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**HayesFan** · 10-24-2006, 08:08 AM

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Grab a Yao courtside this season

By KEN HOFFMAN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Yao Ming has received many accolades in his basketball career, including being picked No. 1 in the 2002 NBA draft.

But there's something special about being immortalized in pastrami. After all, as Seinfeld fans know, pastrami is the most sensual of the salted cured meats.

In his never-ending quest to make Rockets fans as wide as Yao is tall, Toyota Center concessions boss Ed Mazza has introduced the Yao Mingwich — 7 1/2 inches of pastrami, corned beef, turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomatoes crammed between slices of deli marble rye. Served with coleslaw and garlic pickles (like this sandwich needs side dishes?)

That's a tall order for one person. Even the sandwich's namesake had trouble finishing his.

"This was a mouthful — even for me. I did not know you could put that much meat on a sandwich," Yao said. "Usually, when I order food, I have to ask for seconds, but not this time. I'm not going to let the coaches know I ate it, because if they find out I would probably have to put in extra time on the exercise bike."

The Yao Mingwich sells for $15 at the Café, two locations, one on each side of Toyota Center on the Club Level.

Levy Restaurants, food provider for Toyota Center, has a few other new tricks on the menu this season.

Authentic New York-style corned beef and pastrami sandwiches are available at the Café for $10.

And there's a 4-inch-high slice of cheesecake with strawberries or caramel sauce that will have fans unbuckling their belts in the stands. Each slice is double wide and costs $8.50. Ask for two forks.

In the mood for Chinese? There are new Mongolian beef and pork dishes served in extra-large Chinese takeout cartons for $8. And there's a Texas cheesesteak for $10 made with jalapeño peppers on a crusty hoagie bun that puts Philly to shame.

"Each year, at the end of the season, we ask fans what they liked or didn't like about the food selection," Mazza said. "Then we go to work on giving them more of what they liked, plus putting new and different things on the menu."

Coming soon: the T-Mac Stack in honor of Tracy McGrady and the Chuck Wagon for Chuck Hayes.

The Chuck Wagon? Since when do role players get sandwiches named after them? Hayes must have one heck of an agent.

"We don't really know what the sandwiches will be. So far we just like the names. We had a contest among employees to name sandwiches for players, and the winners were Yao Mingwich, T-Mac Stack and Chuck Wagon. We have it on reliable source that Tracy McGrady likes meatloaf, so that's a clue," Mazza said.

Also on the drawing board: a concession stand called Copper Canyon, which will sell wholesome carnival treats like corn dogs, sausage on a stick, cotton candy, flavored popcorn, pretzels and freshly roasted honey-coated nuts.

Heeeheee! Chuck gets a sandwich all his own! Someone is going to have to order a Chuck Wagon when they premiere it and let me know what's on it!! LOL