This year’s Best Sandwiches prove that chefs around the country continue to push the boundaries of the hand-held favorite. See all the winners >>
Winner: Smoked Wagyu Tri-Tip
Restaurant: BOA Steakhouse, Santa Monica, Calif.
Units: 3
Creator: Chef Michael Neflas
Price: $17
Food cost: $5.54
Ingredients: American Wagyu tri-tip, roasted red peppers marinated in balsamic vinegar and sliced garlic, brie and black pepper aioli.
What makes it special: Neflas wanted to create a sandwich that could be smoked whole. Each sandwich is placed under a glass cloche and smoked. When it arrives at the table, the dish is described to the guest and the cloche is removed. The aroma of the smoked wood fills the restaurant every time one of the sandwiches is served.
What others are saying: Reviewer Jill Weinlein of Park LaBrea News Beverly Press described how the smoke and fragrance reaches out, then dissipates, lingering with a smoky essence throughout the sandwich.
