Hot Plate

The Dish: chicken-and-steak combo sandwich

The Price: $5.50 on the in-store menu; $5.75 (including tax) on my receipt.

The Location: El Pollo Sabroso, 3153 Mount Pleasant St. NW. (202) 299-0374

The Skinny: Chicken or steak? For those without a strict preference, it's a tough call. But any gastronomical committmentphobe searching for an enabler should check out a two-in-one sandwich offered up by Mount Pleasant's El Pollo Sabroso. For under $6, you can pick up an amply stuffed sandwich filled with both. Sure, the sandwich features a built-in comfort to anyone concerned about nutrition, thanks to an ample array of veggies that includes lettuce, mushrooms, peppers, and olives. (Since it all can easily tumble out the sandwich, the plastic fork that accompanied my order came in handy.) But, really, the combo is all about flesh. And in that department, there's a surprise: Given El Pollo Sabroso's titular devotion to fowl, it's surprising that the sandwich's chicken---while tasty---is trumped by the just-about-right saltiness of the steak.