Many people think of a sandwich as simply two pieces of bread with something tasty in between. But there are others who consider sandwiches an art form.
Mario Naar, who makes delectable sandwiches every day, gives us his guidelines on building superb, beautifully constructed creations.
Naar, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu as a chef, is the founder and CEO of Chèvre (786-332-4128) 1295 Coral Way, Miami, and the recently opened location at Mia Market, (304-456-3070) 140 NE 39 St., Miami, in the Miami Design District. Chèvre's location on Coral Way is well known by Miami gourmands for charcuterie, wine, artisanal sandwiches, and the finest cheeses from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and more.
(Courtesy Chèvre)
Mario Naar with A Chèvre Friend
“As Miami’s best local cheese shop, we make sure we represent the producers who work so hard making these beautiful cheeses,” Naar said.
Known at Chèvre as “The Cheese Don,” Naar also rates another moniker as “The Sandwich King.”
“I’m not a big fan of nicknames, but I love making sandwiches and putting smiles on people’s faces,” he said. “Personal preference is the biggest factor in how much you enjoy a sandwich. The perfect sandwich is the one that makes you the happiest. If you don’t know your preference, I say try a few. But once you know, you know.”
Naar says that the key to a great sandwich is quality ingredients.
“Spend the money, buy the good cheese, olive oil, flavorful meat, and the best bread,” he advised. “Consider the bread's taste, texture, and density. It's important to use the bread that best complements the sandwich's fillings. And always make sure your bread is fresh.
“You can try a country’s flavor profile through a sando,” Naar continued. “We work with different bakeries because we want our sandwiches to be as authentic as possible. We use Ficelle French Bakery for their distinctive baguettes, Sullivan Street Baker for tasty Italian-style breads, and we import Pan de Crystal from Spain” (a traditional loaf from the Catalan region).
Naar's favorite sandwich, The Frenchman, is a classic Chèvre best seller.
(Courtesy of Chèvre)
The Frenchman Sandwich
“Great bread and quality butter make a great French sandwich. We make it with award-winning Bordier Butter from Maison Bordier," he said, referencing a butter that tastes like cream with a silky texture, made with milk from grass-fed cows. “The French ham we use is a Parisian-style ham called Jambon de Paris; the Dijon mustard is from Burgundy; and the baguette is from Ficelle Bakery, a Miami French bakery, winner of 'Best Baguette in Florida' in 2023 and 2024. It’s just simple, yet delicious.”
La Italiana is another Chèvre best seller.
“What makes a great Italian sandwich is quality cheese, and making sure you have balance in all the flavors,” Naar explained.
(Courtesy of Chèvre)
The Spaniard Sandwich Combo with Chips
Balance flavors like salty and sweet, tangy and creamy, and spicy and mild. The Italiana "masterpiece" has perfect balance with Sullivan Street Bakery mezzo doppio (an Italian-style brioche with mild sweetness); mild, creamy whipped cow's milk ricotta; Italian mortadella; freshly-made basil pesto; crushed Sicilian pistachios; finished with a sweet drizzle of truffled wildflower honey.
“The true art in making a sandwich is joining different flavors and textures like crunchy, juicy, and crispy in a sandwich to create balance that makes it all work,” Naar said. “We are always looking for crunch. Our Fayads bresaola – an Italian salumi – has onion confit as well as crispy onions that give it that crunch."
Is there any protein that doesn't belong on a sandwich?
(Courtesy of Chèvre)
The Vegetarian Sandwich
“I think you can pretty much put any protein on a sandwich,” Naar said. “Don’t be afraid. No risk, no reward. We use anywhere between two to three ounces of protein per sandwich. Veggies are great if that’s your thing. We only do one sandwich that’s a veggie and it’s wonderful, but we like the meat.”
Naar likens layering in a sandwich to an orchestral composition.
“Mix it up. Make sure the sandwich is layered properly,” he said. “The sauce always goes first; then the meats; then the cheese; and finally, the veggies/arugula. Ensure that every bite has a mixture of flavors and textures. Think of an orchestra. You want that music to sing. Same thing for the ingredients. You want them to sing once you take that first bite.”
La Italiana Sandwich
Recipe from Mario Naar at Chèvre
Serves 1-2
INGREDIENTS
1 6-inch Sullivan Street mezzo doppio bun (available at Chèvre)
3 Tbsp. whipped cow's milk ricotta
3 oz. thinly sliced Italian mortadella with pistachios (available at Chèvre)
1 Tbsp. fresh basil pesto
2 Tbsp. crushed Sicilian pistachios
1 Tbsp. white truffled wildflower honey
PREPARATION
(Courtesy of Chèvre)
La Italiana Sandwich
Split Mezzo Doppio horizontally with a serrated knife – split, but don't separate.
Toast bread on conveyor toaster or in a toaster oven, then place on cutting board
Spread Ricotta on both sides of the bread.
Spread Pesto on bottom side of the bread.
Place mortadella on the bottom of the bread, folding meat. It should not look flat.
Crush pistachios with meat tenderizer. Sprinkle crushed pistachios over top side of the bread.
Drizzle honey on top side of bread.
Close sandwich and enjoy!
Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.
(Irene Moore)
Irene Moore