Top Chef winner Michael Voltaggio has just opened a sandwich shop featuring flavor-packed new creations as well as some favorites from his popular Ink.sack concept. Sack Sandwiches, the new shop that opened Friday on the Sunset Strip, offers an excellent lunch option along a busy stretch lacking in delicious, gourmet grab-and-go options. If you were a fan of Voltaggio's sandwiches at Ink.sack on Melrose—which just closed to eventually transform into another location of the refined sammy spot—you'll be happy to learn that the wonderfully-addictive cold fried chicken sandwich is back. They also still offer the much-adored banh mi with pork shoulder, caramelized onion spread and pork rinds, and the Spanish Godfather, with ham, chorizo, Manchego cheese, olives, and peppers. And while some of the former Ink.sack hits are gone, we were excited to sample some excellent new options during a media preview.
Among the new hits is the cleverly named New 'Deli'—which features layers of beef pastrami slathered with curry mustard, topped with pickles and served on crunchy, freshly-baked ciabatta. We easily could have put down two of these. We also enjoyed the Cordon Bleu, which features the now-famous fried chicken, along with ham, Swiss, arugula and Dijon mustard.
The Cordon Bleu at Sack Sandwiches (Photo by Danny Jensen/LAist)
The chorizo and egg sandwich has also made a comeback, and there are several other excellent breakfast-at-lunch options.
All of the sandwiches can be made vegetarian by swapping out tofu for any proteins, and the bread can be substituted with a lettuce wrap for the carb averse. This is a welcome flexibility at a time when no-substitution policies can restrict some eaters. Also, keep in mind that the sandwiches are on the smaller side—more European light than American behemoth—but they're all reasonably priced between $5 and $7.50. So, if you're particularly famished, who are we to stop you from ordering a second? Plus, the tasty Old Bay-seasoned potato chips are back, so you may want to save some room.
To drink, you could go with the rich and fantastic Straus Creamery milkshakes in chocolate or vanilla. Then again, you could also go for a Stumptown nitro cold brew coffee or Boylan’s natural fountain soda.
The interior (Photo courtesy of Sack Sandwiches)
The design of Sack Sandwiches features a playful and bright yellow wall that zig-zags down the left as you enter with red stripes and "Sack" written like the fold-in from Mad magazine. Another fun pop art touch is the black and white doodles on the wall in the back, a great contrast to the otherwise sleek and modern lines. And it's just the right size for a sandwich shop, offering nine stools around a low-slung counter and some standing room by the window. Otherwise, you'll want to plan on taking a bite to go.
Keep an eye out for the transformation of the original space on Melrose into the reformatted Sack Sandwiches sometime in the coming weeks.
Sack Sandwiches is located at 8915 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (424) 777-0113
