The ingredient lists for sandwiches at Indy’s Sandwich make for engrossing reading. So much so that I completely missed the cool thing they were doing with the sandwich names.
At first, I was enticed by the Three Little Pigs, which features bacon, ham, Vietnamese sausage, Dijon mustard and cheddar cheese pressed in ciabatta bread. Then I considered the Peter Rabbit, with bacon, mushroom, spinach, red onion, olive spread, goat cheese and provolone cheese pressed in rustic or multigrain bread. I was intrigued also by the Henny Penny, fried chicken with lettuce, tomato, pickled red onion and teriyaki mayo on a bun.
I finally decided I was in the mood for The Lion and the Mouse ($12.25), a Cubano-style sandwich with pulled pork, ham, Dijon mustard, mayo, pickles and Swiss cheese pressed in ciabatta bread, which I ordered online.
I had been perusing the menu as my family and I prepared to order dinner from Indy’s on a recent Friday. Days after we’d eaten our sandwiches, I was looking at Indy’s Facebook page, and saw a post that asked, “Have you noticed that our specialty sandwiches are named after children’s folktales?” I had noticed the names were fun, but no, I didn’t really make the connection.
I was too busy digesting all the ingredients – with my eyes – and trying to figure out what I wanted to eat.
The Lion and the Mouse, a Cubano-style sandwich at Indy’s in South Portland. Photo by Ray Routhier
The Lion and the Mouse – a fable I don’t recall hearing or reading as a child – turned out to be just what I was in the mood for. The thin slices of ham were very tender and flavorful, as was the pulled pork. Both sort of melted in my mouth along with the melted Swiss cheese. It was tangy, creative comfort food.
Indy’s Sandwich opened in March on Main Street (Route 1) in South Portland. It’s located just south of the Maine Turnpike Approach in a space that, for years, had been occupied by Simple Simon’s, a popular breakfast spot. Somebody recommended it to me days after it opened, and said the Three Little Pigs was especially good.
Most days, it closes at 3 p.m., but when I saw it was open until 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, I figured it would be fun to try it for dinner. We’re often over in the Maine Mall area shopping or doing errands, and this is right on our way home.
So one afternoon, I spent about a half hour reading the menu and then ordered online, setting up a pickup time of 5:45 p.m. All four sandwiches were in a bag waiting for me when I got there.
My daughter, Dinah, had the Henny Penny ($13.95), which had very crispy chicken and a nice tang because of the teriyaki mayo. The bun was soft enough for easy chewing but firm enough to keep everything together.
A Peter Rabbit sandwich at Indy’s in South Portland. The sandwich names are inspired by children’s stories. Photo by Ray Routhier
My daughter, Sophie, and my wife, Jess, both got the Peter Rabbit ($10.95), which had a nice savory, salty flavor from the olive spread and the onions that was balanced by the two kinds of cheese.
The place also serves breakfast sandwiches, some curry dishes, soups and salads, and has a kids menu.
All 12 of the signature sandwiches on the menu caught my eye, so when we go back, I’ll still have some tough decisions. I might try My Father’s Dragon, with prosciutto, ham, brie, pate and fig spread on a baguette, or the Little Mermaid, an open-faced sandwich of smoked salmon, lemony-dill cream cheese, tomato, pickled red onion, arugula and capers on rustic bread. But then again, I might go for a Little Red Riding Hood, with bacon, turkey, cheddar cheese, avocado, lettuce and spicy mayo on multigrain bread.
Maybe I better start reading ahead now.
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