gourmet sandwiches

The 11th Annual BEST SANDWICH EVER contest starts now...

Every year we turn the creation of our newest sandwich over to you. It can be anything: That delicious creation your uncle does at the family BBQ every summer. Some tasty creation you saw on a cooking show or in a food magazine. That yummy "thing" you created during quarantine. Your CRAZY version of something traditional like the Rueben or grilled cheese. A lot of ideas come from food you've experienced while traveling to other parts of the country. You never know where the winner will come from, and it's been different every year.
Whatever it is, if you love it and want it served here at Darwin, if we haven't done our version of it already, and as long as it's not being done at another local place, all ideas will be considered. Some of our best sellers are BSE finalists and winners:

PJ's OPTIMUS PRIME
M. Rudy's EDDIE MUENSTER
Matty K's WHEN DOVES FRY
A. Perry's THAT'S MY JAM
Max Freeman's PORCHETTA 'BOUT IT
The Barber's BIG RED ORANGE
A. Ranger's BIG (BURRIA) DIPPER
G. Morgan's GARDEN PARTY
The Haller's POLKA FACE
R. Taylor's MER-MAID in MEXICO
C. Rabideau's POBLANO PICASSO
Big Sexy's FIG-A-Ma-JIG!

You can be next on this list...

THREE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

1. It has to be able to be MASS-PRODUCED. The winning sandwich will sell, on average, 80+ units a day. So we have to be able to "crank it out" for service. So, specialized cooking methods (toasted bread, slowly braised anything, etc.) won't keep up with our pace.
2. It has to HOLD well. It has to be able to hold, hot, until eaten. So soft cheeses, cream sauces that might "break," or greens that will wilt do not make good Darwin sandwich ingredients.
3. It has to TRAVEL well. I tell people you have to be able to eat it "in your car." If it requires a fork & knife to eat, it probably won't fit our model.

Outside of these three things, if it tastes good, and you can make a sandwich out of it, submit it to us and you could win. Entries can be Re: to this email, written down and submitted at the counter, or e-mailed to us as darwinonclinton@yahoo.com. Also, Lisa will be creating pages on the Facebook page dedicated just to BSE submissions.
All winner's receive a weeks worth of Darwin lunches, but the first place winner will also receive dinner for two at one of Syracuse's best restaurants, and you'll be invited to be a judge at all future BSE contest tastings (which over the years has become the REAL prize).
And, that's it. We'll be collecting ideas from now until the June 10, 2026. So many of you miss the deadline and wait for the "new" contest to start. Well here we are...I can't wait to see what you've been working on this past year. Best of luck. We look forward to seeing you at the counter (with your submissions) soon. ;) D & D (and the Darwin Crew)