Pressed is Best

David Guas may be a pastry chef par excellence, but the new Bayou Bakery, sister property to Liberty Tavern in Clarendon, will be featuring savories that give the sweets a run for their money.

Being a native of New Orleans of Cuban descent, he has cleverly – and deliciously – combined two sandwiches of his culinary heritage, the classic hot-pressed Cubano and the popular Po’Boy, to create a flavorful, hot-pressed French bread sandwich. With crusty baguettes Guas is making in-house as a foundation, and his own bread & butter pickles as the perfect piquant optional accompaniment, you’ll want to enjoy every last morsel of these satisfying sandwiches -- even as they commandeer your ‘room for dessert.’

Starting out, Guas has developed four distinct varieties. The “French-u-letta” is his spin on the beloved New Orleans Muffuletta, originated at Central Grocery over 100 years ago: ham, salami, and provolone, with the all-important house-made olive dressing (and a good kick of garlic) hot-pressed in that authentic New Orleans French bread. “Veg Head” is a true vegetarian feast of grilled Portobello mushrooms, asparagus, red onions, and smoked gouda. The “Spicy Pilgrim” doffs its tall black hat to pre-Colonial history with plenty of house-blackened turkey. And “My Miami” features roasted pork loin, thinly sliced French style ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and yellow mustard.

Hand-crafted-to-order and hot-off-the-press, these sandwiches redefine the lunchtime favorite. Though there is that golden rule at Bayou Bakery — you don’t skip dessert!