Martino

Every country has their famous ‘national’ sandwich. The Americans have their burgers and hotdogs, the French are very proud on their Croque Monsieur, a baked sandwich with cheese and ham, and their fresh baguettes with ham, the famous 'jambon beurre' , the Italians like their Panini as the Vietnamese have their favorite Banh Mi sandwich.

And the Belgians have their Martino sandwich. "Invented" in 1951 by a former soccer player, Albert De Hert, who was running the small sandwich bar named  Quick at the famous De Coninckplein in Antwerp. 

The story goes that one evening another soccer player nicknamed ‘Martino’, came in after drinking obviously a few beers too much and asked for a sandwich with ‘everything’ and it had to be spicy.

In the kitchen Albert got a half baguette, spread it with ‘filet americain’ (minced raw beef mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, some capers, pepper and salt) and topped it with minced onion, chopped pickles, tabasco sauce, some ketchup and mustard. The sandwich was born.

In the following days more clients of the small sandwich bar asked for ‘the same sandwich as Martino had’ and the legend was born!

Since those days in 1951 the Martino sandwich has conquered the whole country and became also very popular in the Netherlands.

Two years later a new sandwich bar opened in the city of Genth with the name Martino. Situated among student homes in this university city, not far from the red light district and a few steps away from theaters and event halls, Martino opened only in the evening and stayed open till dawn serving the famous sandwich, among others, at students, partygoers, prostitutes and policemen having night duty.

And in the last twenty even thirty years every sandwich bar in the country is serving this famous Belgian sandwich!

Of course over the years there were multiple ‘inventors’ who showed up. But I know for sure that the Martino of Albert De Hert was the real original one. 

In those days my father was studying in Antwerp and was a regular client of the Quick, the sandwich bar where the Martino was invented.

And what he ate? Martino of course with a beer!

Try this out, you will surely like this sandwich!