Urban Stomach

My Scripture

Can a man have a love affair with a corner store? Yes. My first visit to Roxie’s was in 1986 as a junior in high school. I didn’t just instantly fall in love with the sandwiches, I also instantly fell in love with the place. I absorbed the constant chatter from the guys behind the counter and learned about the real world from observing the cops, construction workers, local crazies, college students and other characters who frequented Roxie’s. It was as much a class to me as was Mr. Simon’s Math or Mr. Weiss’ Computer Architecture. Only a two-minute drive, it was far enough from school to feel like we were leaving campus yet close enough that we could go for lunch or during a fifty minute “dead period”. During my senior year, I often visited Roxie’s twice each day, once in the morning to have a donut and and get the AM chatter from the counter guys who all called me “Shorty”, and again with my friends for lunch, which we ate in my beloved 1979 maroon, diesel Cadillac Seville or outside on the sidewalk. It was like our secret clubhouse. My penchant for food challenges ramped up at Roxie’s where I regularly ate an entire Hostess Snowball in one bite. Though grades weren’t my highest priority, I was hellbent on eating every item on Roxie’s menu by the time I graduated. While I came close, I consider it to be my biggest failure in life that I didn’t finish.

12/31/1999: Shorty, The Roxie Kid And Our Heroes At The Last Lunch Of The Century

Visits home from college weren’t complete without a visit to see the guys at Roxie’s and feast on a Roxie’s Special. “Hey, Shorty’s back in town!” they would yell out. Yes, a corner store on the city’s outskirts was the only place where I was known, but my ego skyrocketed when the Roxie’s guys remembered me. Still does. When I took Mrs. Stomach to Roxie’s for the first time, roughly four months after we started dating, I was worried about what she would think of my paradise. She loved it. However, more prominent on my mind was what would the Roxie’s guys think of Mrs. Stomach? If they disapproved, I’d have a dilemma on my hands. From behind the counter, one of the guys yelled “Hey look! Shorty’s got a new girlfriend! Hey, Shorty’s girlfriend, do you like pastrami? Here’s a taste!” Luckily, Mrs. Stomach charmed them and they all approved. I could safely proceed with the relationship. My last lunch of the 20th century was a no brainer. Roxie’s.

The Roxie's Special

Ok, ok..what about the food you ask? The Roxie’s Special is my favorite sandwich in San Francisco and it’s what I order most of the time . Ham, mortadella, salami, your choice of cheese (I recommend that you let them decide), and the usual sandwich fixings make up the inside of this beast. Ask for your order warmed up and you’ll be rewarded with a truly oven-baked, meltingly good lunch that will make you ask “Why can’t all corner store sandwiches taste like this?” No Quizno’s crap here.  While Roxie’s has a great bread selection, I go Dutch Crunch every time. This roll is crunchy like a cracker on the outside but soft like a Philadelphia pretzel on the inside and makes for the perfect casing. Finally, the ingredient that puts the Roxie’s Special over the top is marinated artichoke hearts. They add just the right amount of zip and the texture against the meat, cheese and bread works magically. While the high school Urban Stomach could easily polish a Supreme sized sandwich, nowadays I go for the Junior which is still a pretty hefty lunch. Note that Roxie’s has maybe the largest drink selection of any corner store in the city. You’ll need a few minutes to pick one which is a good thing as sandwiches, because they’re made with love, can take a while during peak hours. At lunchtime, you’ll be in and out in roughly 15-20 minutes.

The Unparalleled Dutch Crunch Roll

I have to give two big shout-outs as I conclude my love letter. First is to Duncan Mitchell. Though Duncan went to a different high school, he’s the one who told my friends about Roxie’s and thus is the reason that I started going. To this day, Duncan, now a New Yorker, is one of my favorite eating partners but I still have issues with the fact that he likes the Spanish roll as much, if not more than, the Dutch Crunch. Lunacy. My second shout-out goes to Justin Grover, a.k.a. “The Roxie Kid”. Justin was there for my very first sandwich at Roxie’s and we’ve been well over 100 times since. He’s a Tuna Special guy and I respect that. Now a father of two little stomachs, I get a little teary eyed when the Roxie’s guys scream “Hey, Shorty’s here with his daughters. Those are two beautiful girls. Shorty’s all grown up now!” It’s my own circle of life come to fruition.

