Review: G Sandwich Shop’s Hog Wild vs. Gut Buster & 2016-2017 NFL Playoff Picks
JFG NATION! NFL playoff pick time! The season hasn’t started yet and I’m already putting people in the postseason, sight unseen. Yesterday I did my division winners – today we’ll zip through these playoff picks:
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: obviously we don’t know how the team schedules will align, but in terms of talent, it’s hard not to put Green Bay in here. Everything seems to be coming together for them, although the OL had a rack of injuries right now. Still I think Rodgers with a full weapon slate is hard to beat.
On the other side of the dial I’ll put Luke Kuechly…. I mean the Carolina Panthers. I have no reason not to – they basically returned all of their starters and added back Kelvin Benjamin. Plus LUUUUUKE is still around.
I considered Seattle but I think I’d need to believe in the run game more before I put them ahead of the other two. Carolina vs. Green Bay. Mark it.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: nope. Nope. Not gonna put New England in here. Sure Chris Hogan may be the next Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola…but I’m not buying it. Instead I’ll put in the Steelers who are equally as annoying but who will be battled tested in a strong division. Their depth is impressive; they have what it takes to outlast other teams down the stretch.
Flipside? Gimme Cincy – the other AFC North team has a balanced offense and a great defense, and I believe they figure out the best way to manage their ground game backfield share better than the Chiefs do. I’ll also take Dalton over Alex Smith & Andy Reid. This is the year, Cincy.
Super Bowl prediction tomorrow! What are your picks for the NFL postseason? Let me know in the comments below.
Today’s review: Sandwich Madness at Mike Isabella’s G Sandwich Shop: The Hog Wild vs. The Gut Buster!!
G Sandwich Shop is a great sandwich place here in DC by Mike Isabella, of Top Chef fame. Sandwich Madness is his charity competition – two personalized and newly created sandwiches go head to head with proceeds from purchases going to charity.
G Sandwich Shop did a version of this contest in the spring featuring sandwiches designed by other chefs. This time around its food writers and journalists who have sandwiches features in the faceoff. This time around its Nevin Martell’s Hog Wild vs. Missy Frederick’s Cleveland Gut Buster. Nevin writes for DC Magazine and OpenTable, while Missy writes for Eater DC. In other words, these two know their food!
The Hog Wild features spit roasted pork, peppers three ways, melted provolone and horseradish mayo on a sub roll. The Cleveland Gut Buster has kielbasa, Russian dressing, and sauerkraut on toasted rye bread.
Full disclosure: I am friends with Nevin. Will this taint my dining objectivity? Perhaps. BUT I WILL ENDEAVOR TO BE FAIR. In case fairness mattered to ANYONE.
G Sandwich Shop’s Hog Wild vs. Gut Buster, side by side. I tried to do a V with my fingers to represent the vs. sign. I think I am making some sort of offensive gesture. Yikes; sorry about that.
That’s one happy JFG. Thanks to food blogger EatDrinkandGoGirl for the photo! She came to help me tackle the sandwiches.
G Sandwich Shop’s Hog Wild Was amazing. Super crisp sub roll with a decent amount of chew. The pork was super tender but felt like it had been crisped up on the flat top to give it a bit more texture. I was worried that the peppers would be too sweet, but they had been marinated just right to give a complex flavor – a little heat, a little banana pepper tang, and only a touch of sweetness. Mixed with the mayo and it was the perfect acidic and creamy contrast to the fatty pork. A delicious sandwich.
G Sandwich Shop’s Cleveland Gut Buster I was prepared to automatically put into second place after trying the Hog Wild, but this sandwich was pretty good too! When I really broke it down, this was basically a Rueben sandwich with Kielbasa as opposed to corned beef. I LOVE REUBENS.
Here the Kielbasa was a nice change because it gave the overall Reuben combo a saltier meatier flavor – corned beef is plenty salty but nothing beats a nicely-seasoned Polish Sausage. The sauerkraut wasn’t overpowering and the seeded rye toast with the Russian dressing was perfect. Awesome combo.
In the end, EatDrinkandGoGirl and I both preferred the Nevin Martell Hog Wild only because the pork was just too damn perfect. However, this was a super close call. I live for sandwich showdowns.
Which would you like to try! Let me know in the comments below.
Purchased at: G by Mike Isabella, Washington, DC
Cost: Both sandwiches were upwards of $10+ dollars.
Sincerely,
The JFG
Discuss - 5 Comments
Definitely would like to try the Gut Buster: DC really doesn’t have a lot of kielbasa, one of my favorite sausages. That sandwich sounds fantastic.
Gimme dat Hog Wild joint, boyee
I’d try both. On paper, I think I’d like the Gut Buster better. But I think I’d like the Hog Wild better even tho I don’t eat much pork & I don’t like horseradish.
Gut Buster for me! Sounds like heaven. But pork is never a bad thing. They both sound delicious!
It would totally depend upon my mood…..I love pork and kielbasa. I’ve been on a real sausage kick lately, so I’d probably do the gut buster. But the pepper combo on hogwild sounds mighty tasty too! Being a southerner I’m pretty peculiar about my pork, prefer it smoked, but I say you can’t go wrong with either sandwich.