The sandwich showcase is a series dedicated to notable Halifax sandwiches, so I felt I should explore the sandwich that sits proudly in the The Coast’s “Best of Food Hall of Fame”.

That’s right, the Clubhouse Sandwich category was retired in 2011. What makes the Pub Club worthy of such accolades? I had to find out.

First of all, this is not, properly speaking, a clubhouse sandwich. It is not a triple decker sandwich, for one thing. Cheese is involved, which the clubhouse purist will attest is not an official ingredient. The poultry of choice is chicken, and instead of mayo there is a “special sauce”. Looks like this:

The sandwich was comprised of a whole chicken breast, melted mozzerella, bacon, onion, shredded iceburg lettuce, tomato slices and a zesty sauce. The bread was buttered and toasted. The platter came with French fries and a pickle.

Let’s break it down:

The chicken breast is that highly processed stuff. It was bland and lacking in texture. The bacon was adequate. The toasted bread was a highlight. Melted cheese is always good.

The special sauce, along with the toasted bread, is what I think makes people fall for this sandwich. At first the sauce reminded me of Big Mac sauce, but when I asked our friendly server he told us it was a mixture of mayo, honey mustard and just a touch of cayenne pepper. He said there are some who refer to it as “crack sauce”, and order it as a dip for their fries. So I ordered a side to get more acquainted with it.

There wasn’t enough cayenne to provide heat, but just a touch of spice to compliment the sweetness of the honey mustard. I can see why people like it.

The French fries were of the frozen variety, but crispy and flavourful. The pickle is a nice touch.

I’m not sure I get it, though. How did this sandwich take down awards for so many years? Is it time The Coast considered reopening the category in the voting polls, or is this the “Best Clubhouse Sandwich in Halifax”? What makes a good clubhouse, anyway?

What do you think? Are you a fan of the Pub Club? Where is your favourite clubhouse to be found?