Sandwiches Abound

Hankering for a taste of home? Even if home is halfway around the world, you might be able to bite into your favorite regional specialty right here in Cambridge at the All Star Sandwich Bar this month.

All Star, an Inman Square restaurant boasting all sorts of sandwiches, is serving its own renditions of street foods from around the world through the end of October.

Right now, visitors to this cozy shop can try a lamb gyro based on the Greek standby; carne asada, a marinated steak sandwich imported from Mexico; vinha d’alhoes, a Portuguese braised pork creation; a Caprese sandwich made with ingredients like tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, avocado, and basil pesto plucked from the Italian salad; and the diego maradona, an Argentinian sandwich featuring chimichurri chicken salad.  The street food promotion started three and a half weeks ago and has already featured sandwiches ranging from a French croque-monsieur to a Korean barbecue dish called kalbi.  Until the end of the month, Executive Chef John Diamantopoulos will introduce four to five new street food specials each week.

“Street food is such a nostalgic item,” said Kosta Diamantopoulos, owner of the restaurant and brother of the head chef. “We’re bringing ‘home,’ for a lot of people, to Cambridge.”

All Star always sells “cool, interesting, famous, fun sandwiches from across the world,” but according to Kosta (who was wearing a SANDWICHMANIA shirt), the street foods are different from the “entrees in the form of a sandwich” that the restaurant sells year-round.

A Flyby correspondent had the chance to sample three of the standard menu items—the muffuletta, a New Orleans favorite packed with cold cuts, roasted peppers, and tangy olive tapenade; the barbecue pulled pork sandwich, which, Kosta pointed out proudly, offered a pleasing contrast between its incredibly tender meat and crunchy cole slaw; and the Rachel, a turkey, Swiss, and slaw delight with Russian dressing dripping out from between two beautifully grilled pieces of sourdough bread. It was a feast made in sandwich heaven.

By making a 20 minute trek straight down Cambridge Street from the Yard, or hopping on the 69 bus from Harvard Square, you too can get a taste of almost any corner of the world.  And if you don’t see your favorite sandwich on the menu, you can request it—just scrawl the sandwich of your dreams into one of the journals near the door.  Many customers have already filled the pages with diagrams, recipes, and even poetic odes to their favorite sandwiches; Kosta assured me that he reads every entry and might even add your sandwich to the menu and name it after you. We can’t think of a higher honor.

A final tip—don’t miss the free Oreos as you leave.  They’re Double Stuf.

Photo by Julie M. Zauzmer/Crimson Staff Writer.