A Full Dimensional Sandwich: Detroit's 3-D Special Sandwich
"The balance of sweet, buttery bread, tangy pickles, oozy cheese, and salty meats is a kind of Motor City Muffuletta."
I usually write about all things Chicago, but when my grandfather, a very influential foodie role model for me, recently passed away, I found myself back in my hometown of Detroit. As you can imagine, such rough circumstances call for massive carbohydrate comfort, and so I spent plenty of time chowing down on local favorites and childhood touchstone eats: Lafayette Coneys, Olga's Snackers, Buddy's Pizza, and Better Made BBQ chips. The thing is, I can find a decent chili dog, barbecue chips, and great pizza in Chicago. I, however, have never found the 3-D Special Sandwich in the Windy City.
My father bought one for me years ago and I remember being blown away by it, but I'd forgotten about the whole thing until, on my way home after the funeral, I accidentally drove by the liquor store that makes them. If that sounds weird, it most certainly is. Detroit is not West Louisiana—there is no boudin competition amongst the corner gas stations. The best you can hope for at most of our party stores and liquor shops is a desiccated piece or two of roasted chicken or greasy, limp pizza.
However, at Tony's 3-D Party Store, the dusty bottles of wine are the afterthought. The thing here is the 3-D Special Sandwich, a massive, airy plank of Sicilian bakery-style focaccia split in half, stuffed with fresh-cut salami, ham, mozzarella, pickles, banana peppers, mayo, and mustard, and baked in a pizza oven in the back. The balance of sweet, buttery bread, tangy pickles, oozy cheese, and salty meats is a kind of Motor City Muffuletta. It certainly was as incredible as I remembered, and easily ranks as one of the better sammies I've had anywhere.
While I was waiting for my sandwich, I started talking to a dude who lived around the corner from the shop. When he found out I was from Chicago, he opined, like most who've visited the Windy City, about our hot dogs and skyscrapers and he waxed poetic about the monster slices of deep dish pizza he once had at Geno's. But as he walked out the door, he hoisted his own 3-D Special and said, "As good as that stuffed pizza is, I wouldn't trade it for one of these." I couldn't agree more.
Tony's 3-D Party Store
19371 E 10 Mile Road, Roseville, MI 48066 (map)
586-771-2339
About the author: Michael Nagrant writes for Serious Eats from Chicago, where he also publishes Hungry magazine. Michael never met an organ meat he didn't like. He hopes to meet many more.
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15 Comments:
Your grandfather would love this post. It captures a lot about childhood: the nostalgia, the sadness when loved ones are no longer there, the comfort of a food that is so right at that time and in that place. Thanks for writing this!
Teachertalk at 2:22PM on 10/29/09
Having grown up at 16 mile and Gratiot, your use of the term 'party store' takes me right back...I wish I had Tony's around the corner from me right now!
Carri at 2:34PM on 10/29/09
Glad that you could capture a moment (and a sandwich) like that for posterity with such a good foodporn-worthy photo. Kudos!
DanielJ at 2:45PM on 10/29/09
Wait... they don't have Olgas and 'party stores' outside of Detroit? I may never leave!
VegeErin at 2:52PM on 10/29/09
I have no freakin' clue what these party stores are. I feel deprived. :( And I want that sandwich.
Robyn Lee at 3:15PM on 10/29/09
Olga's Snackers are always a great choice, I don't think you can get them anywhere else.
alphazack at 4:13PM on 10/29/09
I live in Lansing, we have Olga's here. According to their website they have 2 in Illinois and 1 in Ohio. i thought everybody knew what a party store was? Is that a Michigan thing?
klisty at 4:34PM on 10/29/09
@klisty: If party stores are supposed to have sandwiches in them, I didn't grow up with them in suburban NJ. :[
Robyn Lee at 4:41PM on 10/29/09
I'm with Robyn - what on earth is a party store?!
Junie at 4:42PM on 10/29/09
The party store is the Detroit areas answer to the urban bodega or corner market. It's like a 7-11, Circle K, White Hen etc, but usually privately owned. Since it's not state controlled, nor are there huge emporiums, usually party stores have a nice selection of liquor, wine, and booze - henceforth the parties. The really special ones tend to have a sandwich counter or a mini-pizza operation in back. Another place I dig is Buscemi's which have decent Italian Subs and what is really a mediocre square bready pizza that has this cloying sweet sauce I can't seem to get enough of.
Michael Nagrant at 5:25PM on 10/29/09
That looks like heaven.
rumanddiet at 6:14PM on 10/29/09
I love it...my kids asked me what party store was and all I could think to say is "it's a party, in a store!" Liquor Store, Deli, and Advil all available in one convenient location...sweet! I went to high school within walking distance of a Buscemi's, wierd pizza, but so addicting.
Carri at 8:47PM on 10/29/09
I don't think party stores are a Michigan thing. I suspect it's just the name "party store" that is a Michigan thing. It's just a small, typically corner store with snacks, liquor, cigarettes, newspapers, and generally a half-hearted attempt at an aisle with some basic toiletries and grocery items. It's basically a 7-11 with liquor. I grew up with a party store down on the corner, and I used to ride my bike down there to get the Free Press every day in the summer so I could follow all the Tigers news.
pants at 1:27AM on 10/30/09
I had no idea that it wasn't called a party store everywhere---but then where I've lived outside of the Detroit area there really aren't that many independents. I think the difference is that in Michigan you can pretty much sell beer, liquor, chips whatever you need for a basic low-end party---but as a kid the candy aisles could not be beat. The liquor laws in other states I've been tend to limit stores mostly to liquor and not food so you don't really get party stores per se.
sally599 at 10:50AM on 10/30/09
Hate to be picky but Roseville is not Detroit. I guess party stores existed in the suburbs too.
City Girl DC at 7:39PM on 11/09/09