100 Favorite Dishes, No. 28: The Fried Bologna Sandwich at Maple and Motor

Thumbnail image for Maple and Motor Fried Bologna.JPG
Somehow better than a burger.
To prepare for this fall's Best of Dallas® 2014 issue, we're counting down (in no particular order) our 100 Favorite Dishes. If there's a dish you think we need to try, leave it in the comments, or email me.

I remember the exact moment I came to the realization that that the bologna sandwich served at Maple and Motor was better than the burgers that everyone raves about. It was two summers ago. I ordered it as a change-up. My conversion happened in a single bite.

I realize my assertion may upset many fans of Jack Perkins' famous burgers, but I stand by it, firmly. This sandwich is that good.

Bologna was a burden in my youth, tantamount to slivers from a giant, cold hot dog, but some magic occurs when you slap a slice on the grill. The cooks even nip the disk at four corners so it lays flat as it cooks, giving the meat maximum contact.

Bologna sears up nicely, yielding a crust that adds flavor as much as texture. Juxtapose that with cool shredded lettuce and a thinly sliced tomato and some real magic starts to happen. A little mayonnaise glues it all together, and the resultant sandwich eats like a meal. Take a look around the dining room filled with burger lovers as you wipe your chin. They have no clue what they are missing.

No. 100: Pastrami Egg Rolls at Blind Butcher
No. 99: Chicken-fried Steak at Tom's Burgers and Grill
No. 98: Pasta with Uni Butter at Nonna
No. 97: Camarón en Agua Chile at La Palapas
No. 96: The Wings at Lakewood Landing
No. 94: Chicken Kebab at Afrah
No. 93: Trompo Tacos at Bachman Lake
No. 92: Fish and Chips at 20 Feet
No. 91: Canelés at Village Baking Co.
No. 90: Banh Mi from La Me
No. 88: The Burgers at Off-Site Kitchen
No. 87: The White Album at Spoon
No. 86: Ramen at Tei An
No. 85: Tacos at Revolver Taco
No. 84: Stuffed Chicken Wings at Sakhuu
No. 83: Korean Fried Chicken at Bonchon
No. 82: Grilled Branzino at Tei Tei Robata
No. 81: The Toddfather at Cattleack Barbecue
No. 80: The Biryanis at Chennai
No. 79: Shish Tawook at Qariah
No. 78: Arepes at Zaguan
No. 77: Goat Momo at Everest Restaurant
No. 76: Steak Tartar at Gemma
No. 75: Escabeche at Joyce and Gigi's
No. 74: Spicy Fish in Oil at Royal Sichuan
No. 73: Pupusas at La Pasadita
No. 72: The Kathi Roll at Simply Dosa
No. 71: The Chicken Wings at Teppo
No. 70: Cheesesteak at Truck Yard
No. 69: Chicken and Waffles at Jonathon's
No. 68: Birria Tacos at Los Torres Taqueria
No. 67: Bulgogi Cheesesteak at Say Kimchi
No. 66: Suadero Tacos at La Banqueta
No. 65: Brian Luscher's Post Oak Red Hot
No. 64: Banana Flower Salad at Mot Hai Ba
No. 63: Cinco Leches Cake At Mesero Miguel
No. 62: Cabrito a la Parilla at El Ranchito
No. 61: Reuben at Kuby's
No. 60: Plain Cheese Pizza Cooked Extra Crispy at Zoli's
No. 59: Enmoladas at Mesa
No. 58: Pig's Head at CBD Provisions
No. 57: Rib "Sandwich" at Baby Back Shak
No. 56: Beef Noodle Soup at Monkey King
No. 55: The Nachos at Spiral Diner
No. 54: Elotes, Everywhere
No. 53: The Popeye At Green Grocer
No. 52: The Cuban at International Bakery
No. 51: Rush Patisserie's Croissant
No. 50: Kitfo From Sheba's Ethiopian Kitchen
No. 49: Beer at Craft and Growler
No. 48: Pastor Tacos at El Rincon
No. 47: Banh Mi From Nammi
No. 46: Beef Fajitas From Mariano's
No. 45: Italian Combo from Carbone's
No. 44: The Brisket at Pecan Lodge
No. 43: Chicken-Fried Steak at Ellen's Southern Kitchen
No. 42: Carnitas Tacos at Taqueria Y Carneseria Guanajuato
No. 41: Lamb Burger at LARK
No. 40: Regina Margherita At Cane Rosso
No. 39: Barbacoa At Barbacoa Estilo Hidalgo
No. 38: The Peace 'Stachio at Hypnotic Donuts
No. 37: Nasi Lemak at Kampong
No. 36: A Rotisserie Chicken Taco at Velvet Taco
No. 35: The Burger At Boulevardier
No. 34: Surfers On Acid At Local Oak
No. 33: Bread Pudding at Sissy's
No. 32: Pelmeni at the Russian Banya
No. 31: Loukoumathes at Greek Fest
No. 30: The Charcuterie Plate at FT33
No. 29: Short Rib Grilled Cheese at East Hampton


Location Info

Maple & Motor

4810 Maple Ave., Dallas, TX

Category: Restaurant


Advertisement

My Voice Nation Help
9 comments
andrewb
andrewb

Want to order this but curious if its really called a fried sandwich since it appears that its grilled based on the detail above. Would have expected the frying aspect to be addressed somewhere...

Sharon_Moreanus
Sharon_Moreanus topcommenter

Drove by and got Ma's meat at Strokers.

Twinwillow
Twinwillow

I'd rather eat a liverwurst sandwich on rye with strong mustard and equally strong sliced onion and pickles. Aah, so good.

p_mallett
p_mallett

People would probably give it more of a chance if they didn't just call it bologna.  This isn't those thin slices of Oscar Mayer on white bread you had as a kid.  This is a slab of meat fried up with a nice crust on the griddle. Still not my favorite thing there, and I kind of think it's absurd to be on this list at all, never mind this high.  But it's good. 

J_A_
J_A_

I use to love bologna as a kid, especially the casing that would always peel off in one long string

Sotiredofitall
Sotiredofitall topcommenter

For a time there was a place in Carrollton called "Kitt's Kornbread Sandwich" that made a fried bologna sandwich named "The Redneck"  that was good enough to bring back memories of just getting by.   One point, must use thick sliced bologna or even better and cheaper buy the bologna log and slice it yourself.

username.neil
username.neil

@Twinwillow You may have already but try Maple & Motors Brisket sandwich it's 100x better than the bologna sandwich, it truly blows it out of the water.

username.neil
username.neil

@p_mallett I had it.. it's good but not great enough to make it on a list. Their brisket sandwich is WAY better.

Now Trending

From the Vault

 

Loading...