SPRINGFIELD – We all eat and a go-to meal for anytime is the deceptively simple sandwich.

It can be as simple as a peanut butter and jelly or as complicated as a multi-layered and ingredient club.

Reminder Publishing wanted to know what are the best sandwiches in our circulation area and asked our readers on Facebook. The criteria were simple: no wraps or grinders would be allowed. A sandwich, the definition of this new feature would be two slices or bread or a roll as the delivery device for the contents.

The additional restriction is no chain restaurants would be involved. Only locally owned and operated sandwich places would be allowed.

The result is a lengthy list of readers, their favorite sandwiches and where they get them. In the weeks, ahead, Reminder Publishing will visit the restaurants, order the sandwich and report our findings.

As managing editor there are certain perks to the job, and one of them is to start this series off with a visit to City Jake’s Café at the corner of Main and Worthington streets in down Springfield.

In business more than 20 years, City Jake’s features breakfast and lunch items from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

I’ve been eating at City Jake’s for years and I can tell you that narrowing down his offering to one ultimate sandwich is difficult. My absolute favorite, Jake’s take on the corned beef sandwich, is only available during the month of March.

Jake said the most popular of his sandwiches is a Philly Cheese Steak.

Jake, however, has a sandwich with the designation of “The Best Damn Fish Sandwich You’ve Ever Had.” Since “best” was in the name, I had to try it.

He takes a panko-breaded tilapia filet, fries it, while he grills two slices of Texas toast with cheese and tomato. He offers it with either tartar sauce or a horseradish mayonnaise.

I had the sandwich with the tartar sauce and without the tomato. The result was as advertised “the best damn fish sandwich” I’ve ever tasted.

Jake doesn’t have this sandwich on his standing menu and offers it as a special. He gladly prepares it for people who ask for it regardless if it’s up on his list of daily specials.

Got a favorite sandwich? Drop me a line at news@thereminder.com and tell me about it. Remember, it has to be a sandwich made at a locally owned restaurant.