Americana

Tonite, dinner at our favorite sandwich joint: Roy's Place, which opened in the 50s (my husband remembers going there as a kid with his parents).

And it does look like a relic from another time: a slightly dingy feel , low-lit, red-checkered vinyl table cloths, ancient booze bottles lining every available nook and cranny, kitschy art and keepsakes, you get it.

The menu is insane: 200+ sandwiches, made fresh on the spot -- which, we're told, explains why it may take so long to get served. There are crazy sandwiches (the 'Cold Sandwich': two stale pieces of bread with ice cubes in the middle...) and weird combinations (lobster salad and ham -- served warm, which I had: amazing!).

The best part of the restaurant is taking people who've never been there before: their brows furrow when they enter the place; their jaw drops when they see the menu; and then, the little smile as they savor the sandwich.

Unassuming, but a neighborhood fixture. Sometimes, life is just good :)