Potato Chips Sandwich Shop

Today, during a break between conference calls, I decided hit the newly-opened Potato Chips for a look-see and a sandwich.

Occupying the former Bicentennial 13 space on Beverly Blvd. next to the Cobras & Matadors, Potato Chips is the latest venture from LA restaurant impresario Steven Arroyo. He happened to be working the cash register when I went in today, and was rather amused when I asked if I could take some pictures. Apparently bloggers have been making the rounds . . .

While Cobras & Matadors (both east and west) are perennial favorites, Arroyo has had mixed results with his other ventures. The tiny French wine bar Sgt. Recruiter, annexed to Cobras east, is packed every evening, and after a rocky start, Church & State (located in the Biscuit Company lofts in downtown) has found its stride with a minimalist bistro menu created by chef Walter Manzke. On the other hand, Arroyo was never able to make a go of it in the restaurant space attached to Rita Flora -- the asian izakaya Happi Songs, short-lived Goat, and a third Cobras all fizzled out.

I'm hopeful that Potato Chips will be an Arroyo restaurant with staying power -- it is a great addition to the neighborhood. The space is old-fashioned and charming, with antique refrigerator cabinets, white subway tiles, and a little red and blue paint to brighten things up.

As of now, there are only 6 sandwiches on the menu: The Italian (sopressata, capicola, salami, mortadella, provolone, shredded iceberg, tomatoes, pickles, hots, vinegar, and olive oil); Rosemary ham (Plugra butter, cornichons, and Dijon spread); Roasted Turkey; Sopressata (provolone, tapenade, vinegar & olive oil); Prosciutto (buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil); Tuna & Havarti; and the Classic BLT.

The refrigerator cabinets and display shelves house a selection of red and white wine (there was a great bottle of '05 Pago de los Cappellanes), beer (Bohemia, Budweiser, and Hoegaarten to name a few), sodas (including Mexican Coke and Orangina) and bottled water. There are of course potato chips -- I saw three or four kinds in a basket near the register and clipped to the display shelves.

I tried the two sandwiches: the Tuna and the Prosciutto (I've got a leftover half of each for dinner if I somehow manage to muster up an appetite again today). In order to make my 2:00 call, I had to take the sandwiches to go. Each sandwich was wrapped in paper and then placed in a "submarine" bag. Cute.

The bread is just perfect. Chewy inside, some snap to the outer layer, and hearty enough to stand up to the other ingredients but not overpoweringly thick. The tuna was definitely my favorite -- creamy cheese, lemon rosemary tuna (none of the typical over-mayonnaised tuna salad at Potato Chips) and a nice kick from the hit of balsamic on the bread. The prosciutto was very good too, but not as inventive as the tuna. I will definitely be going back soon to see how a beer and BLT at Potato Chips competes with a glass of vino and the BLTA at Golden State.

I love my neighborhood!