Christen Clemins
There’s an art to making a sandwich—one of the unheralded gastronomic pleasures—and a great sandwich is hard to find.Chefs and friends Ryan Bernhardt, Aaron Clemins, and Aaron Distler have decided to remedy that.
After long hours brainstorming on how to create a restaurant within a restaurant (Bernhardt’s TKO is open solely in the evening) the trio landed on a sandwich shop, serving the best handhelds they could collectively dream up. One day, while planning what would be called Bill’s Sandwich Palace (Bill is Everyman; We are all Bill) Bernhardt, busy on his laptop announced, “Hey, I just bought the domain name.”
That became the catalyst propelling them to launch a series of pop-ups. The guys would test the market while honing techniques to keep things seamless as they incorporate BSP into the workings of TKO. The sandwiches reflect the sensibilities of each chef, all of whom have Midwestern roots, and you’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite. They are all so dang good.
Christen Clemins
Each ingredient is chosen with care. Breads and rolls are sourced from a local baker. And almost everything else—condiments, sauces, hand-pulled mozzarella, hand-patted meatballs, braised and roasted meats, crispy fried chicken—is made in-house. The chefs use a host of fresh and pickled vegetables to push each sandwich over the top.
Consider the Philly Phanatic, a two-fisted wonder of shaved roast pork loin, chili-and-ginger braised mustards doused in buttermilk cheddar sauce (like the best Cheez-Whiz you’ve ever had) all captured in a soft but sturdy bolillo roll. Or, Badass Bill’s Beef, featuring Bear Creek Farms chuck roast braised to juicy tenderness, paired with caramelized onions and pickled vegetable giardiniera on a toasted bolillo slathered with horseradish mayo and aged cheddar spread.
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Christen Clemins
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Christen Clemins
Craving something akin to pizza? The Evansville Special (“The Crown Jewel of Our Sandwich Empire”) is for you. It has everything: sliced meatball, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, Szechuan pork ragu, tomato, and garlicky basil pesto packed in one tasty toasted roll. Yes, it’s a meaty affair at Bill’s. However, vegetarians needn’t worry—they’ve got you covered, too. For a sandwich that speaks of straightforward American ingenuity, go for the Veg Supreme. An assembly of cukes, carrots, arugula, red onion, red and green cabbage, avocado, with garlic mayo, and mustard-cider vinaigrette on toasted white, it is true to its name and boasts a gratifying meld of flavors and textures. (Plus, it will be a menu constant.)
Don’t sleep on the sides. The potato salad is sparked with whole grain mustard and red and green onions. Chopped raw broccoli ably takes the place of romaine in the Caesar Cardini. The Greek Beets in black olive dressing are delicious, too. And, they’ll be offering some dishes using Distler’s own fresh egg bronze cut pasta. But for diners and the owners alike, it’s all about the soul-satisfying sandwiches, ordered online for safe, easy pickup outside TKO.
“Left to my own devices, I’d just rather eat a sandwich,” says Clemins.
Left to our own devices, we’d rather eat one from Bill’s.
4204 Gallatin Pike; billssandwichpalace.com