Tony Bourdain's Favorite Bodega Sandwich

Tony discussing his meal in a New York City restaurant.Photo byphoto by Getty Images

Anthony Bourdain loved good food. Whether it was a 5-star restaurant or a street vendor on a side street in a poor part of a city, he loved it all.

Like many other people Tony Bourdain had his favorite cities, and in America, he loved San Francisco and New York. When he first came to San Francisco, he commented that he thought every restaurant would be vegan and vegetarian, but it was completely the opposite.

Tony said his favorite restaurant was the famous Swan Oyster Depot.

In New York, Anthony always said to eat the things that the city is known for, and New York is made of great deli's and street hot dogs, which he called dirty water hot dogs. And one of Tony's favorites in New York in the morning was the Bodega Sandwich.

Anthony Bourdain's Bodega Sandwich:

Ingredients:

(makes 2 sandwiches)

6 slices bacon
2 kaiser rolls, sliced as for a sandwich
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 slices American or Swiss cheese

Special Equipment:

Plate lined with newspaper

Preparation:

Heat a large, heavy-bottom skillet or cast-iron griddle pan over high heat until hot, then add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp, adjusting the temperature if necessary so that it doesn’t get burned. If it burns, start over. (You can also cook your bacon in the oven; see page 12.) Using a spatula or tongs, remove the bacon to the lined plate. Open the kaiser rolls and place them facedown on the griddle for 2 minutes to warm through and absorb some of that bacon grease. Remove them and park 3 slices of bacon inside each roll.

Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and beat well. You’re not making scrambled eggs here, you’re making a kind of value-neutral omelet, so don’t worry about retaining big curds in the pan. Cook the eggs in the hot bacon grease until cooked through. Top with the cheese, distributed in an even layer, and let cook until slightly melty. Remove the eggs and divide them evenly among the rolls, folding and chopping as necessary. Close the sandwiches, wrap in foil for portability (if necessary), and serve with shitty coffee.