Mendocino Farms - Torrance

So much excitement surrounding the newest link on the Mendocino chain. 

So much disappointment in that first found of sandwiches. I know they're busy on weekends, but when you put a sandwich in the panini press it really helps if you plug it in. 

The Proscuitto & Chicken has the grill lines but the bread isn’t even toasted. Good proscuitto, good chicken, good mozzarella. Shrug. 

The Chicken Pesto Caprese is pretty similar, same stuff different sandwich.

The Chimichurri Steak & Shishito Bowl is something different, but there’s so much salt and so much lemon you can’t even taste the steak and the broccolini is actually sour. 

Banh Mi has a nice pork belly inside but it barely covers half the bread. The pickles are fun and they don’t hold back on the jalapeños, which distracts a little from the lack of meat…and this time they seem to have plugged in the panini press halfway into the pressing. 

Oh yummmm, I love a good ahi amarillo, and they don’t hold back on the heat in the Peruvian Steak sandwich. Great flavors, the best thing I’ve had here so far. 

Great concept, love the closer location. But it seems like no one knows how to toast bread here and it just isn’t worth the madness of that parking lot. Drive to El Segundo if you want to be wowed.

Mendocino Farms - El Segundo

This little piggie went to market, this little piggie went to the gym. This little piggie had chorizo, and this little piggie had Three Little Piggies.

The Pachamama Spanish Bocadillo has a juicy chorizo. It bites back just a little bit, and it's seasoned thoroughly without being too salty or overbearing. Proscuitto adds some extra savor, and arugula sticks out sharply from a toasty sesame roll. The addition savory sesame seeds add something extra to this whole combination, an unexpected sprinkle of awesome.

If you're looking on the lighter side, the Three Little Piggies is not for you. Slabs of pork belly are platters for soft, shredded carnitas sandwiched between them and the bacon. It's from the so-called secret menu which only adds to the intrigue. 

A good sandwich is underrated. I miss my go-to chicken and jicama from Flour and my tortilla espanola on French baguette from Las Ventas back in Boston. Mendocino Farms brings that back for me - it's one of few places that makes something other than grilled cheese or a burger, and it's probably among the best sandwich shops in town. The Point isn't a shopping center lacking for food selections, but Mendocino is a choice and it's definitely in my top three.