House of Sandwich (45 of them)
Plus Puerto Rican breakfast, apps, and desserts in Buffalo's Riverside neighborhood
There are many places in WNY for a good sandwich. This past week, Jeff and I discovered another, and this one is good for 45 different sandwiches. That new discovery for us was House of Sandwich at 800 Tonawanda Street, near Ontario Street, in Buffalo’s Riverside neighborhood.
This Latino and woman owned business offers casual dining with more-than-fair pricing. You order at the counter and take a seat. A few tables are available up front with additional seating in back. If you are not interested in dining in, House of Sandwich participates with several third-party delivery apps.
In addition to your choice of 45 different sandwiches, House of Sandwich offers other hand-held and snackable delights to include a variety of pastelillos/empanadillas, alcapurrias, relleno de papa, and sorullitos de maiz. They also serve breakfast beginning at 8:00 AM, 6 days a week (9:00 AM on Sundays).
While we waited to place our order, a group of diners emerged from the back to request to-go provisions. I noticed that one woman seemed to be taking her entire sandwich with her. As I was about to learn, what I saw was only half of a sandwich and I too would be needing to take my second half home.
The sandwiches are all served on pan de agua, a bread popular in the Caribbean possessing a crusty exterior yet a soft and airy inside. I chose the tripeleta, an option I find difficult to pass up when it is available. The sandwich typically includes steak, pork, ham and toppings. At House of Sandwich, the tripeleta (#23) comes with pastrami, ham, and pork. However, #24 allows you to build your own tripelta with your choice of three meats from chicken, ham, pork, pastrami, steak, turkey, smoked ham, or bacon. All of the sandwiches include toppings of cheese (varies), mayo, ketchup, tomato, lettuce, onions, & garlic oil.
Jeff chose the Italian (#38), with bologna, ham, capicola, and provolone. He finished his, but not without a struggle. When it came time for dessert, for which I had intentionally left room, Jeff chose to abstain from this course.
The dessert cooler held several options, including an assortment of flanes and my personal favorite, tresleche (tres leches cake). As much as I cannot pass up a tripeleta, I cannot pass up this dessert. It is a light, spongy cake, soaked in a sweetened milk mixture which gives the dessert a custardy-like texture, topped with whipped cream and either a sprinkle of cinnamon, fresh berries, or both.
I have long loved this dessert but this was probably my favorite version of it. It may be best that the portion was restrained to a small cup, but I was sad when it was gone. Jeff also really enjoyed it and needed to be reminded that he hadn’t wanted his own. We joked about clearing out their cooler and buying the rest of them for home. We can’t wait to come back and try more from this menu.
Not available at this particular restaurant but on the subject of Puerto Rican cuisine, is there anyone out there that could teach me how to make a proper Pastelón? Years ago at a work potluck, somebody brought this dish, a Puerto Rican lasagna made with plantains rather than noodles, and I was in love! I think about that Pastelón often but haven’t found it served at any local restaurants. Can anyone help me out?