by Hans-Gustav Schwartz

Created on: September 11, 2008

I've not had the pleasure of eating my favorite sandwich for more than twenty years. It's true. In the North end of Long Beach, California, on Atlantic Avenue, there used to be a small eatery on the corner called Fuji's. It was a modest establishment when compared with the glitz of the big fast food chains. I guess I could even say it was a bit shabby, and certainly in need of a coat of paint. It was just across the street from what was then Donna's Headache, a local drinking establishment not known for its genteel clientele.

Fuji's featured a menu filled with teriyaki burgers, sandwiches and related asian delights. But my all time favorite, the sandwich I once drove 120 miles to eat, was the famous Number Five. The number five was described as the Avo-Teri-Bacon; a beef teriyaki sandwich, with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado and mayonaise on Armenian bread. The Armenian bread was much like foccacia, but lighter and not so heavy. The teriyaki beef was tender and the sauce was just right, not too sweet, and not too salty. The bacon was a great complement. The tomato, lettuce and Haas avocado were the coup de gras. But the one thing I remember most, was how the mayonaise meandered and mixed with the teriyaki sauce to give the sandwich a flavor that I've not had the pleasure of enjoying for a very long time now.

Sure, you can assemble something like this on your own, and sure, it will taste great. I think part of the trick here is to use Haas avocados. Fuertes or any other variety just won't do. If you want to try this sandwich on your own, may I make the follwing suggestions. Make your own teriyaki. It's so much better than the stuff you buy in the stores. I use a cup of Heinz ketchup, combined with about a cup of sugar and a half cup of soy sauce. I usually add some crushed garlic, a clove or two, and two or three quarter-sized slices of ginger root. Bring it to a boil while stirring constantly, and then let it simmer for about five minutes. Remove it from the heat, and you've got your very own teriyaki and it's great on chicken, beef, pork or anything else you can think of using it for.

With respect to the bacon, any good smoked bacon will do. But fry it gently, over medium heat and render most of the fat out of it. It should be crisp. Three to four slices should be ample. You can slice up that roast beef from last night's dinner and warm it up in the teriyaki sauce. Assembling the rest of the sandwich is easy. Starting with the bottom, I lay on a healthy portion of mayonaise, followed by a leaf of lettuce (iceberg works well), then I put on the beef, topped with the bacon. Sliced avocado is added to that and topped off with a slice or two of a nice vine-ripened tomato. Place the top piece of bread, also coated with mayonaise on top, and you're ready to go. If you're using a bread like foccacia, I reccomend wrapping the bottom half of the sandwich in foil. That way,you won't end up with teriyaki and mayonaise in your lap.

Fuji's was great. It's one of those places I'll always remember, and always lament its passing. But those of us who had the pleasure of eating at this nondescript eatery, we are the better for it, for we select few have had a seldom seen glimpse of paradise.

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