Eat Like an Aristocrat

The sandwich is a brilliant invention: bread, meat, vegetables, all wrapped and ready to go in a portable package.

Did you know that the sandwich is named after an 18th-century English aristocrat named John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich? As the story goes, the Earl asked his ‘man’ to bring him some meat tucked between two pieces of bread because he didn’t want to get his hands greasy while playing cards. (Goodness, what did a gentleman do before that?)

The rest, as they say, is history, but you don’t have to be an aristocrat to appreciate a good sandwich, especially if it’s freshly made.

How about some fish on Friday? The Ottawa foodie community is all a-buzz with the brown bag lunches from The Whalesbone Sustainable Fish & Oyster Supply. The mere idea of eating a hot smoked salmon sandwich, topped with sour cream sauce, lightly caramelized onions, and capers is enough to make our mouth water. Only available on Fridays and Saturdays, the fish in Whalesbone sandwiches is sourced from suppliers who practice sustainable farming and fishing.

DiRienzo’s is located in an unassuming strip mall in an unassuming part of town. The line up can be out the door so arrive on the early side of noon. For $4.99 you can pick up the kind of lunch a mother would make for her son the construction worker (and you’ll see plenty of them in line). Good to try: Italian ham with spicy pickled eggplant (our new addiction). Get your sandwich to-go and take it to Hog’s Back Falls. It’s only a short drive away and the sights and sounds of the falls will soothe and restore your spirits (that is, if the sandwich doesn’t do the trick). 

Luciano Foods is a little Italian grocery store near Preston and Somerset. We recommend their roast beef sandwich (they prepare their own and it’s free of preservatives) but if you’re not sure what to order, just ask. Start by telling them whether you’re a mild or spicy kind of gal and they’ll guide you from there. Grab a San Pellegrino Limonata and take your lunch for a short stroll to Plouffe Park (directly behind the Plant Recreation Centre) for sunny benches, a shaded picnic table, and a playstructure. It’s a great place to eat your lunch if you’ve made it a family affair.

One of our favourite sandwich discoveries is Parma Ravioli’s meatball sandwich. This crusty bun is piled with saucy meatballs and cheese and is served with a salad of spring greens (which includes some of that pickled eggplant we love so much). This is the one sandwich which might benefit from a fork (not to mention a whole bunch of napkins). Parma’s grilled vegetarian sandwiches are also a must-try, but consider yourselves warned, you might not have room for dinner.

And there you have it—a ‘best-of’ list of the most noble of meals in town. Thank you, Earl.

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