#27 of 48: BLT at The Swinery

The Swinery's BLT is like nothing we've ever tasted, and pretty much ruined us on all others of its kind. The self-proclaimed "temple of porcine love" offers house-made sausages, savory pies and even sweet treats (bacon chocolate chip cookies, anyone?). Around the back, they have a grill set up for dishing out lunch from Tuesday to Friday.

The BLT is presented on a fan-fricking-tastic roll that is "buttered" with bacon fat (seriously!) prior to grilling. The bun is also slathered in a rich chicken liver pâté. The bacon, though, is the star of the show. The entire sandwich is more reminiscent of a burger than a BLT—smokey, meaty and insanely fulfilling. We will never make a limp, iceberg-based BLT in our house again.

#26 of 48: Shank Lamb at Delicatus

Earthy and spicy, Delicatus' Shank Lamb is yet subtle and sophisticated. It is a hearty sandwich, too—perfect for a cold weather day. Shawn would have loved the addition of a little tangy-ness, but I thought it was a near perfect creation.

In addition to the extensive selection of sandwiches, Delicatus serves alcohol, as well. Pony up!

#25 of 48: Tuna Melt at Grand Central Baking Company

Meh.

#24 of 48: George's Sausage & Delicatessen

George's Sausage & Delicatessen is yet another place I've driven/walked past dozens of times, but never noticed. Packed to the brim with fun foreign imports, George's also doubles as a deli... and a pretty darn good one at that. We ordered a chicken panino (packed with grilled chicken breast and loads of toppings) and a corned beef on sourdough with everything (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, cheese and a mayo-mustard sauce). While the sandwiches aren't necessarily anything special, they are tasty, well-executed and priced reasonably (most are under $6). We also tried the potato salad which was an interesting mix of potatoes and egg. Take note, though, George's does not offer any seating, so sannies here are only to-go.

PS: We're halfway through the list!

#23 of 48: Rustic Ham & Cheese at Melt Cafe

Eating this sandwich was very familiar. Not because we'd been to Melt Cafe before, but because we have a family recipe nearly identical to it. While our recipe incorporates swiss, the Melt Cafe's ham and cheese uses brie. This put a really great twist on the sandwich. Thick slices of ham are drenched in mustard and wrapped in a Macrina baguette. All in all, it's worth a drive to Magnolia for a taste of this hearty sandwich. Well, that and the possibility of also ordering a Nuts for Nutella sandwich for dessert.

Seattle's best macarons?

So, as I mentioned, I've been on a quest to try all of Seattle's macarons. I haven't documented each stop here, but I'm pretty sure I've found the best. West Seattle's Bakery Nouveau makes fresh, creamy macarons in an array of fun flavors. The salted caramel is unreal. Be sure to see the dessert page on the Bakery Nouveau website for some major food porn.

#22 of 48: Egg Salad at Smarty Pants

Georgetown is one of Seattle's neighborhoods that we just haven't gotten around to exploring. Shame on us! We wandered around a bit before stopping in for our egg salad at Smarty Pants, and felt like we were in a different city (maybe a dark corner of Brooklyn, perhaps?). Things are a bit grittier there... and we like that.

Smarty Pants is an interesting place. It's dark and covered in motorcycle paraphernalia with a menu that reads like Grandma's house. The egg salad, in particular, was good old comfort food. The large bun was soft and fresh and filled with a generous portion of egg salad. I found the sauce to overpower the egg a bit much, but Shawn liked that aspect of the sandwich. Next time you find yourself wondering what it might be like to eat Grandma's food in a punk rock setting, Smarty Pants might just be the answer.