When executed properly, the sandwich can be an excellent vehicle for creativity and craftsmanship, and TigerHawk Sandwich Co. in Oak Bluffs exemplifies this idea with its unique sandwich style. Who knew you could pack so much goodness between two pieces of bread?
Island chefs Jimmy Alvarado and Nathaniel Wade know how much possibility there is in sandwiches; that’s why they decided to not just stick to the conventional, and utilize their culinary skills to create dishes that are filled with color and expression.
The artisanal sandwich shop has created quite a buzz on the Island, so The Times decided to take a TigerHawk-inspired lunch break and try the food for ourselves.
Now we may have gone a little overboard, but the menu was too tempting to relegate ourselves to just a few items — we ordered a variable smorgasbord of sandwiches and other foods.
After finding a lucky parking spot on Circuit Avenue, I grabbed the food and brought it back to the office, where it didn’t stick around for too long.
Intern Katie Cerulle, a self-acclaimed connoisseur of poke bowls, said her poke bowl with local tuna ($22) was one of the best she has ever had. “And I’ve eaten a lot of poke bowls, so that’s saying something,” she said.
News editor George Brennan threw in there that it didn’t look like a “hokey poke bowl” to him (he just couldn’t resist).
The bowl also comes with TigerHawk pickles, radish, cucumber, avocado, and aji-nuoc cham Vietnamese-style dipping sauce.
Designer Dave (“The Luck”) Plath said he enjoyed his Hawk-style crispy chicken sandwich ($16) with buttermilk fried chicken, bread and butter pickles, lettuce, and ranch dressing.
He said the chicken was flavorful and tender on the inside, and even though he is more of a grilled chicken kind of guy, he thought the breading was crunchy and tasty.
“Plus, I love pickles in a sandwich, so altogether it was a really nice combo,” he said.
Intern Evelyn Landers said her Korean barbecue sandwich ($18) with smoked short rib, gochujang mayo, kimchi, and cilantro was a nice take on a classic short rib sandwich.
She said the cilantro added a nice freshness, and the gochujang mayo and kimchi paired well together. “It’s definitely a spicy sandwich,” she added.
Reporter Rich Saltzberg went with the bahn mi tofu sandwich ($16) with pickled daikon and carrots, cucumbers, jalapeño, bacon-chicken liver mousse, fish sauce caramel, cilantro, and kewpie mayo.
Saltzberg said the sandwich was zesty and fresh-tasting. When I asked him if he knew what bahn mi was (I was curious) he had only one word to say — “magic.”
Assistant news editor Brian Dowd went with a half-club sandwich ($16) with roast turkey, bacon, avocado, lettuce, ranch dressing, and bread and butter pickles. Even the half sandwich was as big as my head, and it certainly didn’t leave Dowd wanting, as he called it “the real deal.”
Last but not least, I decided on the Kobe beef ballpark hot dog ($10) with onion, relish, ketchup, and mustard.
I was pleased with the size of the dog, and believe me when I tell you that you haven’t lived until you have tried a Kobe beef hot dog.
After sampling a range of foods from TigerHawk, it’s safe to say that the sandwich shop is a must-try for even the most discerning tastes. There is really something for everyone on the creative, locally sourced menu.
TigerHawk Sandwich Co., 12B Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs. Give them a call at 508-338-7306 or go to the website, tigerhawkmv.com.
