Description
Brianno's is an Italian-American takeout deli with all the heart and soul of a Jersey cop, and sandwiches that aren't too much smaller than such Garden State flatfoots. For example, the eggplant parmigiana sandwich, which is, in a word, staggering: To make it, thin slices of eggplant are egg-washed and sauteed until they get soft and silky, then cooked in a pan with red sauce throbbing with pounds of house-made sausage and meatball mix, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and, why not?, slices of pepperoni. The first time you order one, the nice lady behind the counter might tell you: "This is not a meatless item." True, that. Meatless like a steak. Then she'll start shoveling scoops and scoops of the meaty eggplant parmigiana into a foot-long torpedo of nicely crusty, dense home-baked bread. How does that giant sandwich taste? Like salt and cities and family and bounty. Like listening to one of your cousin's kids whisper out his Little League victories while his kid sister gets baptized. It's a taste, but more, a world--a world of red sauce and plenty. Brianno's also has thin-crust pizzas, freezer cases chockablock with homemade soups and pastas, and refrigerator cases brimming with meats and cheeses imported from the boot.
