Sandwich Slam-Bristol CT

What: #5 Special Grinder

Where: Broaster House Deli

223 Farmington Avenue

Bristol  CT 06010

How much: $8.75

(readers, cue The Capicola Brothers - Come to Me)  (clicking on link should open YouTube in a new browser tab so you can hear my selected audio track playing, but you will have to click back on this tab to return)
 

This day's travels took me to Bristol CT.  I have been eating here since I was a kid.  I can still remember my mom and my aunt getting a couple of sandwiches from the Broaster House (probably #10 ham and cheese) and taking us kids to Page Park for a picnic. My cousin, MarathonMan, lost one of his loose baby teeth biting into on of these oversized sandwiches.

I'll not get into the regional variations of sandwich names and how or if they differ at all.  For whatever reason, long sandwiches are called grinders in many areas of Connecticut.

The #5 is the Special. The bread has a very soft, yet chewy inside with a slight crust outside. The bread is cut fully in half, then built atop the bottom half  (unlike impatient chains that cut the bread open, leaving one side connected and build across the "hinge" and fold over, compressing the meat around the veggies, or worse, meat/cheese on one side and veggies spilling out the open side.  Sorry about the rant, back to the subject matter at hand...

All cheeses and meats are cut fresh for each sandwich.  No items are pre-sliced.  The American cheese (provolone is optional and more expensive) is first layered slightly overlapping.  Then high quality boiled ham is draped over the cheese.  I say draped as it is not laid flat,  this is critical to keeping some air in between layers and helps define the individual tastes of the meats.  Prosciuttini (not Prosciutto), a ham with black pepper encrusting the outside is draped on next.  This is then topped by Hot Capicola. In a standard sandwich, this is then topped with onions (cut as rings), shredded iceberg lettuce and tomatoes slices (NEVER chopped).  Salt, black pepper and oregano is liberally sprinkled atop the veggie layer. The top is then doused with red wine vinegar, then olive oil.


The sandwich is then placed om waxed deli paper and cut in half and rolled up in the deli paper.


Half sandwiches are available.

Considering the effort and ingredients, a great value for the money.

A broaster is a pressurized deep fryer, usually used to fry chicken.  Back in the day, Broaster House Deli used to be known as "The Broaster House" and featured broasted chicken. Alas, no longer. times change, people get health conscious and names change, like Kentucky Fried Chicken becoming KFC. 

The place is always very clean. Service was not ultra fast, but food like this takes time and love.

I'd give it 6B/6. Buttalicious!  This is my gold standard for an Italian cold cut sangwich.

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