{"id":12113,"date":"2019-01-10T10:59:18","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T16:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/?p=12113"},"modified":"2019-01-30T08:22:06","modified_gmt":"2019-01-30T14:22:06","slug":"madison-sandwiches-java-cat-brioche","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/madison-sandwiches-java-cat-brioche\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Sandwich Quest: Java Cat’s brioche sandwich"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have been called a sandwich snob. That accusation is false. However, I do believe in something called <\/em>sandwich theory<\/em><\/a>. This is my quest to find the greatest sandwiches in Madison. Send me your sandwich recommendations by <\/em>email<\/em><\/a> or on <\/em>Twitter<\/em><\/a> or <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/span>\n

For this week’s sandwich, I decided to change it up a bit and go the breakfast route. Java Cat<\/a>, a cafe located on Monona Drive, is one of my go-to coffee places for its funky vibe. It has cat stuff all over the place, highlights a lot of local artists, and is active in the community. It also has a solid sandwich board offering. I\u2019ve had a few sandwiches off the lunch menu but I had yet to try a breakfast sandwich. So I took a run at the brioche sandwich (not to be confused with the “brioche breakfast sandwich”) consisting of eggs, ham, Swiss, red onion, banana peppers and bistro sauce on a brioche bun. I swapped sauces for a chipotle version, which they call boom boom sauce.<\/span>\n

Bread: 3.9\/5<\/h3>\n

Breakfast sandwich bread walks a fine line. It often gets too soggy, too toasted, or too stale and chewy. This brioche bun was fresh, soft, and the right amount of subtle sweet. It could\u2019ve had a little more toasting for added crunch and to help prevent a soggy bottom.<\/span>\n

Makings: 4.3\/5<\/h3>\n

I love when sandwich makers throw me an unexpected twist. Having swapped out the bistro sauce for the boom boom sauce, the barista asked if I wanted to make it “full boom boom style” and add roasted red peppers. I figured the banana peppers would suffice. But lo and behold, I got a little banana and red pepper medley. It was dope. The banana peppers added sweetness to balance out the salty egg and ham, while the chipotle sauce added a little heat. The onion gave it some needed crunch. The cheese needed a little more uniform melting throughout.<\/span>\n

Architecture: 4.25\/5<\/h3>\n

A squarshed (yes, I just made up a word combining squash, squish and squashed) fast food or gas station sandwich this was not; you can see the height in the photo. The construction held up better than I thought it would. Some sauce leaked out the back, but the brioche bun held everything in line which was impressive for the heft of the sandwich.<\/span>\n

Value: 4\/5<\/h3>\n

Coming in at $6.95, going boom boom adds $0.55 for a total of $7.50. Definitely more costly than fast food or gas station offerings, but I got it within five minutes of ordering and it was a solid-sized sandwich. It wasn\u2019t greasy and, while I definitely felt full, it didn\u2019t weigh me down. I definitely suggest going boom boom for the extra change.<\/span>\n

Overall: 4.2\/5<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve been a fan of Java Cat\u2019s other sandwiches since moving back to Madison, so I was optimistic about the brioche sandwich. I\u2019m not a huge breakfast guy, but I would get this one on the run. The best part? Breakfast is served all day at Java Cat, so you don\u2019t have to worry about beating the morning coffee rush.<\/span>\n