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Chowing on Panes' mayo-filled wonder.

Monday May 30, 2005.     By Misty Tosh

Food Feed

There is nothing more simple, soul satisfying and crave-worthy than a good, hearty sandwich. Case in point: I just spent close to a month driving from Chicago to the very tip of Baja, Mexico, and at the end of the journey, all I was craving was a big ol' juicy American-style sandwich. I'd had enough of the fresh fish tacos, the deep-fried coconut shrimp, the tangy, potent margaritas and the authentic frijoles and arroz. Delicious as all that fresh Mexican cuisine was, I wanted nothing more than to stuff my face with a handful of mayonnaise-filled sandwich.

I found the cure at a tiny America-owned cafe in the picture-perfect, colonial town of Todos Santos (40 miles North of horrific Cabo San Lucas), and since I've been back in Chicago (7,000 miles roundtrip, but the trip of a lifetime), all I've really been dreaming about is a sandwich worthy of the one I'd consumed with sheer and utter delight at Cafe Todos Santos (a two-pound cheese, veggie and mayo behemoth). If you could have seen the blatant confusion when I sweetly asked for even more mayonnaise, bringing my grand total slathered the sandwich to about half-a-cup...good God.

My usual sandwich joint in Chicago is fan-favorite Potbelly's. There really is no comparison to its soft (but still crunchy), warm take on the vegetarian sandwich. Packed down with fresh mushrooms, gooey cheese, shredded lettuce, ripe tomato, homemade pickles, a tiny burst of mustard and extra, extra squirts of mayonnaise, this is the ideal sandwich for the non-vegetarian. The denseness of the mushrooms make it seem like there's some sort of meat on board, and the mayo soaks deep into the warm bread, which makes every bite an eye-closer, full of wonder.

My latest find is at Panes Bread Cafe in Lakeview. Right when you walk through the door, the first thing that blasts through the nose is the smell of BBQ. Smoky and sweet, they use it for their housemaid pizzas, but my taste buds always lead me straight to the Cheese and Tomato sandwich ($4.95). Simple as it sounds, it's really a clever little blend of paper-thin tomato slices soaked in balsamic vinegar, sprigs of fresh basil, homemade roasted red peppers, and chunks of milky white mozzarella. All of this is loaded onto a huge hunk of toasted bread (bursting with fresh herbs) and served with plain potato chips. With a side of garlicky, super-soft potato salad ($2.95), the nirvana of Mexico (the American side of it, anyways) is just a bite or two away.

THE FINAL RAVE: Every sandwich on the menu is under five bucks, so feel free to order more than one. I usually go for the albacore tuna sandwich (which happens to be loaded with, you guessed it, loads of mayonnaise).

KEEP IT GOING:

Read It: Salt & Pepper Diner
Check out the always-consistent menu and the turkey club at this old-school, diner-style favorite. Good anytime of the day, and packed with fresh-as-a-daisy shaved turkey, this is one of the best club sandwiches in the city.

Drink It: Pick Me Up
Order up an achingly sweet milk shake and a fat-ass grilled cheese at this late night coffee house. Don't forget to get an order of French fries and some homemade ranch (back again, mayonnaise?). It has mastered both.

Eat It: Milk and Honey Cafe
All of the sandwiches here are wonderful and the gourmet touches make you feel like you've dropped the bank on a couple pieces of bread; in the end, I guess you have.

Get Crazy With It: Baja, Mexico
Summer. The very idea of it makes me want to pack up my car and head to a place where it's offered all year round. There's no place better than Baja, Mexico, and when ya get to the tip, head north to Cafe Todos Santos and getcherself a sandwich; you'll be craving it for years to come.

Fatcake Misty Tosh explores back-alley eateries, holes-in-the-wall and seedy ethnic joints as she treks the city in search of the next raving dish. Join her in the quest.