WHAT Blackened cod, pickled okra, tomato on white bun
WHERE The Dutch, thedutchnyc.com
PRICE $18
WHY Perfect medley of flavours that ends up in a delicious mess
I chose this from the menu on a whim, “enh, I’ll try it,” and was somewhat jealous of my dining companions who ordered burgers, but boy what a pleasant surprise this simple sandwich is. There’s nothing terribly fancy about the sandwich, nor the green salad that accompanies it, but they’ve perfected flavour combinations — a testament to less is more.
The pickled okra and tangy sauce add punch to the generous filet of blackened cod while the hamburger-like white bun does its best to hold it all together. It failed during my lunch, but that didn’t matter, as I was able to use errant pieces of bun to soak up the sauce. The accompanying green salad comes tossed in a tangy, light dressing, which nicely complements the rich sandwich.
My only regret is that I didn’t take the waiter up on a piece of pie for dessert. If it’s as good as this sandwich, The Dutch is definitely on the itinerary during my next trip to New York.
The Dutch, 131 Sullivan St., New York, N.Y., $18
My first experience with chef Marc Thuet’s jams was the fig variety, which I bought sort of on a whim and ended up devouring as part of fig jam and goat cheese grilled cheese sandwiches. Simple and seriously delicious.
I’m incredibly honoured to have Linda Haynes offer her pick for a sandwich everyone should eat before they die. If you eat bread in North America, you’ve likely eaten some of hers — she is the co-founder of ACE Bakery, an artisan bread bakery based in Toronto. She’s also the author of two cookbooks, The ACE Bakery Cookbook and More from ACE Bakery, and with her daughter Devin Connell, she has co-authored Two Dishes — Two Cooks, Two Lifestyles, Two Takes.
Recommend eats
My current favourite, not so tidy package comes from the good folks at Nasib’s. We here at Saha are in the shawarma business. We produce a marinade for people who want to make shawarma at home, we eat shawarma all the time, we know shawarma. Nasib’s is, hands down, the best shawarma sandwich in Toronto. My choice is always the beef (with lamb when available), lovingly seasoned and slow roasted to charred perfection, with everything on it — shredded lettuce, cabbage, pickled turnips, tomatoes, sliced onion, parsley, hummus, tahini sauce, garlic sauce, hot sauce and (if you ask nicely) their delicious Nasib’s salad, all wrapped in a thin layer of pita bread. The price? Get this: two for $7. Although I usually end up eating them both, the sane and fit among you will surely want to take a friend along to take care of the second sandwich. That being said, once you try it, it’s unlikely that you’ll still want to share!
