I recently moved to the Eastside. There are hordes of taquerias along Milpas Street — which was a bonus for me, as I eat most of my meals out and I love Mexican food. I’ve been exploring various genres and came upon a sandwich shop called Sam’s To Go.

The aqua storefront was eye-catching, so I figured I’d give it a try. It was a nice break from all the tacos and offered healthier options.

On that fateful first trip, I ordered the chicken salad sandwich. Sam’s To Go cooks the chicken fresh on the grill when it’s ordered and mixes the salad in front of the customer. During the countless trips I’ve made back the past seven weeks, I’ve tried to figure out what they do to make it taste so good. A few visits in, I met Abe Javan, the owner. He’s there most days, riffing with customers in his dry but contagious sense of humor.

Javan has owned the Sam’s To Go location at 726 N. Milpas St. for 22 years. Originally from Iran, he moved to the United States for college in the 1960s, then returned to be with his brother and to make a better life for his family.

In Iran, Javan was a plant manager for General Motors. Upon arriving in Santa Barbara, he had to find a new line of work, and a friend was selling the struggling restaurant.

“It was sinking, and I saved it,” Javan said.

Today, Javan has a stream of regular customers. They joke with him, and enjoy the familiarity and the food. Javan said talking to people and giving them a hard time is his favorite part of his job. In fact, he said with a wink, “My abuse is why they come back.”

It also might have something to do with the reasonable prices: $3.85 for my sandwich or $5.85 for a cheeseburger, soda and fries — a favorite of the nearby high school students, who drop by daily for lunch. Javan also buys his bread fresh daily from local La Bella Rosa Bakery.

Javan said the sluggish economy has affected his business, but he’s optimistic that things will turn around soon. He loves the area and said his customers are loyal and friendly. His top-selling items are the turkey-bacon-avocado sandwich and the Philly steak. He also serves several beers on tap.

Javan takes an annual monthlong vacation to Iran, but when I asked him about plans for retirement, he furrowed his brow. “Why would I retire? What else do I have to do? I like my job, and I enjoy harassing the customers,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

In fact, he said he has been unable to sit still since he was 8 years old. I asked if his sons were part of the business, and he said he had them both work at the restaurant for a while to understand the value of earning a living, but they are making their own way now.

I sighed with relief knowing my chicken salad sandwich isn’t going away anytime soon.

— Noozhawk contributor Jenn Kennedy can be reached at jennkennedy@noozhawk.com. Click here to see more of her work.