7 Sandwich -- Appreciating Risk If Not Entirely the Results

7 Sandwich, Oak Park -- Appreciating the Risk If Not Entirely the Results

7 Sandwich is one of Oak Park’s more interesting places to have lunch. Their approach is risky, which is always appreciated: they’re taking classic sandwiches -- beloved sandwiches – and switching out the ingredients to make something new, something strangely familiar, and something that inevitably invites invidious comparisons with the well-known sandwiches they’re modeling theirs after and changing, sometimes ever so slightly, sometimes a lot. It’s a gutsy business move.

The Black Russian Ruben switches out the key ingredient of a classic Ruben: corned beef. In 7 Sandwich’s version, the cured meat is replaced with sliced turkey. Corned beef adds a lush sloppiness to the sandwich, which I missed in the 7 Sandwich version, and the traditional sauerkraut cuts through that fatty wonderfulness with the sharp sword of acidity.



Still, there is a lot of mildly sour sliced cabbage on this sandwich, so much so that it practically counts as a vegetable side, and with turkey, you wouldn’t want the serious aggressiveness of standard sauerkraut, which could overwhelm. And At 7 Sandwich, mild Havarti is used in place of the more acidic Swiss cheese, which also makes sense.

Russian dressing was virtually undetectable.

As with the Cubano I had during my last visit, this sandwich seemed insufficiently warmed. I would have liked it to have spent another minute on the grill to get the bread crisper and the meat and Havarti warmer, but maybe that’s just me (though I doubt it: a warmer sandwich would probably make most of Humanity happier).

This was not a cheap lunch: almost ten bucks. However, with this sandwich, you get a lot of housemade chips, which are indeed wonderfully warm, and dusted with a patina of spices, so it’s not a bad deal at all. Plus, probably only during the winter months, hot tea is free.

Overall, I thought this was a good sandwich, not as tasty as an actual Ruben, but tasty enough, and the lower-fat meat is healthier, so in the end, I was very glad I ordered it. I’m guessing, too, that 7 Sandwich is going to be tweaking their recipes over time, and I like the way these guys are running changes on the classics: it reflects an adventurous spirit, which is welcome on Lake street, the Land of a Thousand Franchises.

7 Sandwich
1053 Lake Street, Oak Park
http://www.7sandwichshop.com/

Is that what's called a Rachel---a Reuben with turkey in place of corned beef?

I believe a Rachel frequently has pastrami, but the basic meat+cabbage+cheese+dressing seems to sometimes be called a Ruben Something or a Something Ruben.

David Hammond wrote:The Black Russian Ruben switches out the key ingredient of a classic Ruben: corned beef. In 7 Sandwich’s version, the cured meat is replaced with sliced turkey. /

I appreciate the effort...but this doesn't seem all that "daring", if that is what they are going for.

I love a good sandwich place, and this may be one. But I'd rather hear "dang, this is one hell of a ruben!"

David Hammond wrote:7 Sandwich, Oak Park -- Appreciating the Risk If Not Entirely the Results

This was not a cheap lunch: almost ten bucks. However, with this sandwich, you get a lot of housemade chips, which are indeed wonderfully warm, and dusted with a patina of spices, so it’s not a bad deal at all. Plus, probably only during the winter months, hot tea is free.

Overall, I thought this was a good sandwich, not as tasty as an actual Ruben, but tasty enough, and the lower-fat meat is healthier,

Granted I've only tried once, but on that day, I came to the opposite conclusion. I thought the sandwich was decent enough, but @ $10 or so, not a good value*. Such, that I've not had much desire to return--I miss Falafil!

My all time most missed restaurant, Winkelstein's did a fantastic "Georgia Reuben", which was turkey, cole slaw, russian dressing and swiss on grilled rye. Very often, the Condiment Queen and I went halvies with that and the corned beef.

*Value, like pornography is something you know when you see it

spanky wrote:I love a good sandwich place, and this may be one. But I'd rather hear "dang, this is one hell of a ruben!"

Believe me, I'd rather be able to say that.