- Anthony Bourdain named the Three Little Pigs sandwich the “greatest sandwich in America.”
- The sandwich debuted at Chicago’s Silver Palm and combined three pork varieties, gruyere, and fried eggs.
- Silver Palm later closed, but the sandwich can be recreated at home with common ingredients.
- A clip from Bourdain’s No Reservations shows his reaction and helped boost the restaurant’s sales.
H2: How Bourdain discovered the “greatest” sandwich
During an episode of No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago and tried a colossal sandwich served at the Silver Palm restaurant. He called it “a work of genius … in an evil way” and the show’s voiceover described it as “a two-fisted symphony of pork, cheese, fat, and starch.” The sandwich was listed on the menu as the Three Little Pigs.
Embedded post: No Reservations clip (YouTube) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXecbtBrCbM&t=95s
H2: What’s in the Three Little Pigs sandwich?
The Three Little Pigs was a stacked brioche bun packed with three kinds of pork: double-smoked ham, a breaded pork tenderloin, and two strips of bacon. It also included gruyere cheese and two fried eggs, served with fries and a small salad. Those elements — sweet and smoky ham, crunchy breaded tenderloin, salty bacon, melty gruyere, and runny egg yolks — combined for the decadence Bourdain praised.
H3: Why it stood out to Bourdain
Bourdain’s culinary travels took him across the world to try unconventional and traditional dishes alike, but he often celebrated bold, honest flavors. The Three Little Pigs offered a dense, layered experience of textures and pork-driven flavors. The fried eggs and cheese helped bridge the components, making each bite cohesive rather than chaotic.
H2: Can you still order it in Chicago?
The Silver Palm — a unique restaurant inside a train-style dining car — saw a dramatic uptick in business after Bourdain’s endorsement, and the sandwich helped keep it afloat after a difficult period in 2008. However, the restaurant closed about a decade later, and you can no longer get the original sandwich at its birthplace.
H3: How to recreate the Three Little Pigs at home
Because the ingredients are standard, the sandwich is easy to replicate. To make your own version:
- Toast a sturdy brioche bun.
- Layer double-smoked ham, a thin breaded pork tenderloin (pan-fried), and two strips of crisp bacon.
- Top with melted gruyere and two fried eggs (sunny-side up or over-easy so yolks run).
- Add salt, pepper, and a swipe of mustard or aioli if desired. Serve with fries and a small salad.
H2: Legacy and context
Bourdain’s shout-out remains a memorable pop-culture moment for food fans and Chicago diners. While the original Silver Palm is gone, the Three Little Pigs lives on in home kitchens and menus inspired by its over-the-top composition. It’s a reminder of how a single enthusiastic endorsement from a chef-turned-celebrity can change a small restaurant’s fate and cement a dish in culinary lore.
Image Referance: https://www.thedailymeal.com/2053371/best-sandwich-in-america-anthony-bourdain/
