Laura Zastrow
The Old Fashioned’s tuna sandwich will enchant you with its subtle charms.
The tuna sandwich gets a bum rap.
It’s what you graduate to in middle school, after elementary school’s sack lunch PB&J. It’s what you make at home when you have nothing else in the cupboard. The tuna sandwich is a cinch to make yourself, even simple to perk up with probable fridge staples like chopped celery.
So why in the world would anyone order a tuna sandwich in a restaurant? Restaurants are for ordering food you can’t or won’t make at home. The humble tuna sandwich? Are you nuts?
It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m happy to report that Madison has a number of tuna sandwiches that are not so humble. They’re flashy enough re-create at home — and even order with mindful intention while eating out.
The best tuna sandwich in town may be the hardest sell of all: It’s on the menu at the Old Fashioned. This sandwich perfectly outlines the quandary — why would anyone order a tuna sandwich at the Old Fashioned, when the kitchen delivers brilliantly on so many other items? What can I say to sway you away from your favorite — the house burger, the brats, the beer-battered walleye? Believe me: The tuna sandwich here is as delicious as any of these.
Very meaty albacore comes mixed with large chunks of roasted red pepper and hard-boiled egg with a spare scattering of red onion. The tuna does not suffer from too much mayo; the balance among the key ingredients here is perfect.
The “country” bread is almost a light sourdough, buttered and lightly griddled on the outside. The only thing I would change is the big sphere of tuna salad; it’s a bit messy trying to spread it over the hard-boiled eggs. And although it comes with two dill slices (good move), a sandwich this large could use more pickle.
And the sandwich is huge, well worth $9, especially considering it comes with a side of fries or salad. The fresh spring mix is also a generous Wisconsin serving size, and the house dressing here is a friendly vinaigrette. Of course, no matter how good the dressing is, salad is a hard sell when the alternative is french fries.
First runner-up comes from a spot where, again, ordering a tuna sandwich may be the furthest thing from your mind. But the Tonno at Pizza Brutta is so, so worth it.
The Tonno is made on incredibly fresh, housemade wood-fired foccaccia, with a simple, fresh wheat flavor that bears no resemblance to the store-bought version of this trendy bread. The tuna is dressed simply with good olive oil and fresh lemon juice — and this is quite lemony. Kalamata olives and a judicious dotting of red onion tarts up the blend. It’s all topped with fresh arugula — and Brutta pays more than lip service to the arugula; there’s a solid layer of it.
As Pizza Brutta is not a sandwich joint (in fact sandwiches are served only at lunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.), the Tonno ($8) does not come with anything — no side pickle, no chips. But the small beet salad as a side ($6) makes a lovely addition.
At Osteria Papavero, the panino col tonno offers a few variations on the theme. It features darker, richer Sicilian tuna, caper aioli (spread on the bread, not mixed with the tuna), marinated artichokes and a soft-boiled egg. The sandwich comes pressed, panino style. The soft-boiled egg is a surprise, and may take some getting used to. But in the end, the egg and caper aioli make the meal. The sandwich comes with a choice of salad or soup of the day ($11) — a recent cream of cauliflower was light and vegetable-focused — and is only served at lunch.
An unexpected find this spring was the Rock Bar tuna salad from the new food cart Buzzy’s Lake House — albacore with kalamata olives and artichokes and again, just a bit of red onion. Lemon and olive oil dress the tuna, along with a light application of mayo. It’s available on wheat bread or fresh greens ($8) and is perfect outdoor picnic fare.
And what about when you’re just grabbing subs to go? My pick is from Which Wich, where all the sandwiches are very customizable with numerous add-ons. The bread here, which I would describe as “sort of a baguette,” is crustier than the sweeter bun from Milio’s and works well with the tuna.
There’s already a lot of mayo mixed in, so skip adding other dressings. But the olive salad spread (as usually found in a muffuletta) makes a very amenable partner, as do the crispy onion strings and, for an extra $1, sliced hard-boiled egg. The small ($5.75/7-inch) is a filling single-serving size. It comes in a brown paper bag, but it’s a long way from your middle school lunch.
