Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi’s favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Come back every Tuesday for more, and dig into his recent food writing at Cincinnati.com.
Like most iconic foods, the tuna melt has an origin story. And like most of those origin stories, it probably isn’t true. So who’s to say that it was or wasn’t accidentally invented (these things always happen by accident) when a bowl of tuna spilled over onto a grilled cheese sandwich at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1960s.
No matter how it came to be, the tuna melt is an iconic diner food. And while it’s a little fancier than the ones you might find at your average greasy spoon, the one at Allez, at the corner of 12th and Main streets in Over-the-Rhine, is among the best in town.
The tuna melt sandwich at Allez, in Over-the-Rhine.
The tuna is mixed with briny capers, fruity green olives, crunchy celery and nutty melted gouda. It’s served on buttered and grilled semolina bread that works beautifully, providing just the right amount of crunch, while maintaining its pillowy interior. If you like it, do what I did and go across the street to Allez’s bakery and pick up a loaf to take home.
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Aside from the tuna melt, Allez offers several good sandwiches, including a Cubano, a turkey breast with sunflower pesto and, on Fridays only, a popular meatball sub. Order your sandwich with one of Allez’s house-made soups (the chorizo with peppers, beans and Parmesan is particularly good).
Allez Cafe, 1201 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-381-6700, allezbakery.com. Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: There’s something very special about this tuna melt we found in OTR
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