In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt.

[Photo: Mir Finkelman]

In Allerton, you're more likely to find jerk chicken than Mexican fare. But if you're in need, tiny La Cocina Mexicana's tortas are more then tasty enough to satisfy a neighborhood craving. Take the Hawaiiana ($7): lightly toasted bread, crisp and panini-like, with slabs of supermarket-pink ham, fried pork, and the usual torta suspects. The ham is rather shy, but the sweet and salty fried pork--oily and indulgent--sings out. Creamy queso and avocado inject some necessary brightness to bring balance, along with those hidden pickled jalapeños, even if they could've been a bit stronger.

La Cocina Mexicana

651 Allerton Avenue, Bronx NY 10467 (map)
718-882-3183

About the author: Chris Crowley is a former Serious Eats intern. You can follow him on twitter here, or pay a visit to his new food blog, Sound Bites, over on Wordpress.