Any spot that has Phish and Widespread Panic posters all over the walls is already my kind of place. A small kitschy looking building houses The Brown Sack (3581 W. Belden Ave.), a sandwich joint that’s a new standout for local sammy fare.
Walking up, you’re not quite sure what to expect inside the turquoise and purple facade. It stands on a corner and you could easily drive by the building thinking it was a little cafe or even a floral shop from all the plants in the windows. But walk through the door and you immediately see what you’re in for – awesome sandwiches. An open kitchen and a fun menu highlight some of the areas most artfully made meat-n-bread creations.
We started with a cup of their French Onion Soup. An excellent version with extremely intensely flavored broth. Dark and rich with a nice sherry kick that I love to see in FOS. There was the right amount of cheese and the portion was great for about $3.
We also enjoyed their Macaroni and Cheese. Corkscrew pasts works great for this version as it perfectly captures more cheesy goodness than any other noodle shape. The cheese was sharp and had that stick to your ribs consistency – it wasn’t runny at all…nice and gooey.
There was a nice sharp kick to the dish that made it come across as more of an adult version in a very simple disguise. The light dusting of paprika over the top gave it the slightest spice that was only noticeable in the back of the tongue. Just right.
Jill ordered the Cajun Po’ Boy. Cajun spiced turkey and ham are served on a buttered sub roll with a spicy romaine slaw, tomato and pepperjack cheese. The meat melted in your mouth making the sandwich super easy to eat – an important element to any sandwich. 
The slaw was tangy and had some spice to the sauce. It was a yummy treat for sure…but it didn’t stand up to the Reuben in my humble opinion.
My fantastic Reuben was clearly thought out. I’ve always said that some of the best Reubens around are those where the corned beef is chopped up and incorporated evenly into the sauerkraut and thousand island dressing.
In other words, you don’t see each individual layers in the sandwich. Instead, it’s a consistent blend of the three elements with Swiss cheese topping off the glorious bit.
The house made corned beef was moist, tender and really flavorful. The bread was toasted well and, again, the sandwich was easy to eat despite its large size. Piping hot, every bite had the same proportion of ingredients as the last – a feat often hard to come by with a Reuben. Another spot that does a Reuben in this style is Glenn’s Diner on Montrose. A blog post right around the corner, this is closer to home than Glenn’s and dare I say…just as good? Find out for yourself.
The Brown Sack is BYOB so grab some suds or even a nice light red or white wine and swing by on a lazy day for sandwich time on this residential corner in West Logan Square.
I’m hungry. Let’s eat!
Hungry Hungry Hinden 