Rex, La Barra, Uruguay

After a few days of fine dining in Uruguay, including our sublime lunch at El Garzon as well as excellent whole grilled fish on the beach at La Huella in José Ignacio where we were staying, we decided that our final dinner in the country would be a meal of chivitos, a regional steak-based sandwich. A quintessentially Uruguayan dish, the chivito is the national riff on the universal idea of packing carbs and protein into a meal that fits in your hand.

On the recommendation of our hotel staff, we made the short drive from José Ignacio to La Barra to go to Rex, a diner whose marquee promised us "The Best Chivitos in Town." Keeping things simple, we both ordered the Chivito Completo, which somehow crams five different forms of protein into a single dish. When our plates arrived, we were able to enjoy the architectural assembly of our sandwiches.


Each starts with a solid base of churrasco, a thin cut of steak grilled until juicy and tender, before being layered with two forms of pork (both pancetta and ham, in case omitting one or the other would be negligent). A generous layer of melted provolone binds the three meats together, and a fried egg tops them off. A few slices of lettuce and tomato, a dollop of mayo, and a sesame seed bun round out Rex's version of this national dish.

We washed our meal down with a large frosty bottle of Patricia, a decent Uruguayan lager which complemented our salty meal nicely. Were they the best chivitos in town? Well, they were the only ones we tried, and judging by our empty plates and happy faces, they earned our stamp of approval.



Rex is located on the main drag of Ruta 10 at km 161 in La Barra, Uruguay. You can call them at 00598-42-771504 or visit their website for more information.

Locals, how did we do? Is there a better chivito in the area? Where do you go for the best chivito in Uruguay?

Borough Market, London, England

A Tale of Two Sandwiches

One of our first destinations in London was Borough Market, a paradise for food and food lovers. We did some shopping and gawking, admiring the sight of the portly pork pies obediently stacked in their glass display case, the smells of London's finest meats, cheeses, and food surrounding us.

We worked up an appetite with our wandering and were drawn to two different sandwich vendors which were serving up expertly prepared, simple fare. The first was the grilled chorizo vendor who was combining five ingredients to perfection. A short length of chorizo had been split open along its axis and grilled before being placed on a slightly grilled crusty bun and drizzled with a splash of high quality olive oil. Roasted piquillo peppers, which were both slightly acidic and sweet, and fresh nutty rocket contrasted with the salty sausage to yield a perfectly balanced sandwich.


The crusty bread and snappy sausage casings gave our jaws a workout with each bite.


Still hungry, we wandered our way through the market until the alluring scent emanating from a second sandwich vendor reeled us in.


We shared the most perfect grilled cheese sandwich imaginable. It consisted of two thin slices of Poilâne sourdough bread, a generous handful of grated cheeses (a mix of Montgomery Cheddar from Cheddar itself and Ogleshield), and several heaping teaspoons of minced leeks, red onion, and garlic. The bread was generously buttered, and pressed in a sandwich press until perfectly golden brown.


The cheese was pungent, salty, and pleasantly slippery while the bread was thin, crusty, buttery, and crisp. Cheese had leaked out around the edges of the bread, forming a delightfully greasy crust where it contacted the hot press. The crispy, fresh vegetables provided just enough contrast in flavour and texture to elevate the sandwich to another plane. Without a doubt, this was the best thing I ate in England. We took it next door and devoured it on the lawn of the Southwark cathedral.

Borough Market is located at 8 Southwark Street in London, England. It is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Visit their excellent website for directions and more information. The chorizo vendor is located at the front of the Market on Southwark Street, while the grilled cheese vendor is located at the rear of the market, adjacent to the cathedral.

Boustan, Montreal, QC

“Every sandwich has to be right. I treat each one like it's my sandwich. As soon as my eyes are happy, I know it's ready."

Boustan owner Imad Smaidi, McGill Tribune, 11/18/03

Let's cut to the chase. My favorite food destination on the planet is a nondescript Lebanese basement sandwich shop in my hometown of Montreal. Even though the menu primarily deals with Lebanese street food, which is found in dozens of similar restaurants around the city, the philosophy and attention to detail at Boustan, outlined in the above quote, elevates its fare miles beyond its competitors into some of the best food you will ever eat.


Boustan has reached such a status with me that it's the first place I visit every time I return home, and I usually manage to squeeze in two meals there every time I'm in town. You'll want to order the chicken shawarma sandwich, which is a handheld culinary marvel. Each sandwich is handmade to order and consists of a hollowed out pita, filled first with chicken shaved from the vertical spit of meat rotating within inches of a hot gas flame. The stack of meat, three or so feet tall, consists of layers of marinated chicken breast seasoned with tomatoes and onions that release their juices as they slowly cook. The edges of the stack get crispy as they rotate next to the flame and the shaved pile is a perfect mix of crispy skin, bits of fat, and lean, juicy white meat.

The rest of the sandwich is stuffed with slices of tomato, lettuce tossed with parsley, neon pink pickled turnip spears, and a generous dollop of garlicky mayo. If you want a little heat, ask for it spicy, and watch as a spoonful of mystery sauce from an unmarked casserole dish is spread on your sandwich. It won't burn your mouth, but it will give your sandwich some extra zing. The extra touch that sets Boustan above its competitors is the last step. The filled sandwich is finally placed over a gas flame for a few moments to slightly char the pita, giving it enough crispiness and heating the ingredients inside just enough so that they meld together. The sandwich is carefully wrapped in a clean sheet of wax paper, and presented to you like the gift that it is.


It's hard to describe the perfect combination of flavours and textures in every bite of a Boustan chicken shawarma sandwich. The chicken dominates with its toothsome saltiness, dripping juices, and divine crispiness. The pickled turnip spears provide a touch of bitterness and ample crunch. The tomatoes provide acidity and moisture, the lettuce brings a cool sense of balance, while the mayo binds it all together in garlicky bliss. The pita provides a crispy shell and a hint of smokiness from the gas flame.

Frankly, this sandwich is so good, I wouldn't order anything else. People swear by their falafel, and they have a variety of other menu items. The garlic potatoes are good, but still can’t compete with the sandwich. One order consists of a small plate of cubes of deep fried potatoes which are tossed with salt and herbs, and topped with a generous spoonful of Boustan’s garlic mayo. To be sure, these are delicious, but the chicken shawarma is out of this world good.


The most popular time for a Boustan meal is at 3AM when the nearby bars and clubs empty, and the drunk masses stop for a late night bite before stumbling home. However, the best time to stop by for a visit is on a Sunday afternoon, when the rest of the city is hung over. You won't be rushed, and you can take a moment to examine the pictures on the counter which depict the various politicians and hockey players who have similarly enjoyed food bliss.

One close friend, a chef at one of the city's finest restaurants, has been known stop by Boustan after his shift ends to order a half dozen sandwiches to get him through the next few days. Even though I'd hyped it up relentlessly, Tamar insisted that it lived up to it's lofty expectations on our recent visit to the city and has since expressed cravings to return.

The service can be brusque, the basement dining area is sometimes slightly grimy and filled with drunk club kids, but order two chicken shawarma sandwiches, find yourself some space to sit down, and I promise you won't go home disappointed. I know that's what I'll be doing next time I'm in town.

Boustan is located at 2020 Rue Crescent in downtown Montreal, QC. They are open until 4AM and will often deliver to nearby locations if they aren't too busy. Call 514-843-3576 to place your order.