Sandwich Of The Week: Lou's Sandwiches Café's Ami-Cado

At Lou's Sandwiches Café, tucked between Golden Gate Park and the Presidio in San Francisco's Richmond district, it's common to find folks waiting out the door and around the block to get their hands on one of Lou's mammoth gourmet sandwiches — especially when lunch time rolls around. Lou's also serves coffee, soup, and breakfast, but at this San Francisco hotspot, uniquely flavored, sky-stacked sandwiches reign supreme.

Opened in 2010, and run by the mother and two-son team of Ramana, Mark, and TJ Brodeth, Lou's Sandwiches Café is a local favorite, especially among the folks of Yelp, who've posted pictures of their over-stacked tuna melts, Louisiana hot link sausage sandwiches, and turkey cranberry sandwiches from every angle possible. Every gourmet sandwich on the menu is vegetable-loaded, with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, and a house-favorite, olive-oil-based jalapeño spread, adding a spicy kick. On the Ami-Cado, Lou's puts its own spin on classic Italian flavors, with generous servings of salami and pastrami while avocado and pepper jack — two classic California favors — topping it off.

The fixings are primo, to be sure, but its Lou's sauces and breads that separate them from the San Francisco sandwich pack. In addition to the jalapeño spread, the Ami-Cado features Lou's special sauce: a smooth garlic and herb mayonnaise. For bread, the Dutch crunch — a doughy loaf with a cracking, crummy top — is the house favorite. But for the Ami-Cado, the toasted sweet roll beautifully counterbalances the savory and spicy.

Adam D'Arpino is the Restaurants Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDArpino.