Since we couldn’t get enough of Washington, we’re back to visit our friends Chris & Teresa, and to see more of the state! Our last trip here was in September (2014). Unfortunately, we weren’t able to check out a Caribbean influenced sandwich place many people raging about: Paseo! We made sure to pay a visit this time around. Here is my review of the sandwich I had: the Smokin’ Thighs.
Two Marinated, skin-on, boneless chicken thighs; flash grilled & oven roasted.
All sandwiches are on a lightly toasted baguette slathered with aioli (seasoned mayo) , fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, crisp romaine lettuce & crowned with caramelized onions.
The sandwich looks is massive. It’s like a foot-long with the girth of a hefty burrito. This sandwich isn’t a joke. Most people who walked into the shop that day ordered one sandwich to share. They’re huge. Unless your line of work involves a lot of physical activity, I’d say splitting a sandwich is very doable.
Located at:
Unwrapped, the sandwich is still steaming, and the smell is phenomenal. The sandwich does have a minor problem: it falls apart rather easily. It’s not the baguette–the bread holds up really well actually. It’s ingredients between the sandwich. The moisture from the meat, the aioli, and the romaine lettuce leaf, make the sandwich become a god damn slip n’ slide, but don’t worry it’s worth it. I’m sure they’re aware of this problem. They’ve addressed it by providing their patrons with Wet-Naps.
When all of the ingredients come together, the sandwich is phenomenal. Moist and juicy chicken thighs seasoned just right between a crunchy, robust baguette makes for an easy winner. Seriously, the bread tastes great (a massively overlooked bonus for a sandwich). The acidity from the pickled jalapenos really cut through the very very very rich sandwich. The romaine lettuce adds a crispy and refreshing texture. Lastly, the caramelized onions help mellow out and bring all of the separate flavors together. I think what makes the sandwich works the best is the fact that you can still distinctly taste each of the elements of the sandwich as well the combined taste.
Many sandwiches I have had face problems pertaining to flavors getting muddled with all the other rich elements in the sandwich. What generally results is a monotone flavor profile with varying intensities of saltiness.
Paseo does sandwiches right, and I would definitely come back again to try the rest of their sandwiches. I recommend you do that same (and the ladies agree)!
Overall experience: 8.5/10