More on Sandwiches, Critics' Wrap & Other Goodies
I'm not the only one who hates Pret. Your favourite sandwich spots. And the critics have lots of love for Oma.
Welcome new subscribers. I’m really excited that you’ve joined us. You’ll get two e-mails each week: On Monday, various tidbits including a wrap-up of professional critics’ reviews plus occasional Hits & Misses of places I’ve tried. On Wednesday, a full review of a good spot for lunch (or something else). Plus, my London Guide is updated regularly.
Lunch ≠ Pret (cont’d)
Continuing my focus on sandwiches just a little longer (and amplifying my criticism of Pret), the excellent folks at Vittles have updated their “Rosetta Stone of Lunch,” explicitly as an alternative to Pret. “Pret a Manger does not offer value or quality but it does promise something priceless: ruthless consistency.”
Jonathan Nunn nails it:
Now, I’m not saying you should take long lunch breaks as a matter of praxis, but taking the time to have a pleasant lunch break and actually enjoy your food is a small adjustment to your day that can have an outsized effect on your happiness. During the ten years that I spent working near Oxford Circus, I used my own lunch breaks to do just this, working out the exact radius that would allow me just enough time to walk to and from a restaurant or café, sit down and savour my food, even if on a nearby bench.
The list of 99 lunch places in central London that follows is a fantastic resource. Read and save the whole thing.
Your Sandwich Favourites
Thanks to everyone who replied last week or left comments on various social platforms suggesting other great sandwich places. Here they are, collected in one place:
Rob A: “Italia Uno on Charlotte St - so old school it doesn't have a website. Freshly cut Italian cold meats in fresh ciabatta plus a limited hot food offer with endless Serie A on the TV.”
Sarah P suggests the Secret Sandwich Shop in Notting Hill.
Bree T: “A newly opened spot in Hackney Wick that you must visit is Inis. Irish inspired food and their meat is sourced from the Ginger Pig. Cannot recommend their sandwiches enough!”
James M suggested the Crosby & Hope in Bankside. I visited on his suggestion, and my sandwich was superb. In fact, so good, I forgot to take any photos, so here’s one from their Instagram:
Drew E is hot on Scotti’s in Clerkenwell. And he isn’t the only one.
Phil R loves Cafe Verona on Drury Lane.
London Gets Its Own Sandwich Festival
More love for distinctive sandwiches. Camden Town Brewery is launching a sandwich festival from 17-19 May with 20 of London’s top chefs and sandwich makers. Sounds like a whole loaf of fun.
Running until 10pm on the Friday and Saturday, and until 5pm on the Sunday, for £30 each person will receive one of the brewery’s pints and the option to choose three different sarnies designed to be enjoyed during performances by drag queens and DJs.
Official site with ticket info and all the details here. Looks like Ruben’s Reubens and Dom’s, which I reviewed last week, will both be there. If anyone manages to go along, could you send me a report?
Sandwich King Wants Us to Think Bigger
The Independent profiles “sandwich king” Max Halley who “wants us to think bigger when it comes to sandwiches.”
The sandwich Halley, 41, makes for me is fried spring rolls inside fresh focaccia, with a funky vegan mayonnaise, kimchi mixed with sauerkraut, sesame seeds and a whole lot of fresh herbs, called That’s How We Spring Roll.
It’s absolutely delicious, and very much a meal. Like many sandwiches Halley has created, the filling isn’t typically what you’d have between two slices of bread – his other creations include the lasagne sandwich or the shop’s bestseller, the ham, egg and chips.
I’ve not been to Max’s place in Finsbury Park, but I’ve added it to my list of places to try as soon as I can.
It’s nice to see some fellow travellers on the sandwich issue: People who enjoy a sandwich with some proper filling and real flavour.
Critics’ Wrap Up for w/c 13 May
Giles Coren (Times) tries Oma in Borough Market and declares it “A slam-dunk for best restaurant of the year so far.” Gavin Hanley (Hot Dinners) also visits Oma and its sister place Agora. “If Agora is loud and frenetic (in a good way), then Oma is a much more laid-back affair, and one you can book in advance.” … “Borough Market has had a great run recently, with the recent opening of restaurants like Kolae and Akara. The double-team of Agora and Oma continues this success, bringing something genuinely new and exciting to the market.”
Grace Dent (Guardian) checks out the Apple Butter Cafe in Fitzrovia. “I had eaten all of the daily calorie allowance for a grown woman by 10am, and in 42 minutes flat, too, and spent the rest of the day as a vision of sheepishness and indigestion.”
William Sitwell (Telegraph) goes all the way to Edinburgh, chooses a tasting menu place, loves the food, and then complains about the tasting menu concept. I do honestly wonder why he bothered. Tim Hayward (FT) visited his favourite restaurant in Paris. Jay Rayner (Observer) has unrested steak, undercooked chips, and a bad Caesar salad in Chester. Jimi Famurewa seems to have taken the week off.
Tom Parker Bowles (Mail on Sunday) went to the Clifton, a pub in Bristol where Tom Watts-Jones is executive chef. Watts-Jones did long stints at the Anchor & Hope and St. John, and has returned home to do great food at affordable prices. I know this because Charlotte Ivers (Sunday Times), visits the Hare & Hounds, another Watts-Jones place, and tells us so.
Goring Dining Room Reopens
The Goring Hotel is a true gem in Victoria near Buckingham Palace. It’s there quiet haunt of the great and the good, but manages to be opulent without being stuffy. Their restaurant has long held a Michelin star, and I’ve had the pleasure of eating there quite a few times. It closed for a much-needed kitchen refurbishment and dining room refresh a few months ago, and is now slated to reopen on 20 May. Although Belgravia and Pimlico both have their share of fantastic spots, the Goring is a bit of an oasis in Victoria, and I’m pleased to see it restored. I’ll try to find an opportunity to check out the new space in the coming weeks. More from the hotel, which is still family-owned, via Instagram.
Thanks again for reading. If you have any favourite places for lunch, please let me know.