Award-winning food and lifestyle website LoveFood recently compiled a list of the best breakfast sandwiches in every U.S. state. The team used a variety of its own experience in food journalism, with user reviews, accolades and first-hand experiences to put the list together.
Two places tied for the best in Texas: The Longhorn from Austin-based Nervous Charlie's Bagels and the Spicy Bacon Ciabatta from Crickles and Co. in Uptown Dallas.
Crickles and Co. has been serving Uptown Dallas for almost eight years, but you'd think they'd been here for decades based on their facade.
Aaren Prody
It's a family-owned restaurant that takes pride in its scratch kitchen, where "all items come from ingredients, not poured from a can or unfrozen," reads the website. It serves a classic American brunch and lunch menu all day, including breakfast, and says nothing is made until you order.
Last weekend, we stopped in to get our eyes and taste buds on this alleged "best breakfast sandwich in Texas," the Spicy Bacon Ciabatta.
When we ordered our sandwiches, they were out of ciabatta, so just picture this with ciabatta.
Aaren Prody
Instead of the house-made ciabatta that the sandwich usually comes on, we had the option of white or wheat. We chose white. It came on wheat. Some battles you can't win.
Before we describe our first bite, here's what LoveFood had to say about the sandwich:
"Like your breakfast with a bit of a kick? The Spicy Bacon Ciabatta at Crickles and Co. takes thick bacon and fried eggs to the next level, pairing them with sweet tomato jelly, sharp Cheddar, and a jalapeño aioli that’s just the right level of fiery," LoveFood wrote. "If you’re afraid that it won’t fill you up, don't worry — the sandwich comes with a side of cheesy garlic potatoes. Plus, you can enjoy it in the knowledge that everything here is made with locally sourced ingredients."
The foundation of our sandwich was different than what it's supposed to be served with, so our opinion has plenty of room for error. That said, we were a little underwhelmed.
The first fault is the bread, which was some kind of seemingly store-bought wheat. It was sweet, and despite the jam being tomato-flavored, together, they overwhelmed the sandwich with sweetness, and the jalapeño aioli was lost. The rest was your standard breakfast sandwich, so it didn't stick out to us.
Also, you needed to rearrange the toppings to get the best bites. Otherwise, you get egg and bread, or bacon and cheese, etc.. We bet it would be a much different, more appealing experience with the bread it's supposed to be served on, so we can't write it off entirely.
Is it better to serve the sandwich with a different bread if the result is a complete change in the sandwich's identity? Or 86 it and wait for the ovens to sound? We'll have to stop back by and see.
Crickles and Co., 4000 Cedar Springs Road, Throckmorton St.; Wednesday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Saturday/Sunday, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
