Hot Meal: American Box at Fish & Farm

M. Brody

Stellar: No. 4, the fresh tuna sandwich.

​Always on the lookout for a good sandwich, we were thrilled with the three we tried yesterday, day two of American Box, Fish & Farm's takeaway lunch service. It's available in the restaurant's private dining room, called the Fish Tank, right across from Fish & Farm's main entrance. You order by number from a menu of 10 options that include a couple of salads, pork tacos, and soup.
​We enjoyed No. 6, the curiously named Grilled Moist Melt Box ($8), sharp cheddar tarted up with caramelized onion and house-made pickles on thin, tangy rye bread. It came with picnic-perfect potato salad, made with red new potatoes and chives. The No. 5, chilled bavette of beef ($9), combined plenty of satisfyingly chewy, cold rare beef with bite-y arugula, sliced cheddar, and a sharpish horseradish cream on a long, soft roll.

But the surprising star was No. 4, an unusual line-caught tuna sandwich ($9): a brioche-like bun spread with tartar sauce, stuffed with herbed tuna salad made from freshly cooked fish, and layered with juicy heirloom tomatoes, arugula, and mild soft cheese.

There was an intriguing duo of bacon tater tots served with slaw (the No. 9, $5). Soup of the day could be cauliflower ($6), drizzled with oil and topped with chives. Yesterday's daily sweet was something called Gracie's Chewy Gooey ($3), a brownie.

Take your box back to the office, to a park, on a road trip, or -- hey! -- you could even duck into Fish & Farm's dining room and sit at a table. But grab your own disposable cutlery on the way in: There's no table service.

American Box at Fish & Farm 339 Taylor (at O'Farrell), 474-3474. Cash only.

M. Brody

Funny name, tasty sandwich: No. 6, the Grilled Moist Melt Box.

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