Popular Japanese Sandwich Restaurant Opening New Location Inside Park Place Mall

A new sandwich restaurant is opening in Tucson.Photo byTim MossholderonUnsplash

Few things hit the spot just right like a perfect sandwich. It’s such a simple concoction, yet there’s a wide gap between a great sandwich and subpar. Because only a few ingredients are involved you can taste quality and freshness more in a sandwich than almost any other food group. Nothing is hiding under batter or is deep fried. You also know as soon as you bite into the sandwich if you like it or not. Around Tucson, there are several traditional sandwich shops, which is fine, but if you want something original, that delivers unique flavors on an entirely different level, the new Fatboy Sandos restaurant might be the spot for you. 

The Park Place Mall here in Tucson isn’t what it once was. There are far more gaps and closed storefronts. At times I’ve seen more foot traffic in a graveyard than wandering the mall. Unfortunately, malls throughout much of the country will never return to that late 80s through mid-90s charm. Back when that was where everyone went to hang out. Where you went to catch a movie (there was just something about the mall-attached movie theaters). It was the kind of place you could just walk around for a few hours and window shop without ever popping in. 

When there were staple, must-see shops like the Disney Store or Natural Wonders, or arcades you could play in for hours with only a couple of bucks in your pockets. Now, most halls have replaced anchors like Macy’s and J.C. Penny’s with Planet Fitness and churches. However, one area of the mall experience that has made a slow comeback is the food court. 

Food courts have seen a turnaround, especially in Tucson, thanks to the air-conditioned interior. You can visit with your family, grab something from a half-dozen different restaurants, and enjoy a meal in air conditioning. 

The Park Place Mall has a new addition with Fatboy Sandos, which will be officially opening in early August. The restaurant focuses on what owner Rafael De La Cuesta refers to as a Japanese sandwich, where he uses milk bread and more traditional Japanese ingredients. The restaurant, which started off as a food truck, has expanded a bit in Tucson in the two years since opening, with fan favorites that include pork katsu.

Some of the most popular items include Fruit and Cream Sando, Spicy Tuna Onigri, Japanese Egg Salad Sando, and Furikake Fries with lemon garlic sauce.

If you don’t feel like waiting, you can stop by the current location in Tucson at 1439 South 4th Avenue. There’s also a location open in Mesa.