Readers were asked to name the best, the tastiest, the most fantastic sandwiches in the South Sound to compete in the Tournament of Sandwiches, sponsored by Subway. Sixty-four sandwiches and three weeks of tournament-style voting later, it was a showdown between STINK's Stinker sandwich and Oliver's Sandwiches' lobster sandwich. The people have spoken, and at the April 8 Tournament of Sandwiches party, Oliver's Sandwiches was crowned grand champion.

Beating out stiff competition along the way, how exactly did Oliver's Sandwiches reign supreme? Voters locally and even nationwide showed the love for Oliver's lobster sandwich ($7.99), a hearty portion with big chunks of sweet lobster and crab, tomato, lettuce and cucumber served warm on a toasted bun. Owners Matthew and Jennifer Nguyen credit their devoted customers for the win. "They did this for us," he said. "Our customer base may be small, but it's loyal."

Wanting to move from Philadelphia back to the Pacific Northwest to be near family, the Nguyens opened Oliver's Sandwiches in 2008 on a whim in a former Quizno's location, and named it after their then 3-month-old son, Oliver.  Self-proclaimed "foodies," the Nguyens took the opportunity to make a business out of their love of food, although they had never been in the food business before.

Located in a strip mall in Milton, Oliver's is surrounded by national chains and fast food. "There are not enough mom and pop places," said Matthew. "Fast food chains offer convenience, but not a lot of quality. Oliver's is different because I only use the best, high-quality ingredients and there's friendly service, like back in the old days. It takes a little longer, but it's worth it."

With 60 sandwiches on the menu, as well as Vietnamese sandwiches, pho, burgers, wraps, salads and hot dogs, there is no shortage of variety at Oliver's. Matthew gains inspiration for the sandwich flavors from watching food television, but a bulk of them came from dreams he's had.  

The lobster sandwich is one of their more popular items, but Matthew's favorites include the Gladiator ($8.99), loaded with deli meats and cheeses Italian dressing and vegetables and the turkey, bacon, avocado ($7.49). When asked what his favorite sandwich is, Oliver, now 5, has a decisive champion in the Philly cheese steak ($7.49).

Customer Kelly McNett of Edgewood spoke high praises of Oliver's. "I like the atmosphere and the fact that they're a small business," she said. "They're personable and always ask me how I'm doing and how my family's doing. Plus, you can't beat the prices and the flavor." Her favorites include the tuna, which is a seasonal sandwich and will soon be back on the menu, as well as the CK's Special, ($7.49), a grilled chicken breast with garlic cheese spread and vegetables on a ciabatta roll.

Since winning the Tournament of Sandwiches, Oliver's has been seeing a lot of new faces. They're planning on updating the décor of the restaurant, and will continue to feed their regulars and new customers with the same quality and thoughtfulness as before. "We make a sandwich with love," says Matthew. "If it looks good and tastes good, then it is good."

OLIVER'S SANDWICHES, 10:30 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY, 11 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. SUNDAY, 900 MERIDIAN AVE. E., SUITE 23A, MILTON, 253.927.2341

Tournament of Sandwiches was sponsored by SUBWAY in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches blog roll

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

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