Between Two Pieces of Bread

When I'm visiting a city or state for the first time, I try my darnedest to sample as much of the local cuisine as I can. In South Carolina, I'll find myself scouring the backroads for the sketchy little stands peddling boiled peanuts. If I'm in Green Bay, I head to a sports bar and order-up a basket of cheese curds.

There's just something liberating about forgoing the familiar and noshing like a local.

With that in mind, I started thinking, "What places are directly identified by foods?" Well, the more I researched, the more complicated it became. After all, how many cities can claim pizza or hotdogs? Back to the cutting board it was.

At lunch, I had an epiphany: Sandwiches!

That distinctly American delicacy comes in many different shapes, sizes and flavors. Sometimes they're born of convenience, sometimes necessity. Sometimes they're imported, sometimes homegrown. Best of all, from region to region, there're always strong opinions about whose sandwich is best.

So, without further ado, munch on these ...

New Orleans » Po' Boy

One of two Crescent City entries on my list, the po' boy is deliciously basic. A crispy Louisiana-style baguette sliced, spread with mustard, then piled high with fried calamari, oysters, shrimp or even catfish. Other versions involve ham, sausage, turkey, roast beef, and "debris." In NOLA, opportunities for good po' boys abound, but for a place that's tried and true, turn to Mother's on Poydras.

Insider tip A "dressed" po' boy comes with shredded cabbage, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, plain yellow mustard and spicy Creole mustard. Debris refers to all the tasty pieces of roast beef that fall into the gravy while cooking.

New Haven, CT » Original Burger

Simplicity defines The Original. No bacon. No crumbled bleu cheese. No special sauce. Lean, freshly ground beef prepared on vertical grills then slapped between two golden pieces of toast. That's it. It seems like every town has a place that serves the "best burger," but only Louis' Lunch in New Haven can say they've been doing it since Teddy Roosevelt was elected.

Insider tip Avoid asking for ketchup, mustard or any other condiment. Doing so risks offending the cooks, their grandparents and New Haven in general. Just so you know: the only acceptable garnishes are cheese, tomato and onion.

North Carolina & South Carolina » Pulled Pork

The pulled pork premise is genius: hickory smoke a pork shoulder until it's tender enough to be pulled apart by hand and served on a plain white bun. The "rub" lies in what's used to flavor the meat. In the Carolinas, there two main schools: vinegar or mustard. For vinegar-based, Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue, try Bubba's BBQ in Charlotte. In South Carolina, Maurice's in Columbia is famed for its mustard-based recipe, Piggy Park and controversial use of the Confederate flag.

Insider tip This is a religious issue for most people. Every region of the US has a style of barbecue they swear is best. I know. But in my defense, not all types of 'cue lend themselves to two pieces of bread quite like pulled pork.