Actually Pretty Awesome

Actually Pretty Awesome: The Meatloaf Sandwich at Hi-Lo

It's kinda sick, in a good way.
It’s kinda sick, in a good way. Photo: J. Barmann/Grub Street

Let us preface this by saying we’re more on Patty U.’s side than we are on Bauer’s when it comes to Hi-Lo’s barbecue. The ribs, especially when fresh out of the smoker in the early evening, are terrific, and the brisket — especially the fattier pieces from the deckle that you don’t always see, which Patty mentioned specifically — is pretty heavenly if you’re a meat person. But one place where we and Mr. Bauer see eye to eye is the meatloaf sandwich. Goddamn is that thing good, and dangerous.

Pitmaster Ryan Ostler and chef-owner Scott Youkilis have built the sandwich on garlic-buttered Texas toast, which could be a meal in itself for a smaller person. And the meatloaf itself is rich, extra chunky, excellently seasoned, and redolent of the brisket — we suspect some scraps go into it, and some other quality cuts. It’s topped with melted sharp cheddar and tomato sauce, and biting into it for the first time is a foodgasm moment if ever there was one. It’s a sloppy, glorious mess, and though we had plenty of other food and wanted to save most of the sandwich for lunch, it was gone before we could stop ourselves. We will be back for another.


Earlier on Actually Pretty Awesome:
Snap Peas and Short Ribs at Hutong
Rainbow Trout at Rich Table
Crispy Chicken and Yuca Fries at Pica Pica Castro
Dungeness Crab Soup at Canteen
The Trick Dog at Trick Dog
The Fried Chicken Sandwich at Hi Tops
The Dungeness Crab Salad at Haven
Chicken Drums at Rickybobby
The Doc Hopper at Absinthe
The Burger at KronnerBurger
Bang Bang Chicken Wings at M.Y. China
’Fruit Loops’ at Chambers Eat + Drink
Smoked Pulled Goat at Southpaw
Manti Dumplings at Troya Fillmore
Flaming Sea Bass Roll at Elephant Sushi
Black Risotto With Uni and Egg at Prospect
Seared Salmon and Mussel Mashed Potatoes at Bisou
The Meatloaf at Jamber
Carrots at Commonwealth
Turducken at Honor Bar
Beggar’s Chicken at Betelnut
Lobster Bread Pudding and Smoked Cod at Maverick
Green Farro-Sausage Risotto at RN74
Vegan Charctuerie at Gather
Pickled Eggs at St. Vincent
Beef Tongue at Namu Gaji
Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken at Brasa
Green Garlic Bread at State Bird Provisions
A Dinner of Small Plates and the Duck Confit Salad at Frances
Duck Fat Chex Mix at Truck Stop Café
The Lamb Tongue Salad at Txoko
The Branzino and the Cucumber and Scallops at AQ
Dinner at Local Mission Eatery
Suckling Pig Sandwich at Sweet Woodruff
Crudités at Saison
The Roasted Broccoli Sandwich at Split Pea Seduction
The Buffalo Burger at Double Decker
Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas
The Cocktails at Outerlands
The Meatball Gigante and the Honey Pie at Tony’s Pizza
Three New Gins from St. George Spirits
The Fried-Chicken Sliders at The Lookout
The Tripe and the Pickles at Bar Tartine
Fried Chicken and Cornmeal Doughnuts at Beast & the Hare

Actually Pretty Awesome: The Meatloaf Sandwich at Hi-Lo