There’s a place where Al Capone, Don Corleone and Tony Soprano can share a meal together. At Bada Bingg, a gourmet sandwich shop, the only reminder of their mobster ties is the cement shoes in the corner (no joke).
Homemade touch:
The pulled pork is brined, smoked, pulled and seasoned in-house (a multiple-day process). The homemade chips are thick, seasoned and fried, and the top round is spiced and sliced thin. The sandwiches are piled high on brioche, sweet Portuguese rolls, seven grain marvels and herbed focaccia.
Not in the mood for chips? Fuhgettaboutit. Try Love Nuggets (corn nuggets with chipotle sauce), Three Cheese Mac or Mama’s Baked Beans.
All in the family:
Bada Bingg is a family business — not to be confused with Bada Bing, a strip club in another part of town. The name comes from an Italian catchphrase that owner Casey Stengel’s father always used to say.
The restaurant opened January 2009 at the
, a spot they still occupy. A few months later demand pushed them into a shop on
.
Sweet start:
Start your morning with a mobster-sized breakfast. You’ll leave with a plate of food for less than $5.25.
Insiders eat: Friggin Wrap
(bacon tots, crispy potatoes and cheesy eggs rolled in a fluffy pancake and drizzled with almond syrup) — $5.25;
Cement On Shoes
(a gut buster of toasted rye bread, hash brown casserole and country ham, all lathered in creamed chip beef) — $4.75;
Feisty Italian
(seared capicola, two over-easy eggs, sweet and spicy peppers and fresh mozzarella stacked on a Portuguese roll with spinach cream cheese) —$5.25;
The "Hitman"
(aged prosciutto and double smoked ham, Genoa salami, capicola and provolone layered on an Old World roll with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, black olives, pickled mushrooms, pepperoncini and vinaigrette) — $7.50;
Sinatra
(grilled pastrami, melted Swiss, golden raisin compote, homemade sauerkraut and spicy mustard on fresh-baked pumpernickel) — $6.75;
The "Capone"
(tender pit-roasted pulled pork heaped on a brioche roll with sassy pickles, vinegar slaw and cheddar cheese) — $6.50;
The "Godfather"
(thin slices of pan-fried pork loin, caramelized onions, pepperoncini, provolone and pan gravy on a Portuguese roll) — $6.50.
Choices:
It takes me an agonizing amount of time to order in a new restaurant, analyzing until the people behind me are ready to hurl tomatoes. Take the easy route and order
binggers
— three mini versions of menu sandwiches for $7.
Homeward bound:
They offer catering, call ahead and delivery at this BYOB — but if you just can’t get enough, order prime rib slices, pulled pork, chicken salad and homemade sauces for home.
Hint: They validate tickets from the adjoining parking deck.