The Stomachs At Our Favorite Picnic Spot

Roxie Food Center
1901 San Jose Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94112
Monday-Saturday: 6:30 AM-9:00 PM
Sunday: 7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Junior Roxie’s Special $5.99

When I think of the corner store sandwich, I envision a turkey or maybe a roast beef sandwich on a semi-stale, hard Italian roll with bland, rubbery cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo or mustard. The guy behind the counter isn’t really that into making sandwiches and also serves as the cashier and is also probably the owner of the store. Boring sandwiches. Boring life. Recently though, mainly in the Mission District, there has been a complete reinvention of the corner store sandwich and its place on our palates. The bread is fresh. The ingredients more flavorful. The sandwich maker is enthusiastic. Exciting sandwiches. Exciting Life.

The Korean Steak Sandwich at Rhea's

Rhea’s Market and Deli had been on my omnipresent mental list of places to check out for some time but then faded from memory. However, when Jonathan Kauffman, the SF Weekly’s excellent new restaurant critic, recently proclaimed Rhea’s Korean Steak Sandwich to be “one of the best Korean fusion snacks in the city”, I was beyond intrigued. The first thing that I noticed during my lunchtime visit last week was the attention to detail going on behind the sandwich counter. There were three guys making sandwiches with one, presumably the owner, checking each sandwich for proper ingredient distribution and style. Two sandwiches, having failed inspection, were reopened for a quick addition of onions or a hit of hot sauce. Wow. Rhea’s menu lists the Korean Steak Sandwich’s ingredients as: “Marinated rib-eye in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey & spices served on an Acme organic roll, choice of cheese, chili garlic sauce, house pickled red onions & jalapenos, grilled onions, fresh red onions, iceberg lettuce and garlic aioli.” When reading this, I thought that this sandwich could be divine or it could be a total mess. I’m happy to report that it was divine! All good sandwiches start with good bread and this was no exception. The Acme roll was very fresh with a nice crunch to the crust yet an easy chew. I liked how the bread sopped up the delicious marinade juices, creating an extra level of flavor. Each bite was like a “best of” Korean barbecue flavors festival going on in my mouth. The attention to detail behind the counter paid off as every bite had an even spread of ingredients, a rare feat. Minor points off for one piece of gristle but otherwise, this is a pretty unique and fantastic sandwich.

The Chicken Milanese Torta at That's It

I was embarrassed to learn about the tortas at That’s It Market from the San Francisco episode of Tony Bourdain’s show, “No Reservations”. When Bourdain was munching on his torta on-screen, Mrs. Stomach shot me a look letting me know that I had let her down. How didn’t I know about this place until last summer? While That’s It looks like a typical corner store on the outside, inside they have a small counter that can seat six towards the back. Behind the counter stands Alicia, my Torta Queen, who is solely responsible for these masterpieces. While Rhea’s sandwich is a gourmet spin on a Korean classic (I’m guessing that Acme doesn’t have a bakery in Seoul), That’s It’s tortas are about as down-home as you can get. As per the menu board, the tortas are made “estilo DF”, meaning in the style typical of food stands and carts in Mexico City. Much like Rhea’s, the bread here is the engine that drives the sandwich. A quick turn on the griddle gives the roll a super light crisp and a faint buttery flavor. This is then stuffed, and I mean stuffed, with your choice of meat (I suggest the chicken milanese or the chorizo and egg), refried beans, queso fresco, avocado, onion and tomato. The end result is a sandwich that tastes like a lighter but more flavorful burrito. These tortas can easily feed two for lunch and maybe even dinner depending on your appetites. For $6.50! I’m now a regular making up for lost time.

Rhea’s Market and Deli
800 Valencia St. (at the corner of 19th St.)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-282-5255
Deli counter open M-TH: 11:30 AM-7PM, F-SUN: 11:30 AM-8PM, Closed every 2nd Monday
Korean Steak Sandwich $8.75

That’s It Market
2699 Mission St. (at the corner of 23rd St.)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-285-9883
Mon.-Sun.: 11AM-11:30 PM
Chicken Milanese Torta or Chorizo and Egg Torta: $6.50