New England-style grinders on the Monterey Peninsula.

Sitting in an East Village gay bar in New York City, an old friend and I were catching up on the years that had fallen between us. He asked me if I knew about Grindr. I then responded with a quip about sandwiches.

We had no idea what each other was talking about. But I learned my sex life would be a bit more robust if I were gay (Grindr is a pick-up app for gay men that pre-dates Tinder), and my friend realized that not too far away in my native New England, in the nation’s smallest state, Rhode Island, a submarine sandwich is called a “grinder.”

Why’s this anecdote relevant? Well, Boardwalk Sub Shop on Alvarado Street in Monterey announced a weekly special sandwich called the “California Grinder.” In doing so they also had to clarify what exactly a grinder is.

Here’s what they wrote announcing the sandwich:

"Grinder" shares some flimsy nautical roots with the sub—some claim that it was named for "grinders," Italian-American slang for dockworkers (who were often sanding and grinding rusty hulls to repaint them)—but the more widely attested origin is about the sandwich itself. Subs, with their Italian bread and piles of fixings, were harder to chew through than your typical ham and cheese on white bread. That toothsomeness got translated into "grinder," since that's what your teeth had to do to get through a bite.

While the grinder was pulled from the menu Dec. 22 for a new weekly special, the pepperoni pizza steak, it will likely be back in the near future.

Boardwalk’s version of the sandwich of my youth isn't quite a grinder but is tasty nonetheless. The California Grinder is basically their Jersey Italian (consisting of Genoa salami, cappocolla, mortadella, ham, and provolone cheese) but with the addition of parmesan and roasted red peppers.

Given that Boardwalk represents New Jersey, they're probably New York Yankees fans, but a true grinder is the domain of those who root for the Boston Red Sox.

Throughout the United States, the sandwich goes by a few regional names and most are recognizable: sub, submarine and heros (New York City); hoagies (Philadelphia) and po’boys (Louisiana).

The term grinder is largely known to only those who go to the packie (liquor store) for beer, drive around rotaries (traffic circles) and sip from bubblers (water fountains).

There’s no frills with this regional sandwich: a white Italian roll (no whole grain), yellow mustard and mayo (forget garlic-herb aioli), and shredded iceberg lettuce (you’d be wicked stupid to ask for arugula).

While corporate chains like Subway, Blimpie and Quiznos have brought this style of sandwich global, there are four spots on the Monterey Peninsula that harken to the workingman’s sandwich of the East Coast and bring me home to small delis of New England.

La Sala’s Bi-Rite

Some of the best sandwiches come from neighborhood markets. Customers can pick their own roll, fresh baked from Seaside’s Palermo Bakery, and hand it over the counter to have it sliced in half and filled with classic cold cuts, cheese, lettuce and tomato ($7.50). 7am-6pm Mon.-Sat. 250 Casa Verde Way, Monterey, 372-6824.

Troia’s Market

These sandwiches are straight up Italian-Americana. With four different kinds of salami and nearly two dozen choices of cold cuts, it's difficult to know what’s best. There’s no bad choice and it won’t break the bank with sandwiches ranging from $6.49 to $8.99. 8am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 8am-9:30pm Fri. and Sat., 350 Pacific St, Monterey, 375-9810.

Mal’s Market

Nestled in an out-of-the-way neighborhood, this convenience store/deli brings people from around the Monterey Peninsula for delicious sandwiches—specifically the Bomber. The behemoth of the sandwich comes with turkey, ham, roast beef and bacon with choice of cheese on a baked-in-house Dutch Crunch roll ($8.99). 7:30am-8pm daily. 1264 Noche Buena St, Seaside. 394-1881.

Compagno’s Market and Deli

This neighborhood deli has solid sandwiches named after the military and bread options that move beyond the confines of subs. The Navy Special--prosciutto, hot capicola and salami with provolone cheese--is a standout. 9am-4pm daily, 2000 Prescott Ave, Monterey, 375-5987, www.compagnos.com.