Sandwiches
inthekitchen
One of the
undisputed
champions of the lunchtime grab-and-go game, few takeout options
can top a well-made sandwich. It’s for that reason there is no bigger flub
than choosing a prewrapped sub. From longstanding and traditional
Jewish-inspired delicatessens to new-school shops, Winnipeg has its
share of two-handers demanding to be devoured. Eschew cutlery
and forget about a plate. This is park-bench eating at its finest.
Oscar’s Deli
■ Smoked
Salmon Club
Deli clientele
are creatures
of habit, but
as Oscar’s
Deli co-owner
Rachel Brown explains, one bite
of this smoked salmon club (right)
possesses the ability to alter an
order forever. With three slices
of rye, this sandwich is towering in
its height, as is any club worth its
salt, and balances the distinct
saltiness of salmon with two
fan-favourite spreads. Housemade
lemon honey dill cream
cheese plays on a provincial
mainstay and provides a
soothing zest, while an
eye-catching fuchsia beet
horseradish dressing amplifies
the prairie flavour.
Viva
■ Banh Mi
At Viva, chef
Lihn Tran prides
herself on making
lighter, less-oily fare
and this traditional
banh mi (above) slides seamlessly
into that category. Far healthier
than a beefy burger, this Vietnamese
classic combines charbroiled
pork, infused with saltiness from
hints of soy and fish sauce, with
crisp, fresh vegetables. Pickled
and finely julienned carrots and
slices of English cucumber provide
snap, while cilantro is a refreshing
reminder of this sub’s cultural
roots. In keeping with tradition,
the ingredients are wedged
between two slices of baguette,
itself a nod to France’s culinary
influence in Vietnam.
King + Bannatyne ■ River City Brisket
Chef Matt Cooney is patient, and every tender bite of
pink-tinged beef brisket expertly layered onto King
+ Bannatyne’s River City Brisket (left) rewards that
patience. To transform this generally tough cut into a
melt-in-your-mouth delicacy, the brisket–a cut from
the lower breast of cattle–is brined for seven days and cured in a
pastrami-style rub. As with any sandwich, though, it is only as good
as its bread, and two thick, hand-cut slices of City Bread rye provide
the perfect pillowy cushion and soak up a house-made yellow mustard
that adds extra zip to an already outstanding sandwich.
Photography: Ian McCausland, Courtesy of King + Bannatyne (Brisket & portrait)
20
ciao! / summer / two thousand twenty