—————————————————— Houston's Best Sandwiches: White Widow at Cheba Hut | Houston Press

Sandwiches

Houston's Best Sandwiches: White Widow at Cheba Hut

The White Widow at Cheba Hut is freaking awesome, dude.
The White Widow at Cheba Hut is freaking awesome, dude. Photo by Jeff Balke
We are in search of Houston's best sandwiches because we love sandwiches and we love Houston!

On a recent Saturday morning, I was near Sawyer Yards looking for a place to stop and, what else, get a sandwich. Google pointed me towards Cheba Hut (2150 Edwards), the Arizona import dedicated to the culture of weed. Every item on the menu has a stoner nickname, but, despite the overt messaging, there is none of Mother Nature's herb in any of the sandwiches. That of course, remains illegal in Texas.

Cheba Hut doesn't look like a stoner palace. It's more sports bar meets sandwich shop with a nice full bar and plenty of beer served on tap. I took a seat in the rather modern looking bar area and ordered from the rather long list of options. The White Widow, I was told, was one of the most popular options on the menu, so off I went.

Served on a toasted baguette, the sandwich has roasted chunks of chicken, thinly sliced "shrooms," bacon, pickle, onion, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing and their signature "Shake," which is a blend of parmesan cheese and herbs. It was an absolutely delightful mess.

Great sandwiches begin and end with the bread and this was a light, delicate baguette that, despite the boatload of ingredients filling it, held together like a champ. That didn't mean this wasn't at minimum a three-napkin affair. This sandwich is dripping with sauce and falling apart with warm roasted chicken.

And like other really good sandwiches, there were several perfect bites throughout and not always with the same things in them. It was the ranch dressing that really held it together with a really nice surprising tang from the pickles. I might order extra of those next time because they really popped with flavor.

And before you ask them to take off the mushrooms because you don't like them, think twice. Instead of the chunks I expected, these were paper thin slices that tasted like extra chicken. It was like adding meat to the sandwich with none of the earthiness that can sometimes be off-putting for those who don't care for "shrooms."

With many other sandwich offerings on the menu, I'll be sure to try Cheba Hut again. My guess is these sandwiches would be a hit if you're high, but the good news is, they appear to be just as good when you aren't.

If you have a sandwich you think is one of the best in town, hit us up. We're always looking for new options.
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Jeff Balke is a writer, editor, photographer, tech expert and native Houstonian. He has written for a wide range of publications and co-authored the official 50th anniversary book for the Houston Rockets.
Contact: Jeff Balke