Many changes have taken place in the history of man. In those years, man inventions have come about, including fire, the wheel and, yes, the sandwich. The sandwich is an important part of history, at least to our stomachs. Just like the other inventions, improvements have been made to the sandwich. Improvements were made up until the sandwich was perfected-by Southwest Market Cuisine.
Southwest Market Cuisine opened in 1968 and remains at its original location of 5224 Columbia, at the corner of Columbia and Brannon. The owner Gene “Randy” Randolph Burr can still be seen behind the counter greeting people and helping customers. Burr makes it his goal to learn every customer’s name, adding to the warmth of the store.
The specialty of the Market is the sandwiches. These are not your everyday flat sandwiches. The meat and cheese are piled on high with gobs of toppings. These are special sandwiches that will have you hooked for life after just one bite.
The best bet here is the “build your own sandwich.” The Market gives the choice of mixing or matching any four layers of meat and cheese. There and more than 14 different choices of meat and eight different choices of cheese to choose from. With so many choices of meats and cheeses it might be hard to choose. One suggestion would be the homemade salami. It’s thicker and tastier than anything that can be purchased at Schnucks. The Italian a marinated beef with Italian spices, is also a wise choice.
The toppings for the sandwiches are pickles, pepperocini, hot peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo and mustard. The choice for bread is fresh French bread or whole wheat. The sizes of the sandwiches range from three inch to 12 inch. A good size is the six inch ($4.75). The sandwiches are big, so don’t be fooled by the inch measurements.
Besides sandwiches, Southwest Market Cuisine offers hot plate lunches including lasagna, BBQ beef, glazed chicken and stuffed peppers. The meals come with the choice of two sides and a soft drink. The hot dishes are a great, scrumptious lunch to warm up the body on the cold winter days that lie ahead. What’s even better is that everyone gets a free cookie with a sandwich or hot plate lunch.
Southwest Market Cuisine is an excellent place to have a great lunch. The hours are limited, with the shop closing at 6 p.m. during the week and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Personal checks are not accepted, but credit cards are. Outside seating on the patio is available. The sandwiches are in a whole other league and leave competitors far behind.
“There is a sandwich shop on every corner, but we try to make this not only the best but the friendliest,” said Burr.
Burr is right on track, and it seems that anyone who gives Southwest Market Cuisine a try will not be disappointed. The people are friendly and the food delicious.
