{"id":17303,"date":"2019-11-20T12:39:52","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T18:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/?p=17303"},"modified":"2019-12-06T12:34:54","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T18:34:54","slug":"madison-sandwiches-players-patty-melt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/madison-sandwiches-players-patty-melt\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Sandwich Quest: Players Sports Bar’s patty melt"},"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

Ahhhh Players Sports Bar<\/a>, home of the best burger in Madison (so says my brother, at least). Located in the Atwood neighborhood, Players is what I would describe as your classic, simple sports bar. There\u2019s a flat-top grill that\u2019s had decades\u2019 worth of burgers and sandwiches pass across its top. Since this is a sandwich quest, I went with the Players patty melt: a burger patty with swiss cheese and sauteed onions on grilled rye.<\/span>\n

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

The rye flavor didn\u2019t necessarily stand out, but was grilled to golden perfection without being overly greasy. The bread integrity was also exceptional. The makings for a patty melt can get, well, melty, but there wasn\u2019t any sogginess or breakdown under the stress of the makings.<\/span>\n

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

I\u2019m a dipper when it comes to patty melts; you take that first corner, dip it in a little ketchup and go from there. What really makes a great patty melt for me is properly sauteed onions. The onions were sauteed to perfect al dente level, combining that acrid, aromatic onion flavor with the fattiness and richness of the cheese and beef. My patty, though, was a little uneven in its cookedness. I ordered it medium \u2014 you need a little red in there \u2014 but one half was a little closer to medium rare, and the other half closer to nearly well done.<\/span>\n

Architecture: 4.1\/5<\/h3>\n

The stacking of the patty, with the cheese and onions atop, was perfect. It was the right amount of messy \u2014 after a dip into some ketchup, of course \u2014 without being too<\/em> messy. There was also a good balance of cheese, onion and patty for each bite, without any slippage off the top.<\/span>\n

Value: 4.75\/5<\/h3>\n

Like all of Players\u2019 menu, you get a generously sized sandwich for $7.50, and it comes with chips and a pickle. (You can upgrade to tater tots for extra). Given that we\u2019re talking classic bar and grill food, you get a little more heft and richness right off the bat \u2014 but it\u2019s not a patty melt that makes you feel like you need a post-lunch nap, which is crucial.<\/span>\n

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

This was not the first time I\u2019ve had the Players patty melt \u2014 nor will it be the last \u2014 but patty melts are another one of my all-time favorite sandwiches. One could debate where exactly a patty melt (or any melt, for that matter) falls in the sandwich phylum. I consider it to firmly be a sandwich, almost a different take on or a second cousin to the open-faced sandwich. Much like a reuben, a patty melt isn\u2019t hard to make but it\u2019s easy to do a subpar offering. Players\u2019 patty melt, at great value, is my go-to patty melt in Madison.<\/span>\n