Serious Eats
Serious Sandwiches: Navajo Lamb Sandwich
Photo courtesy of chowdownphoenix.com
Obviously most of us can't afford to go to the Super Bowl, and quite frankly if you don't live in New England or New York City, I don't understand why you would want to. But, if I was going to Phoenix for this year's Super Bowl, you better believe I'd be eating one of these: the Navajo Lamb Sandwich from Arizona Native Frybread.
Invented by the Navajo people, frybread is normally served at fairs, pow-wows, and art shows and can come topped with powdered sugar or honey (think elephant ears) or beans, meat, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, commonly referred to as an "Indian taco." But for a truly unique and authentic savory Navajo frybread sandwich, you have to go out to Arizona Native Frybread in Mesa, one of the few permanent, year-round shops for an authentic Navajo frybread sandwich like this.
The sandwich starts with the namesake frybread, which is hand-made from a very simple dough mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, and water. The dough is rolled out and then fried in corn oil in a frying pan until it is brown on both sides and slightly puffy. The meat gets an authentic Navajo preparation, which is to say fairly simple. Unseasoned slices of lamb leg are grilled and then placed into the frybread. On top of that goes hot roasted green chiles (usually Anaheims), then lettuce, tomato, and red onion. Fold over and enjoy!
Mesa is around 30 minutes outside of Phoenix, and about 45 minutes to an hour from the Super Bowl, but for a lamb-stuffed, fried-dough sandwich, I think it's well worth the drive.
About the author: Zach Brooks is the proprietor of Midtown Lunch, where he blogs about affordable lunchtime eats in Midtown Manhattan. The guy knows his sandwiches.
Arizona Native Frybread
Address: 1437 E. Main Street, Mesa AZ 85203 (map)
Phone: 480-649-1314
Website: aznativefrybread.com