A winning pair

(Yoon s. byun/globe staff)

"I'm my own customer," says Tony Tavarez, 40, who in January opened Tostado, a Roslindale take-out shop based on the pressed sandwich and smoothie pairing that's popular in the Dominican Republic. Tavarez was born there; he moved here in 1985. A former manager for Telemundo, the Spanish-language news outlet, Tavarez says he could never find a version of the toasted sandwiches and shakes, known as batidas, which was to his liking. Tostado has a menu of six sandwiches, including the Tostado club ($7.99), a twist on the American-style favorite; his is layered with shredded pork and chicken. Batidas ($2.99), fruit shakes made with evaporated milk, come with fresh fruits such as papaya, guava, mango, and pineapple. "We have to be careful what we eat," says Tavarez, who stresses his commitment to fresh ingredients and made-to-order items. At his new shop, the care is apparent. Tostado, 3880 Washington St., Roslindale, 617-522-0578. - LEIGH BELANGER