Unique to Springfield, the horseshoe sandwich is a combination of bread, meat, French fries, and cheese sauce on a plate. This delectable delight originated in 1927 at the Leland Hotel. Since its creation, the sandwich has taken Springfield by storm. There are as many variations of the original recipe as there are eateries in the city.
The original open-face sandwich was made by laying two slices of bread side by side on a hot metal platter and placing a horseshoe cut of ham on one side and a fried egg on the other side. The sandwich was next surrounded by French fries, which represented the nails in a horseshoe. The sandwich was then smothered in cheese.
In the 1970s, then Leland's chef, Steve Tomko, joined forces with Wayne Coombs when he opened the Red Coach Inn. The two started dishing up the traditional horseshoe sandwich popular with Springfieldians today.
A visit to Springfield is not complete without sampling this cholesterol-laden, artery-clogging sandwich. The best horseshoes in town can be found at:
Lindsay's Restaurant - 701 E. Adams
D'Arcy's Pint - 661 W. Stanford Ave.
Amber Jack Alehouse - 3150 Chatham Rd.
Um, good. So, the next time you're in Springfield, visit a few of Springfield's finest eateries and try one of Springfield's best kept secrets, if you dare.
For more about Springfield's offbeat spots only the locals know about, go to http://www.examiner.com/x-20591-Springfield-Offbeat-Travel-Examiner to read my posts. Also, check out my blog at www.eclectictravels.blogspot.com for more travel ideas. My work also appears at More.com.
Comments
LOL -- I used to go the Leland Hotel for lunch every now and then with my mother back in the 1950s and 1960s. I always had a horseshoe. I still love them.
Scotti Cohn
www.scotticohn.com
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