Thin Man Sandwich Shop

 

 

 



 

 

I've been meaning to stop into the Thin Man Sandwich Shop in the Strip District since they opened a few weeks ago.  We usually go to the strip on Saturday or Sunday mornings, and after wandering around in the cold, Stacy and I were ready!

 

 

 

Thin Man is a serve yourself/order at the counter kind of place.  The menu is on a large chalk board behind the counter, and boasts a few signature sandwiches along with seasonal selections.  Today, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Albacore Tuna and a Lamb Kofta Pita were on the menu, along with scrumptious sounding sides such as Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Beets and a Potato Kale soup.

 

Stacy settled on The Smash, which is chicken breast marinated in goat milk, with avocado, alfalfa and pickled green onions.  I went for The Thin Man, which is chicken liver mousse, Penns Corner bacon, and frisee on a baguette. 

 

Let me tell you, these are some great sandwiches!  I can't wait to get back to try a different one.

 

Thin Man is on 21st Street, in the Strip District area of Pittsburgh.

 

 

 

 



Pennsylvania Macaroni Co.

One of my favorite areas in Pittsburgh is known as the Strip District. This is a narrow strip of land that boarders the Allegheny river, just northeast of downtown. The area is where most of the areas wholesale produce dealers are located. Since the 1950's many of the dealers began to expand their businesses by opening retail stores on Penn Avenue and Smallman Street. Today the Strip District is best known for its retail produce and ethnic food stores, restaurants and coffee shops. I usually get to the Strip a couple of times each month, and don't really have a particular favorite store, but if I had to pick one, it would be Pennsylvania Macaroni.

When you enter, you pass wooden barrels filled with a variety of nuts and grains. To the left is a room with a large cheese counter, a cooler with barrels of different olives, and a counter with Italian meats. Samples are generously provided and the counter people are very knowledgeable and helpful. Another area holds a huge selection of olive oils, canned peppers, hot sauces, pasta and lots of other items. Fresh bread from Breadworks is delivered daily, and in the rear just before the check-outs is a produce area.

The Best Sandwich in the World!!!

That's right, the best in the world. I should know, because I've eaten not just hundreds, but thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of sandwiches. Heck, I eat one everyday. Due to this vast experience, I feel justified in referring to myself as a sandwich expert.

Now that I've detailed my qualifications, it's time to reveal the sandwich: The delicious Banh Mi. A Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich on a fresh crusty baguette. The first time I had one of these was in San Francisco at a small Vietnamese take out joint near Fisherman's Wharf. I loved that sandwich but didn't think I'd be able to get one in Pittsburgh. I was wrong! Right in the middle of the Strip District in front of the My Nyoc restaurant is where a woman named Lucy prepares the Best Sandwich in the World. The sandwich consists of grilled chicken that she removes from a skewer and chops into bite size chunks. She then stuffs them into the fresh baguette. Next comes julienned slices of cucumber, carrot, and red onion. Jalapenos sliced length wise and fresh cilantro go on next and then she finishes it off with a drizzle of a spicy and sweet sauce. I'm guessing it may be a mixture of fish sauce and a little honey. The flavors perfectly complement each other. The spicy peppers and slightly sweet sauce, the crispy cucumbers, the crunch of the onions and carrots combined with the fish sauce make the perfect combination.

It's my understanding that Lucy sells sidewalk sandwiches all summer and then returns to Vietnam during winter. You might want to make a trip to the Strip this summer and sample one of Lucy's creations. The Banh Mi really is the Best Sandwich in the World! I should know, I've eaten lots of sandwiches!