Houston's Best Sandwiches: The Ham & Eggs at Ploughman's Deli and Cafe

We are in search of Houston's best sandwiches because we love sandwiches and we love Houston!

Sandwiches are rarely unexpected. Even the weirdest concoctions tend to be things you can understand from a general description, even from the name. But, the Ham & Eggs at Ploughman's Deli and Cafe (965 Pinemont ) is as surprising as the place that serves it.

A few months ago, I drove past Ploughman's in a tiny strip center just north of Oak Forest. It's a spot I'd driven past dozens of times in my life as my best friend all the way through high school lived about two blocks from there. It didn't look like a typical hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop. It was small, but it had the feel, from the outside anyway, of a cafe. Naturally, with a new sandwich option not far from me, it wasn't long before I stopped in.

Again, and I hate to repeat myself, this place is different. The interior is a nerd's paradise, decorated with Star Wars and Dr. Who posters and paintings and wall hangings. There's a Death Star meat and cheese tray hanging on the wall. Then there's the offerings. It's a small menu. At night, they serve a well curated selection of meats, cheeses, wines and beers. After a little research, I learned it is owned by one of the owners of Petrol Station, the place all beer freaks wish to be buried, so it all made sense.

When I inquired about the Ham & Eggs, I assumed it was of the fried egg variety. Believe me, I love a good fried egg on a sandwich, but if this was like a breakfast thing, I wasn't really interested. Oh no, it was not. Instead, it was egg salad on top of thick slices of hand-carved ham with lettuce and mayo. The whole thing was wrapped up in a perfectly delicate ciabatta roll.

First, the egg salad is fantastic. It's not a pile of mush, but rather chunky, chopped hard boiled eggs. But, damn, that ham. It's like slices of what you might get on your plate around the holidays. It's thick and tender and who doesn't want that slapped onto a sandwich. It's a bit like taking a bunch of amazing leftovers from a family reunion and cramming them onto a roll, except my family reunions rarely had food this good.

Ploughman's also has a rather interesting selection of sandwiches and I have already returned, but the Ham & Eggs is just too hard for me to pass up, so I've yet to dig into the Pastramaramo or Prawn Star or Baking Baaaaaad. I told you they were different.

If you have a sandwich you think is one of the best in town, hit us up. We're always looking for new options.