The Butcher Board Beefs Up McKinney's Burgeoning Food Scene with Solid Sandwiches

Nothing is more American than a damn good sandwich. Although they weren't invented here, the fabric of our nation was stitched together by meat and bread. We love America, we love sandwiches. Bald eagles for everyone.

With its vibrant old square and resurgence as a farm-to-table restaurant mecca, McKinney's restaurant scene is garnering attention. Last week, the owners of Sugarbacon opened a new sandwich restaurant located in an old gas station. Chef Jon Thompson gained praised for his first restaurant before tip-toeing next door to complete the second concept, the Butcher Board. Maintaining the old feel of the gas station, they built the patio around the 60-year-old pumps that face the sister restaurant's patio. There's more than enough patio to share between these two.
"We wanted to find our niche as a family-friendly spot that offers simple but high-quality sandwiches," Thompson says. "We know most of our weekly business will be the lunch crowd, but on the weekends when families come to shop, we hope to not only be a good daytime option but dinner choice as well."

While sandwiches are still being tweaked, one substantial change was the choice of bread. Using Village Bakery, they initially went with a ciabatta before realizing the thickness was overwhelming, so they switched to a soft French baguette, which is less dense and gives way to the fillings.
The brisket sandwich is smoked using oak and comes with house-made sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. The real humdinger, however, is the pork porchetta. The pork tenderloin is wrapped with pork belly, then with roasted herbs applied liberally. The apple jalapeño jam made us glad the Italians decided to migrate west. Consider it the Rambo of sandwiches: A one-man wrecking crew for America's taste buds. 

The chili-rubbed turkey with Sriracha mayo came off as a good and unassuming mix of flavored spice without the heat. Another smoked sandwich: the roast beef, which is, indeed, roasted, but also smoked for a while. When smothered in the horseradish dressing, this sandwich was powerfully good. Like, standing up with a slow clap with The Battle Hymn of the Republic being quietly hummed in the background good. With three beers on tap — locally sourced, of course — and more in bottles and cans, it's OK feel a little patriotic here when eating a good ol' American sandwich. 

Butcher Board , 216 W. Virginia St., McKinney, open 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.—3 p.m. Sunday