The Fat Sandwich
UPDATED: May 18, 2008
7x7 Magazine is a great resource for finding places to eat and drink in and around San Francisco. Case in point – La Torta Gorda.
Many months ago, Mackie plopped an issue of 7x7 containing Best Eat + Drink of 2007 in front of me. “Find some new places for us to eat,” she requested. [N.B., I can’t find the paper copy of the issue so I’m not sure which one it was. Sorry.]
La Torta Gorda stood out immediately. 7x7's description of the sammies made my mouth water and a glutton's gotta love a name like The Fat Sandwich. We went forthwith and haven't stopped going.
On our inital visit, I went for 7x7's recommended sandwich, the pierna, a Mexican riff on pulled pork. Mackie ordered the chicken Milanesa. I chose well. Mackie chose better.
I'm determined to eat my way through the entire list of tortas, excepting the veggie. So far I've tried eight of the 13 available varieties.
The chicken Milanesa is my favorite. Mackie's too. The strips of chicken are pounded thin, breaded and deep fried before being pressed inside a bolillo with beans, avocado, queso fresco, onions, mayo and jalapenos.
The pierna, beef Milanesa, carne asada and carnitas are also very, very good, all using the same accompaniments as the chicken Milanesa. The excellent al pastor adds pineapple to the mix. Our waiter (who I suspect is the owner) said that, in Mexico, taco trucks that serve al pastor top the spit with an actual pineapple, cutting off some fruit along with the meat when an order is prepared.
The ham was just OK. The various condiments made it taste good but the ham itself was nothing special — just sliced deli ham. Ditto the turkey. I enjoyed both but, with so many options that have some extra oomph about them, why bother?
The Cubana, frankly, was awful – a greasy, unappetizing mess. It takes a lot of grease to turn my stomach but the Cubana did it.
LTG serves good iced tea ($1.75, must pay for refills) but has only lime for the citrus, no lemon. They also have a number of aguas frescas ($1.75) that are good but not the best I've had.
Keeping a few tips in mind will allow you to make the most of your fat sandwich experience.
First and foremost, unless you’re allergic to one of the ingredients, order your torta with everything on it. During our first visit, I had the kitchen hold a few items while Mackie went for the whole shootin’ match. When Mackie kindly gave me a bite of her chicken Milanesa, I immediately realized the error of my ways. I have not since strayed from the enlightened path and neither should you.
The tortas are very filling. Most come in junior ($4.75 to $5.75) and regular ($6.75 to $7.95) sizes. Unless you feel like you can eat a horse, get the junior. If you try to eat a regular by yourself, you won’t finish and the sammies are much better hot of the press than they are as leftovers. If two people settle on the same torta, splitting a regular is a cost-effective option.
Getting there can be a bit confusing because La Torta Gorda moved within the past year and some online sources still list the old address. The correct address appears at the bottom of this post.
Finally, the place closes early, especially on weekends when the doors shut at 5:00 P.M. Mackie and I recently trekked to La Torta Gorda at 5:30 P.M. on a Saturday, based on a Citysearch listing that said they were open until 6:00 P.M. We were bitterly disappointed to find that Citysearch had the hours wrong.
The next time you’re in the mood for a great fat sandwich or simply want to fill your stomach without emptying your wallet, get thee to La Torta Gorda.
La Torta Gorda
2833 24th Street
between York and Bryant Streets
San Francisco, CA 94110
No web site
Food inspection score: 96
Symbol of Excellence: Yes
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