Steak Sammy

The first time that I had the beef baguette at Smith and Mills, it was my birthday. I had one at dinner, and then, several champagnes later, ordered another. It seemed like a very gluttonous thing to do and I kept this bit of information a secret until recently, when I returned to the steak sammy supplier.

I went with a new friend. We weren’t too hungry, and, in fact, only ordered food as a means of guarding the power table that we’d somehow managed to secure upon arrival. Oysters were a must, but the rest of the menu offered so many good choices that we were lost, especially not being so hungry. We knew that just one or two more items would be plenty.

When I saw the beef baguette, I instantly recalled the sensation of biting into it several months prior. I mentioned the dish, and the waitress couldn’t resist piping in that she ate it everyday for the first three months she’d worked there. We were sold and ordered one to split. The baguette comes looking rather unassuming, served with a side salad and a finger bowl of salty, crunchy hominy.

The actual sandwich stretches about eight inches across the plate but is cut in two for a more manageable pick-up. It is stuffed with braised beef, tomato jam, and a spicy, horseradish aioli. The chef adds a few salad greens to balance out the beefiness and the result is an impeccable sandwich.

We tried to be polite and talk to each other between bites, but ultimately, the sandwich demanded our full attention. Crusty baguette, house made jam and aioli, and slow cooked meat are all I need for a perfect dinner.

Smith and Mills is more than a steak sandwich though. The tiny space is rustically outfitted with old-fashioned fixtures and embellishments. The soundtrack is a stream of classic and indy rock. The lighting, service, and drinks make it a great place for a date.

After we’d finished our halves, my friend was clearly impressed with my sammy intel. “I could eat two full ones that was so great!” he exclaimed. And it was at that moment that I came clean and decided to reveal that, in fact, once I had.