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The Sandwich: “Primanti Bros” Sausage
Where: Bar Civita, 2609 24th St. NW
Price: $9.95
Bread: Soft Italian loaf
Stuffings: “Pittsburghese” sausage, provolone, slaw, fries, tomato
Thickness: 3.5 inches
Pros: Individually, each ingredient in this upscale version of Pittsburgh’s famously monstrous French fry sandwich is well executed. The sausage is moist and chewy, the slaw’s got a surprising dose of heat, and the bread remains crisp on the outside but soft on the inside. Most miraculously, the fries don’t become soggy while sitting in the sandwich.
Cons: This sandwich is so poorly constructed that ingredients start falling out as soon as you pick it up. Tiny slices of bread cannot contain the massive sausage, causing it to roll out of the sandwich and into your hand. With little surface area to balance ingredients on, the fries and tomato also escape. When you finally get around to nibbling the sausage, you’ll need sharp incisors to tear through its tough casing.
Sloppiness level (1 to 5): 4. You quickly end up with two slices of bread in one hand and a bunch of fries in a pile on your plate. Be sure to hold on to your fork and knife.
Overall score (1 to 5): 3. Taste-wise, this sandwich is perfectly fine, but restructuring the sandwich every time you take a bite quickly becomes a chore. Something easier to handle would make it much more enjoyable.
Photo by Caroline Jones