Dining Out: The Sandwich Shop

April 10, 2014 Heather Chin
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The Sandwich Shop packs so much creativity and care into every part of its shoebox-sized restaurant, open since Halloween, 2013, that the white-tiled space feels akin to a sandwich sanctuary. That cozy feel of a welcoming neighborhood joint was the goal, said owners Ricardo Picon and Clarisa Penzini, who chose their Grand Street location exactly because of the sense of community.

“Ricardo has been in Williamsburg for 19 years and felt there was a need for a quality neighborhood joint with high-quality ingredients,” explained Penzini.

“With sandwiches, it’s hard because it’s a casual food,” added Picon. “But Clarisa spent a year developing and researching the menu, so every ingredient and item is special and well-thought out.”

There are over a dozen sandwiches ($5.85 to $11.25) that could serve as a meal on their own or be even heartier paired with one of the shop’s salads and homemade soups, which rotate weekly.

A Sandwich Shop favorite is the melt-in-your-mouth Cubano ($11.25), which consists of tender, slow-cooked leg of pork and smoked Virginia ham layered with creamy Emmenthal cheese, sweet pickles and mustard between Pan D’Avignon bread. The tanginess and savoriness work perfectly together, even more so when you toss in some of the Venezuelan chimichurri and pickled red onions that come on the side.

Juxtaposition is also the name of the game with the Korean ($9.75), which features kimchi from Greenpoint mom-and-daughter business Mrs. Kim’s Kimchi, a burst of flavor on its own, but especially awesome when paired with Clarisa’s sriracha mayo and jalapenos.

For a creamier, saltier flavor combination, try the Norwegian ($9.75) with its smoked salmon, scallions, pickled red onions and radishes, capers and sour cream on a baguette. The vegetables and fish somehow achieve a surprisingly salty-refreshing balance that is not at all fishy.

There are always at least three soups on rotation per week and past favorites include comforting black bean chili, creamy potato leek soup and hearty beef chili. There is always some sort of chili available ($4.50-$6.75) in addition to the soup of the day ($3.75-$5.75).

There are also several comforting and luxurious desserts, baked in-house by Penzini, a trained pastry chef who once had a pastry shop in her native Venezuela.

Accordingly, make sure to try the Venezuelan Cheesecake ($3.50)—which hails from a colonial-era recipe and tastes like a cross between flan and coconut custard—the Arroz Con Leche ($3.50), Key Lime Pie ($4.75) or the Valrhona Rich and Flourless Chocolate Cake ($5.25). All are made with simple, pronounceable ingredients, like eggs, cheese and chocolate.

All menu items are also available for delivery throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.

THE SANDWICH SHOP

658A Grand Street

www.thesandwichshopbk.com

718-360-0737

Delivery throughout NYC and Brooklyn; ask for minimum cost by distance

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