Cambridge Chronical

Sandwich shop offers taste of Cuba
Byline: By Brad Kelly
CORRESPONENT

Just what is an affogoto?
A visit to the newly opened Pressed Sandwiches in Central Square would yield an answer: a scoop of gelato (Italian ice cream) drizzled with hot espresso. Lawrence Wintersteen and his business partner, Jack Schoaf, have opened their first Pressed Sandwiches take-out restaurant in Cambridge and promise that there are more unique cuisine dishes just like the affogoto. "I wanted to add a new take-out place to the city's culinary map like the wonderful places on every block in Manhattan," Wintersteen said. Wintersteen earned his master's degree in business from Babson College and shortly after graduating was interested in entrepreneurial opportunities.Wintersteen came up with the idea of Panini sandwiches, but had no formal restaurant experience. This prompted him to find a business partner with the right qualifications. "I enjoy customer contact, but I have never worked in the restaurant industry," Wintersteen said. "By advertising on Monster.com, I found my
business partner in Jack." Schoaf got his first taste of the food industry at the Officer's Club in Guantanamo Bay as a bartender shortly after his tour in Vietnam. He has been in the restaurant industry ever since. Schoaf owned an Italian restaurant, managed a Vinny Testa's, then Copa Café in Lexington. In 2004, Wintersteen and Schoaf decided to launch Pressed Sandwiches in downtown Boston. Pressed Sandwiches was designed to have a good environment and great food with a clean urban look. The business partners have had considerable success with the first Pressed Sandwiches in the Financial District, which in April led them to open another one in Cambridge."Our numbers looked great, and Central Square is an excellent location for a place where someone can get high-end sandwiches and gourmet coffee," Wintersteen said. Wintersteen and Schoaf have invested quite a bit of money to give the restaurant a very hip, urban design. A hanging artichoke lamp is just one of the unique designs found within the 2,000-square-foot space, which they hope will bring a different look to Central Square. "We know that 90 percent of restaurants fail in the first two years, but hopefully with word of mouth, Pressed Sandwiches can beat the odds," Wintersteen said. On first day of business for the Central Square location the line was out the door during lunchtime. The owners pride themselves on being one of three establishments that offer Terroir Coffee, a brand created by George Howell who sold his Coffee Connection establishment to Starbucks. The sandwich specialties are abundant, but the Cuban Panini receives the most notoriety. Their secret to a successful Panini is simplicity and natural ingredients."Quality is the way to a successful business, and that is exactly what we are striving for," Wintersteen said.