna salad sandwich: Open Market

Tuna sandwich on white bread. — The Kenmore on the Open Market.

The Open Market is a neighborhood cafe and market owned by Ralph Hsiao, Andrew Marco, Brian Lee and Younna Lee. A lot of the cafe's menu consists of Asian-inflected sandwiches — just like the banh mi-adjacent Olympic sandwich and the supremely good Beverly, a thick fried rooster sandwich with Kewpie mayo — together with a couple of wonderful breakfast objects. Available on the market aspect, discover dwelling items together with handmade makgeolli, wine, snacks, and extra. Whereas all of the sandwiches on the menu are nice in their very own proper, it's the Kenmore that stands out.

The Kenmore is a novel Los Angeles sandwich store that comes from two natives of the realm – common supervisor Ralph Hsiao and chef Andrew Marco. Hsiao says his inspiration for the sandwiches at Open Market is available in half from imagining a deli in Korea decoding American sandwiches. “The fantastic thing about it’s that we're not likely making an attempt to compete with the Korean spots, and we're not likely making an attempt to compete with the sandwich locations,” provides Marco. As a substitute, they purpose to forge their very own Los Angeles-influenced delicacies.

The sandwich is a tackle tuna kimbap (additionally romanized as gimbap), a Korean dish consisting of rice, greens, radishes and tuna rolled in gim (seaweed). Whereas kimbap in Los Angeles is usually present in eating places or supermarkets, in South Korea it may be discovered in every single place, comparable to 24-hour comfort shops, road markets, and lunch spots. At first look, some may discover similarities between kimbap and Japanese sushi – however on nearer inspection, these similarities finish with the seaweed and rice that home the filling. As a substitute of the uncooked fish often present in sushi, diners in South Korea can discover kimbap fillings comparable to bulgogi or canned tuna salad, plus pickled radishes and burdock roots.

To assemble these components right into a sandwich, Open Market mixes tuna with Kewpie mayo, pickled burdock root, rice vinegar, gim and pickled radishes, earlier than topping it with a aromatic perilla leaf and a slice of cheese. The combo-ins add a stability of candy sweetness, salty and tangy acidity that’s complemented by a inexperienced herbaceous be aware from the perilla and the fattiness of the cheese. The sandwich is assembled on two toasted slices of ache de mie, a lightweight sandwich bread enriched with milk and butter, from Out of Skinny Air bakery. It tastes wonderful like kimbap, and the sandwich type is a welcome and surprising interpretation.

The Kenmore is the closest I've needed to the tuna mayo kimbap and onigiri I ate virtually daily whereas visiting Seoul final fall, however this model solely is sensible in Los Angeles, and particularly in Koreatown. Over time, the neighborhood has change into a preferred place to seek out old-school Korean meals and newer interpretations by youthful generations. Whereas Hsiao and Marco usually are not Korean, the Kenmore is a mix of tradition and site that leads to one thing solely distinctive to Los Angeles. 3339 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

A basic deli-style possibility: Bub and Grandma's

A tuna sandwich with a thick slice of Bub and Grandma's iceberg lettuce. — Bub and grandma's tuna sandwich.

Bub & Grandma's full-service restaurant was some of the thrilling openings of 2022. Lastly, a few of LA's finest breads will nonetheless be out there outdoors a storefront as a substitute of getting to seek out them at a farmers market or different outlets round city. Whereas the bread is all the time distinctive, it might be remiss to not point out the sandwich menu.

Bub & Grandma's tuna sandwich might look an identical to 1 discovered at a Jewish deli, or a extremely good bar mitzvah meal, however don't be fooled. This sandwich is in a league of its personal. It begins with Bub & Grandma's challah, which is likely one of the finest on the town proper now. The challah is by some means wealthy and light-weight on the identical time, and devastatingly solely out there for sandwiches. The tuna sandwich is generally tuna salad (appropriately) topped with a thick slice of crunchy iceberg lettuce, bread and butter patties, and purple onion. The technical experience of the sandwich is hidden within the tuna salad, which is made with do-it-yourself mayonnaise that offers the sandwich a wealthy and spicy profile with out making it too heavy.

The sandwich performs into the general diner-meets-deli vibe of the Glassell Park restaurant, which options cubicles all through and a line of stools on the counter. Simply be warned that the wait may be lengthy, and that, generally, agreeing to take it’s self-preservation if you stand in a line that may really feel everlasting. 3507 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90065.

Favourite general tuna dip: Cassell's Hamburgers

The tuna melt at Cassell's Hamburgers. — The tuna soften at Cassell's Hamburgers.

Cassell's simply doesn't fall quick in the case of diner-style sandwiches. Their burger and patty soften are among the many finest in LA. However for many who are actually educated, it's concerning the tuna backside. The tuna is poached in-house, which already places it a minimize above the canned bundle. Order it on sourdough bread with cheddar cheese and a aspect of fries for the right expertise. The sandwich cooks on the plate till it reaches a deep golden brown and the cheese melts across the aspect of the tuna salad. On the fringe of the sandwich, the cheese extends past the bread and comes to some extent in a crispy cheddar chip.

Every ingredient by itself is a triumph, however the magic occurs once they all come collectively. It's straightforward to underestimate the mix of tuna, cheddar and sourdough, nevertheless it's a combination of star-crossed flavors that creates one thing greater than the sum of its components. The tuna and cheese are salty, however by no means overly so, whereas the bread retains its texture and crunch from the primary chew to the final. It's a no-fuss tuna fusion that tastes like pure nostalgia.

Cassell's tuna soften is on the pricier aspect at $18, however the portion is beneficiant and the service makes you are feeling like a daily, even when it's your first time. It’s a sandwich that’s extra nice to dine, beneath the gathering of classic indicators that enhance the partitions of the restaurant, related to some outdated goodies that look out of the wall of home windows that face Sixth Road. 3600 West Sixth Road, Los Angeles, CA 90020.

An historical fusion: Apple Pan

Tuna melts on a white plate with french fries in the bottom. — Tuna soften in The Apple Pan.

One among Apple Pan's finest dishes, the tuna soften, isn't formally on the menu but. The restaurant serves a tuna salad sandwich that’s already excellent, however for those who ask properly, it may be become a tuna soften. Beginning with the identical base because the tuna salad sandwich, the tuna soften makes use of a mayonnaise tuna combine that’s generously piled on the bread earlier than being grilled and sliced diagonally. The Apple Pan doesn’t cease the richness in its fusion of tuna: the tuna salad itself tastes just like the ratio of mayo to tuna may be fairly shut to 1 to 1. For an up to date fusion, order it with grilled onions and make sure you save room for a slice of pie later.

Whereas the meals itself is nice by itself, they go particularly to the Apple Pan to be architecturally whisked into one other century. Opened since 1947, it has cemented itself as certainly one of Los Angeles' iconic diners through the years. The preservation of the restaurant was so good that it may very well be thought of a case examine home. Not a lot has modified within the design of the house since these early days apart from some immaculate upkeep, and hopefully nothing ever will. 10801 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064.

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