I eat at the Costco food court less often now ever since it replaced the Hebrew Nationals with what I sincerely believe is the far inferior Kirkland brand; but recently, I began eating there again because of its most recent offering: a BBQ Brisket Sandwich that is, to put it simply, really good!
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There were sightings of the sandwich late last year at LA Costcos, but it seemed to have only made it to my local warehouse a few weeks ago. In the short time it has been around, the sandwich has easily become the best thing on the marquee these days. The sandwich has more than I expected to get at the warehouse where I buy my toilet paper. The shredded brisket was probably dumped in there with an ice cream scoop in an assembly line as evidenced by the paper cuff the thing comes wrapped in, but it's tender, melting even, and the sauce finishes with a surprisingly potent black pepper burn. At the bottom of the sandwich, there's a not-overdressed mound of coleslaw that's still cold despite the warmth of the meat above it.
About the only thing lacking was the standard issue burger bun that, at times, made the sandwich taste like a school cafeteria Sloppy Joe. But then, maybe that's why I liked it so much–for the record, as a kid, that was by far my favorite elementary school lunch line meal.
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Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.