New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
This article will surely ruffle some feathers and get some people’s Irish up. So, let me pre-empt the content with a disclaimer: these are not the only eight great sandwiches. In fact, if I were to write what I believe to be the best sandwiches in greater New Bedford, the list would likely be 50 or more long. No one would read such a list. I’m simply picking eight of my current favorites…with a few honorable mentions.
This is simply one person’s opinion. Ten of one person’s fifty favorite sandwiches in no particular order. If you have a favorite that you think should be mentioned, by all means, mention it! Perhaps, it’s a sandwich I haven’t had and now can add to my Foodie Bucket List. I just want to let other foodie’s out there know about these sandwiches so they can share in my delight and I hope they would do the same. Let’s have a discussion and share our passion: mouth-watering sandwiches!
Part one can be read here
06. Mirasol’s Chilena or Sexy Asparagus
As, some of you well know, I frequent Mirasol’s Cafe regularly–in fact, I’m here now. I probably spend more time here than anywhere else except home. This heavily trafficked spot is a favorite destination for its now famous drink, the Chippi. Proprietors Rich and Meegan have something special as evidenced by how long the lines can be.
As with many of the establishments in this article, picking one sandwich from their menus is tough. I tried and tried with Mirasol’s, but couldn’t pick just one. When Mirasol’s first opened I ate only the Heuvo Ranchero for a year. When I needed a break, I hopped to the El Capitan. I kept hopping from stand-by sandwich to stand-by sandwich. Through the years there are two sandwiches that I have always loved: the Chilena – marinated, grilled steak with smoked Gouda cheese, avocado spread, string beans, lettuce mix, and tomatoes and the Sexy Asparagus – marinated, grilled Peruvian Asparagus, Smoked Gouda topped with tomatoes, and Avocado Spread.
While I am not a vegetarian, I limit the amount of beef and pork I eat. Beef, sparingly, and pork to about 2-3 times per week. I eat as much vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, etc. as I can. This is what my good friend, Pastor Ken calls “Plant Strong.” So I never made the Chilena my stand-by. This sandwich is a manly, mans sandwich. My mind was blown at the quality of steak and the portion size for the price, the first time I had it. I am still impressed every time I get it. Tender, juicy, the right amount of marinating. This is a sandwich where all the ingredients fit together so perfectly. If you are a beef or steak lover, you must get it.
The Sexy Asparagus sandwich is the sandwich I get when the next time I come to Mirasol’s after I’ve ordered the Chilena. It washes away the last vestiges of guilt I have for eating such a relatively (for me) large portion of steak. You won’t even realize that there’s no meat in this sandwich (though you can add Turkey Bacon) as it’s quite hearty. And enough spiciness to satisfy the chilihead in me. I’d like to tell those of you who can’t handle heat, that it’s really not bad at all, but I eat Ghost Pepper sauces on the regular so my “mild” likely isn’t mild. You have to try it for yourself.
