September Sunrise Sandwich Spree, Day 10: The Anaheim Panini

Anaheim Panini

Corner Bakery Multiple locations Open from 7:00 a.m. weekdays, 8:00 a.m. weekends $4.89

Any unfortunate visitor to Our Nation’s Capital who is hunting for a sandwich in downtown D.C. will inevitably arrive at one of the following establishments: Au Bon Pain, Subway, Quiznos, Potbelly or Cosi. This is not to say tourists are involuntarily drawn to bland chain restaurants (however true that might be), but it is a fact that from certain street corners in D.C.’s central business district, a smart phone user is within wi-fi range of as many as five of these shops. They’re simply inescapable. And while we at Eat a Sandwich turn up our noses at no sandwich, the problem with quick-casual eateries that derive a large chunk of their revenue from catering office lunches is that their carry-out food usually tastes like a catered office lunch. This isn’t often a good thing. However, on the merits of the Anaheim Panini, the tenth entry in our month-long September Sunrise Sandwich Spree, Corner Bakery and Cafe, seems to be an exception. Served on pressed sourdough, the Anaheim features scrambled eggs, bacon (which I went without; lots of meat lately), tomatoes, green onions, avocado and cheddar cheese. Crispy, fresh and with flavor to spare, the sandwich succeeds spectacularly where many of its ilk, so often limp and lifeless, fail. With four locations across the District, Corner Bakery is not quite as ubiquitous as some other chains, but anybody, tourist or otherwise, could do much worse than to find himself at one.