CLUB SANDWICH – A CRASH COURSE
Story by Ceilidh Price
Let’s be honest: the clubhouse sandwich should not inspire strong feelings. It’s the simpleton of sandos. And yet it does — ferociously. Mention it at brunch and suddenly people have opinions: diagonals vs. quarters, turkey vs. chicken, scratch-the-roof-of-your-mouth toasted vs. lightly-kissed. Somewhere, someone is fighting for the right to swap out iceberg lettuce, while someone else is clutching their pearls because mayo touched the tomato directly. This sandwich doesn’t just spark debate — it incites full-blown toasted tussles!
HISTORY CLUB
The history, of course, is murky — as every good food origin story should be. Here are the more pervasive theories:
Some insist it began at the Union Club in New York in the late 1800s as it first appeared in print in an 1889 article in The Evening World, referencing a “Union Club sandwich” with chicken or turkey and ham between two pieces of toasted graham (rough, dark wheat) bread.
Others claim it debuted on train dining cars, built for travel-friendly nibbling.
One story has a man coming home late and hungry and slapping together what he found in his fridge.
There’s even a theory involving gambling houses where servers needed a sandwich guests could snack on between losing money. Regardless of the birthplace, the triple-decker quickly became a fixture of hotel dining rooms, diners, golf courses and any establishment where someone in the kitchen could be trusted to toast bread evenly.
GEOGRAPHY CLUB
In Canada, the clubhouse is practically a citizen: almost always turkey (not chicken), always bacon, always quartered and served with fries and a dill pickle spear because that’s the law and you will obey it.
In the U.S., chicken often replaces turkey, avocado occasionally sneaks in and some establishments go rogue and skip the middle slice (can you imagine?). The UK and the Aussies get a little yolky with it — adding egg to the party.
COOKING CLUB
Perhaps the clubhouse’s charm is that it’s not just a sandwich; it’s a structure; an edible architectural marvel. A delicious Jenga tower of bacon, turkey, lettuce, tomato and a totally extraneous (yet somehow absolutely essential) middle slice of bread. The thing is a skyscraper with a toothpick permit. The diaghram shows how the pedants and pros build their clubs:
ORIENTEERING CLUB
If you’re in Calgary, you’re in luck: this city quietly punches above its weight in the clubhouse category. Whether you love a classic, a diner version or one served with the gravitas of a steak dinner, Calgary has you covered.
Deerhead Café | Rustic with more than a touch of old school diner charm. Served with traditional crinkle-cut fries and diner gravy.
Blackfoot Truckstop Diner | A true diner-style classic and finish it up with a piece of the infamous flapper pie.
Belmont Diner | Comfort-food charm with chicken. (Marda Loop)
The Cravery | House-made bacon and only a little off-clubhouse-brand with a pesto aioli. (Airdrie)
The Carriage House Hotel & Conference Centre | Just the tried, tested and true recipe placed humbly among the fancier fare.
Flavours of Montreal | Turkey, bacon, lettuce, cucumber and onion. Trust the French to add a little je ne sais quoi (chef’s kiss). (Airdrie)
Nick’s Steakhouse & Pizza | If you’re into the chicken and cheese choice.
Our House | Have the fries with it – a spectacular lunch.
Blue Danube Restaurant | Cheddar makes it better.
Casinos | Those in the know say most casinos have a reputation for good clubhouses.
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