Fries? Check. Coleslaw? Check. Optional fried egg add-on? Check.
I woke up about an hour outside of Pittsburgh last Sunday, turned on the television in my hotel room, and watched the final round of the British Open as I packed to leave. Like most people, I felt that the Open lost a bit of its luster when Tiger Woods failed to make the cut, but the return of Tom Watson restored all sorts of drama to the tournament, and then some. I remained glued to the TV as I assured housekeeping — on three different occasions — that I was just about to check out.
As far as sentimental favorites are concerned, the 59-year-old Watson is tough to beat. I really wanted him to win the Claret Jug for a sixth time, and my heart sank when his approach to the 18th hole rolled off the back of the green. Then, when Watson failed to get up and down for par, I knew the dream was essentially over. The likelihood of Watson winning a four-hole playoff against Stewart Cink seemed like a rather tall order (which it was, Cink won handily).
Slightly deflated, I turned off the television and finally checked out of the hotel. Even though Watson had already won eight majors in his career, to come so close to a ninth was just gutting. He definitely earned my sympathy. But then again, this was also something that was completely out of my hands. And besides, I had a single-minded mission that day, one that I had been planning for months: I headed to the Steel City in search of another sentimental favorite, an all-in-one sandwich at Primanti Brothers.
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Back in March, I made a trip to Giordano Brothers in San Francisco to sample the West Coast version of the all-in-one. Now that I have tasted both sandwiches, I must say that they are nearly identical, right down to the bread (I’m sure that Pittsburgh natives will cry heresy, but I call them as I see them). For me, neither of these sandwiches are life-changing, but they certainly do have character, and for what it’s worth, the Primanti Brothers location in the Strip District is open 24 hours. To be fair, context is often key (especially with a sentimental favorite), and I must admit, a kielbasa and cheese all-in-one could be a real godsend at three in the morning.
