At the end of the day, it is a hot sandwich with gravy! Freshly made would probably be key!
4 Likes
I had commented in another thread where this came up. I never knew these dishes existed until only a few years ago, despite growing up in Boston and living here for nearly 50 years. Granted there is a lot of Chinese American food / āPolynesianā food Iāve never tasted, but there are a few really tasty ones that I enjoy for what they are too and at least I get the appeal of a General Tso/Gauās chicken or an egg roll even if they arenāt my thing.
This dish in particular brings back some trauma. Growing up, my mom made traditional food and was overall an ok home cook. Most dishes were fine, if unremarkable, but some dishes were travesties. One dish in particular, my sisters and I all claimed disdain for and it was a dish that looked like that but without the bread and not saucy. It was stir-fried bean sprouts, with nothing but that and a bit of salt and flavoring. We had a lot of simple, āpoor peopleā food as an immigrant family but that one was one of the worst.
5 Likes
He was from Fall River and was extremely fond of a Chinese restaurant there that made them. I would have tried if Iād ever been there. As a child, I lived in Woods Hole, MA for 3 years (a lot of scientists live there) and Iāve been back for brief visits, love Nantucket.
2 Likes
TBH I would take stir-fried bean sprouts with a dash of soy sauce over the chop suey sandwich. But I love bean sproutsā¦ just not as a sandwich ingredient.
I also wouldnāt like spaghetti on my sandwich, something my PIC ate with gusto as a kid.
1 Like
A spaghetti sandwich is a new one on me.
Just the noodles or just the sauce or both?
1 Like
Iāve heard of ramen sandwiches, both with the noodles as filling and with dry ones replacing bread. Lots of examples on google.
2 Likes
Both. Leftover spaghetti in tomato sauce. I suppose if heād heated it up and toasted the bread, it would almost be like a proper lunch, but nope ā straight outta the fridge on Wonderbread. I just canāt 
2 Likes
Australia and Texas seem to claim it also.
Iāll still pass.
2 Likes
Yeah, no. Iām also in the āpizza needs to be blistering hotā camp, none of that ice cold coagulated cheese nonsense straight out of the fridge.
2 Likes
One of my favorite afternoon snacks was Chef Boy-Are-Dee Spaghettios stuffed into a crusty French loaf.
Yummy stuff.
3 Likes
I first learned of leftover spaghetti sandwiches in a book, āItās Like This, Catā, a Newberry Award winning book. IIRC, the protagonist - a 14 year old boy - claims he invented them and loves them, much to his motherās chagrin. I think theyāre delicious, although the only times Iāve made them theyāve been on whole wheat bread and not white bread.
5 Likes
I will still eat Spaghetti-Oās straight out of the can, no heating needed.
Sorry, not sorry.
3 Likes
Please. No need to apologize. As it says in my profile āeat what brings you joy.ā Who gives two fucks whether someone else likes it or not?
1 Like
The following are all quite popular in Japan:
Spaghetti sandwiches
Yakisoba (Japanese chow mein) sandwiches
Potato salad sandwiches
Croquette sandwiches
Iām generally not a fan of these carbohydrate on carbohydrate combinations and wonāt even eat spaghetti sandwiches because traditionally Japanese spaghetti, known as āNaporitanā, is made with ketchup (
)and to me is gross. But when I lived in Japan I would occasionally indulge in the other 3 listed above.
8 Likes
Ok, but, American Chop Suey (goulash/Johnny Marzetti, etc) piping hot on a piece of buttered Italian bread is one of lifeās Good ThingsTM. Best eaten open faced, covered in āParmesanā.
7 Likes
I have seen Mac 'n Cheese grilled cheese. Hell, Iāve MADE one with leftover blue box back in the day when I lived alone and was particularly stoned.
And Iāve seen a number of places offer them commercially. Frankly, theyāre more or less āseemed like a good idea when I was high.ā They arenāt terrible. I mean, itās bread and cheese. Whatās not to like? But apart from the novelty, I think the appeal is pretty limited.
3 Likes
Greeks eat Russian salad as a dip with pita bread. Iāve used Russian salad as a sandwich filling. Potato salad sandwich isnāt too far from a Russian salad sandwich or a chip butty.
2 Likes
We have a local restaurant that does a mac and cheese stuffed burger, not far from a college campus, and I would say that about sums that idea up!
5 Likes
These pics make those sammiches almost look appealing. Almost
2 Likes
Iād heard of Russian salad but didnāt know anything about it, I looked it up and I can see how it might work as a pita bread dip.
Japanese potato salad is a bit different than American (and Canadian?) potato salad as itās usually nearly the consistency of mashed potatoes. Thinly sliced Japanese cucumbers and sometimes even canned mandarin oranges are added as well. I add chopped hard boiled eggs and a bit of mustard to my American potato salad, but those are basically never added to the Japanese version. And itās ALWAYS either Kewpie mayonnaise or Ajinomoto mayonnaise, not Best Foods or similar mayonnaise. I donāt dislike Japanese potato salad, but I much prefer American style.
3 Likes
