In the foodie era, just about every regional iteration of the mighty sandwich has had its moment of glory — the cheesesteak, the po’boy, the muffuletta, the Southern tomato, the Hoosier pork tenderloin. It’s past time for the nation to look to East Tennessee, where they like their sandwiches … soft and wet. Bear with me, because it’s a revelation. Nashville’s resident soul revivalist, former NASA employee, and native East Tennessean Jason Eskridge has brought the regional delicacy to the far northeast side with Music City Sandwich Co. Construct your perfect sub from a checklist — bread, meat, cheese, condiments — and then hand your list to the attendant. Once assembled, your sandwich then goes into a wonderfully anachronistic-looking machine called the Fresh-O-Matic, where it’s pampered with a steam bath. The bread softens. The deli meat warms. The cheese melts. The condiments seep. It’s soft, but not soggy. Gooey but not sloppy. No crusty bread chafing your gums. No sandwich innards spilling out upon first bite. Like I said, it’s a revelation.
Best Specialty Sandwich
