$26 Ham Sandwich

The WaPo has an interesting article on a $26 ham sandwich at Mirabelle. Looking at the headline, I was prepared to be indignant, or at least contemptuously amused at anyone who would be willingly ripped off for such an overpriced item, but after reading the article I’m intrigued.

Unlike places who load up burgers with the most expensive and exotic items possible (caviar, foie gras, gold leaf, fried endangered parakeet egg, etc.) to sell an image and justify an outrageous price, this sandwich isn’t marketed as a glamour item and the price is at least somewhat justified based on the craftsmanship going into its ingredients. While I still think it is probably overpriced, I could imagine giving it a try. Of course, what it really makes me crave is a cheap delicious jambon buerre in France.

A pastrami sandwich at Katz’s is $20.

Probably the best $20 I’ll ever spend.

FOr $26, I’d take a baguette crammed with Jamón Iberico de Bellota. You wouldn’t even need the butter.

Agreed, but I’d ditch the baguette

Agreed, but I’d ditch Jorge.

Duh, you already have one latino boy toy. He even looks latino.

Looks can be deceiving.

Was walking with Bobby in O-Town and in the course our stroll, he got a few “'whassup Papi?” After the third time, Bobby became exasperated, turned to me and asked “who is this Poppy fellow, and why does he keep following me around?”

True story.

Some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten has come from Frank Ruta’s kitchen at Palena. I’d give him a pass. Predictably, the hairshirts, finger waggers and sundry scolds are well represented in the comments section.

Wasn’t there a place in the Flatiron that had a $30+ Bellota sandwich? I remember reading about it on Chowhound, and they sliced the ham strangely thick. Iberico sandwiches need to have bread that isn’t too thick.

I don’t mind a pricey burger. I had one at The Boardroom recently that had foie, Comte, carmelized onions, a truffle sauce and arugula on some coarse prime ground beef that was fantastic and worth the $26. It isn’t as good a qpr as a solid $8-10 burger, but worth a splurge on a rare occasion.

You can buy a cheap car or you can buy an expensive car. Same could be said about a sandwich, hotel room, or a bottle of wine. You would hope that the price correlates to the quality. I would definitely give it a try.

the funny thing is if this was presented as an appetizer: a plate of shaved ham, salted house butter and house baked bread, $26 wouldn’t raise more than a couple eyebrows.

Most people can afford to splurge $26 on a ham sandwich. A Bentley? Not so much.

Bruce

This seems like exactly the type of excess of having to do everything in house that plagues so many restaurants which was discussed on this board a few months ago. Just because you can does not mean you should.