To be taken seriously, any sandwich with heft from good meats, cheeses and other fillings should be constructed on equally respectable bread. No wimpy, as-if-spun-from-air rolls or slices, please.
The serious approach is exactly the craft sandwich experience EARL seeks to give customers at its small Kaimuki space, facing the municipal parking lot, around the corner from Happy Day Chinese Restaurant and below Himalayan Kitchen.
EARL is not named after its owner, whose name is Justin Parvizimotlagh. The restaurant’s name stands for Eat A Real Lunch.
EARL
Where: 1137 11th Ave., Kaimuki
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
Prices: $7.25 to $14
Parking: Municipal lot
Info: 200-4354, earlhawaii.com
About the business: “We try to differentiate ourselves,” Parvizimotlagh said. He and his crew prepare all the meats daily as well as different dressings for just about every sandwich. These run from the bacon jam and housemade pickle for the Turkey Jam Sam, to the fennel-onion marmalade and chimichurri for the French dip.
Parvizimotlagh has run high-volume and fine-dining restaurants, many of them with large staffs. EARL employs seven people and Parvizimotlagh welcomes input from the team members on new ideas. “I try to build a cool work environment. … I think that’s helped us grow a lot,” he said. The shop is on its third menu since opening in 2014.
He doesn’t want to be complacent or stagnate, so to help keep the creativity alive and increase awareness of his restaurant, Parvizimotlagh has done pop-ups at venues such as The Republik, Bevy and Square Barrels.
About the food: Alphabetically, the meaty sandwiches are beer-braised brisket, Cubano, French dip, Italian, Meatball Melt and Turkey Jam Sam. The vegetarian sammie is called Fun Goat, for its inclusion of goat cheese. A vegan roasted beet sandwich is made with sunflower tzatziki sauce.
Appetizers include spicy avocado toast and spicy caprese on ciabatta bread. The pesto salad ($11.25) has avocado, cherry tomato, Parmesan cheese, cucumber, Romaine lettuce, homemade croutons, a pesto drizzle and Caesar dressing, while a side salad is $5.
Kids, or those needing lighter fare, can opt for an $8 Lil’ Pizza, with American and fresh mozzarella cheese, sauce and pepperoni, served on sweet bread.
What to order: The French dip with homemade jus ($12.50), front and center on the chalkboard menu, is a top seller. Just as popular is the Italian ($14), with ham, capocollo, pepperoni, pork belly, fresh mozzarella and vegetable toppings.
How to order: The small space has just eight stools, but turnover is pretty quick so many customers dine in, Parvizimotlagh said. Others order to go. EARL also offers catering.
Grab and go: The parking lot offers a 20-minute grace period, so grab-and-go customers can park free with a little strategic planning, such as calling ahead, especially at peak times.
Grab and Go focuses on takeout food, convenience meals and other quick bites. Email ideas to crave@staradvertiser.com.
