VOA标准英语2011--Serving Sandwiches in Washington - With an 'International Accent'

Serving Sandwiches in Washington - With an 'International Accent'

 

Washington DC is a melting-pot of people from around the globe. The many races and cultures are reflected in its foods. Among the choices are countless¹ Asian, African and Middle Eastern eateries restaurants. But one Iranian-American business owner has put a twist on a classic Western cuisine²… and earned a name for himself along the way.

Anyone can make a sandwich. But only Ali Bagheri makes a sandwich with an accent.

“Those of us in the Middle East and in Eastern Europe all pronounce the word ‘sandwich,’ ‘sundevich.' So we joked around and we’re like, ‘SUNDEVICH!’” said Bagheri.

SunDeVich serves international flavors

But the international flavor of “SunDeVich” goes beyond just the name of his restaurant. The menu reads like the stamps on a passport - with sandwiches named for cities around the globe.

“Every city really reflects on the flavor profile. It’s important that we stay true to what the inspiration was, but still put our own spin on it,” said Bagheri.

The menu on the wall at international sandwich shop SunDeVich shows a varied3 selection reflecting cuisine from arounf the globe, December 2011.

His mom helps with that spin… but this is Bagheri’s kitchen.

“It's funny to have the tables turned… that watching her little by little, and now she asks me, ‘Hey taste this... is this okay? Does this need salt?’”

The mother-son team uses local ingredients to make foreign favorites - like tongue sandwiches and kabob.

“We don't have a freezer. We don't have walk-in coolers. We prep what we can for the day. We sell what we can for the day. And then we start again tomorrow,” said Bagheri.

All while staying true to tradition.

“We subscribe⁴ to the techniques and the ideologies⁵ that have been around for thousands of years, but every operation is different. You have different equipment, you have different staffing… you have certain limitations in every area. You just gotta [have to] see what works best for you.”

Washington's best sandwiches

And it seems like things are working well for Bagheri. Washington Post readers recently voted SunDeVich the city’s best sandwich shop.

“We never thought we would win. We just wanted to capture a little bit of market share so our name remained on there. Next thing we know, they’re coming in like, “You won… this happened…” and then the line went out the door,” said Bagheri.

“I heard that it got an award for the best sandwich in DC,” said one patron. “Our neighbor told us about it.”

“I used to work at an Iranian/Mediterranean restaurant… and it was delicious… and I remember the meat; the kubideh kabob. I’ve never been to Iran, but I love Iranian food, and it seems very authentic,” said one woman.

Fresh, local ingredients featured

“Our whole thing was: let the food speak for itself. You’re not sure what to order; you’re kind of hesitant. But once you bite into the sandwich… you’re a believer from there, and that was all we want: that ‘wow’ factor that’s just going to surprise you,” said Bagheri.

Perhaps not surprising is the inherent challenge a sandwich shop faces.

“A sandwich is probably one of the first things you made as a kid. Whether it was pb&j [peanut butter and jelly] or a baloney and cheese… everyone considers themselves an… ‘I make great sandwiches!’” said Bagheri.

Bagheri said he makes great sandwiches from local ingredients, golden baguettes, and flavors inspired from around the world. And that sounds good in any language.

1 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

2 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

3 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

4 subscribe   

vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助

参考例句：

• I heartily subscribe to that sentiment.我十分赞同那个观点。
• The magazine is trying to get more readers to subscribe.该杂志正大力发展新订户。

5 ideologies   

n.思想（体系）( ideology的名词复数 )；思想意识；意识形态；观念形态

参考例句：

• There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态，都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比，才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句