Slammie Sammies serves the type of succulent, sizeable sandwich that inspires diners to smack the table after every bite.

Pedro Dos Santos and Marilyn Simms are no strangers to the business of feeding hungry people. For the past 20 years, the duo has sated appetites across the city through Vert Casse-Croûte, their corporate catering company.

Adept at crafting sophisticated bites, Dos Santos and Simms simply longed to broaden their reach with the type of food that inspires passion.

"We're corporate caterers," says Simms. "We can never do this. You don't want it to be messy. When we do corporate, it's this nice, little, pretty executive sandwich."

In stark contrast, at Slammie Sammies what diners get is "one of those sandwiches that you have to be careful not to get messy with," says chef Dos Santos, instinctively leaning forward. "It's a two-hander, sloppy, messy sandwich."

The menu, adds Simms, is meant to "mirror the neighbourhoods of Toronto. You get your Miso Eggplant, from Little Tokyo, but you get it in one spot. Your Chicken Parm, from Little Italy, but you get it from one spot."

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"I'm really trying to do a global idea with all the sandwiches so that there's a little bit of home comfort to each sandwich," elaborates Dos Santos.

Following a pop-up at U of T, where the sandwiches disappeared in record time, Dos Santos and Simms were keen to test their hulking creations on a wider audience.

"These kids loved these sandwiches so much that we decided to start a sandwich company," remarks Simms.

Having taken over the kitchen at Opera Bob's Public House, the team seized the opportunity this May, and began marketing its sandwiches every Friday and Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Built on locally-made Mafra buns — described by Dos Santos as falling somewhere between "an Italian bun and a crusty sub bun" — sandwiches at Slammie Sammies are stacked, warm, and made without cold cuts or processed meats.

"Really," says Dos Santos, "we're trying to focus on whole meats. …We're making Slammie Sammies with healthy, wholesome, whole foods." 

House-made condiments, dressings, marinades and sauces, meanwhile, add requisite pops of tang or heat, sweet or savoury to each item.

To make a Slammie Sammie, Dos Santos begins with a toasted, garlic oil-slicked bun. He then giddily seizes the opportunity to stuff an entire meal between its two halves.

The contents of the Grilled Chicken Tzatziki ($15) would overwhelm a dinner plate. As a sandwich, they're layered together into a lunchtime offering that's almost comedically large.

Placed atop fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, herb-speckled grilled chicken is nestled under a blanket of home-made tzatziki and vinegary slaw. Fresh and light (despite its girth), this sandwich is invigorating without feeling overly virtuous.

Slightly less wholesome, due to its mountain of fried shrimp, Dos Santos' Shrimp Po Boy ($15) is no less worthy of attention.

Crisp and saucy, with a subtle tang and whisper of heat, you'll want to hug this sandwich, not just hold it in both hands. Just be sure to eat it quick before time (and sauce) takes its toll on the batter's fragile texture.

A take on a bahn mi, Dos Santos' Vietnamese Sweet Beef ($15) plays with textures, temperatures and flavours.

Sambal-marinated beef is fried until crisp and hot, then combined with a tangle of cool pickled vegetables, herbs, a sweet glaze and chili mayo.

Together, it adds up to a sandwich that very nearly buckles under its own weight. Whether you can tackle it alone, prefer to bring in backup, or are content to tote leftovers home, this is a sandwich every diner should order.

Veteran caterers who have spent decades perfecting their recipes, Dos Santos and Simms have translated what they know into the types of meals that drive diners (and their phones) wild.

"We've always taken care of people with wholesome food," says Dos Santos. Wholesome? Sure. But crave-worthy, messy, and satisfying are the reasons why you'll want to get your hands on this food any way you can.

Slammie Sammies is located at 1112 Dundas Street West, inside Opera Bob's Public House.