Pimped-up sandwiches are having a moment, with no fewer than three upmarket venues opening in London in quick succession.
First up is Crunch, rhymingly billed as ‘a contemporary hack to a traditional snack’, which has opened in Dean Street, Soho after two years as a stall in Old Spitalfields Market. The ‘hack’ consists of non-sweetened brioche baked every morning and filled with versions of classic dishes from around the world. The menu ranges from American-style southern fried chicken, reuben and burgers; Middle Eastern zata’ar-roasted aubergine; Japanese-style tonkatsu pork or oyster mushrooms, with miso marinated vegetables, nori and shichimi togarashi mayo; and Chinese-style pork belly with hoisin sauce; to Italian veal Milanese and Korean beef bulgogi with kimchi.
The biggest of the new batch is Sandwich Sandwich, which this week opened its second branch in the City of London on a 3,500 sq ft site in Mark Lane, near Fenchurch Road station. Bristol-based Sandwich Sandwich has gone from strength to strength in the past year and now has five branches offering a choice of white or granary bread, flatbread or brioche buns with a wide range of fillings – including seven different chicken choices.
The new branch features a self-service kiosk system, with the company explaining: “While we’re famous for queues down the street, we never want our customers waiting longer than necessary for their sandwiches. The new kiosk system lets customers place their orders, track them in production, and know exactly when they’re ready. But don’t worry, the theatrics of the deli aren’t going anywhere. Our incredible team of sandwich builders still craft every order with care.”
Following early next month, La Spot in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia will also use brioche for its sandwiches and stands out from the crowd by taking inspiration from Spain with creations such as a signature ‘Brioche octopus hot dog’ (pictured).
A spokesman said: “La SPOT likes to cater to your taste buds a little differently. Here, brioche is the hero ingredient, and La SPOT is on a mission to make bread sexy with its simple but craveable menu.”
The venue, with a stand-alone cocktail bar downstairs, has been converted by its owner, Ukrainian entrepreneur Andrii Nikonov, from Spanish restaurant Boca a Boca, which he opened two years ago.
