Top Chef Michael Voltaggio Teases L.A. with Sandwiches

Frenzied foodies eagerly awaiting the opening of Top Chef Michael Voltaggio's West Hollywood restaurant, ink., are getting an amuse-bouche. Voltaggio is tantalizing curious diners with a tiny sandwich shop a few doors down from his main spot, called ink.sack.  Uh... Yum?

Seriouseats reports that Voltaggio's take-out joint is straightforward with haute cuisine twists – and not even a hint of squid. The little joint, which already has lines down the block, boasts seven small sandwiches, all less than $6. Crowd favorites include cold fried chicken and Vietnamese bahn mi. Other offerings include the "Jose Andres," a tribute to the Spanish culinary icon featuring serrano ham, spicy tuna, and a funky Reuben. The shop also sells fancied-up homemade snacks, fresh fruit, and two kinds of cookies: Mexican chocolate chip and peanut butter sea salt.

Besides his restaurant projects, Michael tells the OC Weekly that he's been working on "a whole new microwave project," but still has time to offer a few choice words about the difference between his cuisine and that of fellow Top Chef Richard Blais: "I think my cooking on the show is a lot more aggressive than what Richard did. It's just...different. A little more refined, a little more mature. Richard was using technique just for the sake of using technique." Apparently Voltaggio's knife skills include quick unexpected slices.

Whose side of the knife are you on -- Michael or Richard? Start a Tweet Battle and make your case.