Jimmy’s Famous Heros: BBQ Chicken Hero – The Bite

THE BITE: Four years ago, the last time the Patriots were foolish enough to engage the Giants in a Super Bowl, I was asked by Rachel Wharton of the Daily News to recommend a place for sandwiches for the big game. Of course, I recomended Jimmy’s.

Here’s what I wrote…

It’s a little hole in the wall joint down in the bay that’s been around for something like 50 years. It’s the only place I know that always has fresh RIPE tomatoes, which taste like fresh ripe tomatoes even in the dead of winter. They only serve cold heroes, using Boar’s Head meat and cheeses. Be sure to get your heros with “the works;” lettuce, tomato, salt, pepper, oil, red vinegar and shredded onions. The onions are bathed in a secret process that makes them very different and sweeter than others. Also, try the home made roasted red peppers.

Four years later and the Giants once again reign supreme and Victor and his team are still serving up outstanding heros each and every day.

Today’s sandwich was a combination of Boar’s Head BBQ chicken and Swiss Cheese ($9.00) topped with “the works.”  That doesn’t sound like something to write about – after all, there are dozens of places in the bay where you can get a sandwich made with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, but there’s something about Jimmy’s Heros that make them special.

So, what is it? I’ve wondered about it for years. It’s not Victor or his staff, who always greet you with a smile. It’s not the bread, it’s not the meat and it’s not the cheese. Looking back on my email to Rachel, I thought I found the answer…

It’s the only place I know that always has fresh RIPE tomatoes, which taste like fresh ripe tomatoes even in the dead of winter.

But it’s not really even the tomatoes, is it?

Nope, it’s the attention to detail and the pride in his craft that causes Victor to ensure that Jimmy’s always has fresh ripe tomatoes all year long.

And it’s proof that sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Jimmy’s Famous Heros, 1786 Sheepshead Bay Road, (718) 648-8001

The Bite is Sheepshead Bites’ weekly column where we explore the foodstuffs of Sheepshead Bay. Each week we check out a different offering from one of the many restaurants, delis, food carts, bakeries, butchers, fish mongers, or grocers in our neighborhood. If it’s edible, we’ll take a bite.