Wednesday, April 13, 2011

BBI Cafe & Sandwich Bar


4825 Oakbrook Dr. 
Indianapolis IN 46254


The Reuben sandwich as defined by the great source of information, Wikipedia, is “a hot sandwich of layered meat, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese, with a dressing (Russian or 1000 Island), in between slices of grilled rye bread. In other words, one of the best sandwiches ever created. There are many stories as to where the sandwich first originated, but I will not bore you with those details. I mentioned in a previous post, one of my oldest and best friends, ABW.  One day we were talking and he mentioned how he bases how good a restaurant is on their Reuben sandwich. This had me thinking about how much I also love this sandwich and I decided to hop on board with ABW’s train of thought. Throughout this blog, I will go through a Top Ten of sorts on my favorite Reuben sandwiches and where they rank on the ever-evolving list. It’s amazing how many different variations of this sandwich there are.  All Reuben’s are compared to my personal favorite, the granddaddy of all Reuben’s, the Shapiro’s Reuben. More on that culinary masterpiece later. What I look for on a good Reuben is first and foremost, the quality of corned beef. This will make or break your sandwich, as this rule applies to all sandwiches. To a lesser degree, the bread is also a key to a good Reuben. I have had the rye sliced too thin or over toasted, which will also bring the sandwich down. My personal preference for is a New York style Reuben, with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut. Nothing against the traditional cabbage topping of the Reuben, I just prefer coleslaw. It is hard to go wrong with the other components, the Swiss cheese and Russian/Thousand Island Dressing.
 
Now you have heard the ins and outs of my thoughts on the Reuben, on to the review! The Reuben at BBI has the honor of being #7 on the Top Ten Reuben List. It has all the makings of a good Reuben, but not everyone can be the top dog. The corned beef is pretty good, it is sliced thin, and has a nice seasoning to it. The beef could be a little more tender and was a little on the dry side. The rye bread was a little soggy after it was toasted. I didn't see coleslaw on the menu, so I went with the default sauerkraut  option. There was a perfect amount of sauerkraut, as it added a nice crunch and tangy flavor to offset the sweetness of the 1000 island. The thing I look for when it comes to cheese on a sandwich is that it covers the whole sandwich, so there is cheese in every bite. BBI's Reuben nailed it with the cheese. After my below average sweet potato fries at Goose Island, I opted to try BBI's. I like how they were fresh cut, and they were perfectly seasoned. They had a sweet heat to them, spicy and sweet. The downside was they were a little soggy. AS got the Roast Beef Special: Roast beef, bacon,1000 Island dressing, Swiss & Colby cheeses grilled on sourdough.  He described it as, "Phenomenal". I might have to try it next time.   

As for the restaurant itself, it has a cozy feel. The staff there is very friendly. It is a family run restaurant, and you get that feeling there. Everything runs pretty smoothly and the food came out pretty quickly. I guess the downside is that BBI is only open for breakfast and lunch. I will definitely go back as the two times I have been there, I have left completely satisfied. 

“Part of the secret of success in life is to EAt what you like and let the food fight it out inside” -Mark Twain



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