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Expectations couldn't have been higher for Lobel's Steak sandwich at the New Yankee Stadium. After reading about a butcher's window, with the opportunity to purchase fresh sliced, high-end steak sandwiches at the new Yankee Stadium, we were ready to eat. Even word of their $15 price tag did little to dissuade our appetite for the highly anticipated sandwich.
The disappointment was palpable during the Cubs exhibition games. Stadium Insider dad was on hand for the Saturday game, and he was itching for one of the highly touted sandwiches. Unfortunately, the butcher's window was there, but the Lobel's sandwich stand was nowhere to be found. Despite asking anyone who remotely looked like they were associated with Yankee Stadium where to get some of that delicious-looking beef, we were left unsatisfied, since the sandwiches were not yet on sale.
Yesterday was our first trip back to the stadium, and eternal optimists had been telling us that many of the first weekend kinks had been worked out. Most importantly, (from our stomach's perspective) Lobel's steak sandwich cart was ready for action. $15 steak sandwiches were no longer a dream, they were reality. Upon entry into the grand structure, we made a bee-line for the field level concourse, near the left field foul pole - the home of Lobel's.
The line seemed imposing at first with a depth of 10-12 people. A line of this length at Yankee Stadium typically spells doom, considering the minimum wage workforce. The operatives running the Lobel's stand, however, were on point. A surprisingly efficient steak sandwich assembly line was in full-gear, and we were along for the ride.
When our turn in line came, we asked for the rarest beef we could get, and inquired about which kind of meat was being served. The answer was simple enough - it was prime rib day, and it only took one look at the butcher's knife slicing through the bloody beef like butter, to tell us to that it was being cooked to the right temperature.
At first glance, we were disappointed with the bread choice. It appeared to be an onion/cheddar roll, and gave the sandwich a smaller appearance due to its round shape. Those concerns were quickly allayed by a large stack of perfectly cooked meat, and we always had that ice cold beer in case we needed to wash it down quickly.
Thirty hard-earned dollars later, we were on our way, sandwiches of joy firmly in our hands. It was a bit of a walk toward home plate, but the field level foodcourt tables were a perfect surface on which to plop down the long-lusted after treats.
The first bite of the sandwich was nearly indescribable. Envision your favorite food, favorite texture, favorite taste, favorite smell, favorite feeling, all in one bite. This is not hyperbole, it is truly the emotion we felt during this meal. Is it possible that the best food we have ever eaten comes from a concession stand in a baseball stadium? The tender, perfectly seasoned beef, and the doughey, but light roll, soaked with an appropriate allotment of au jus answer that question with a resounding "YES!"
Luckily, all of these feelings were captured on video (below) for our eternal enjoyment. Now, we can always relive the experience of enjoying the only $15 sandwich that we will ever say was worth the price...
