Winner: The Cubano
Restaurant: River Roast, Chicago
Sandwich Creator: Chef John Hogan
Inspiration: The restaurant, which specializes in roast meats, created this sandwich for a staff meal to utilize leftover roast pork. It eventually found its way to the menu.
Key Ingredients: Pork loin, ham, house-made chorizo, Chihuahua cheese, pickle and horseradish sauce
Price: $12
Food Cost: $3.39
What the Judges Said: There were so many terrific Cuban sandwiches entered, but Hogan’s sandwich stood out. The house-brined and smoked pork, combined with sweet and smoky Nueske’s ham, would make a terrific sandwich on its own. But the addition of house-made chorizo left all the other sandwiches in the dust. Another nice touch was the use of Chihuahua cheese and horseradish sauce, something for the rest of you to consider.
Honorable Mentions:
• Barbecuban: The Southern Steak & Oyster, Nashville
• Havana Hottie: Datz, Tampa FL
• Yinzer Cubano: Lone Wolf, Farmington, PA
