Superb Sandwiches

(SPONSORED INVITE) With a name like Berlin65, I was fully expecting @berlin65_ig to showcase German cuisine front and center. Instead, the menu is decidedly much more Turkish in nature, and one of the waitstaff explained to us that @berlin65_ig was recreating the German street food in Berlin. As it turns out, the street food scene in Berlin is mostly Turkish due to the large number of Turkish immigrants living in Berlin.⠀
⠀
Speaking of flatbread, The 1972 Berlin Original is a titan of a sandwich with what looks like an entire chicken that’s spit roasted shoved in between two halves of flatbread. Some bits of chicken were marvellously moist & juicy, while some bits were hard like a shard. There seems to be a bit of uneven cooking going on with the chicken, but nothing deal breaking thanks to the savoury garlic yogurt spread that keeps everything lubricated. This is also an incredibly messy sandwich that requires both hands due to how stuffed it is, and taking a bite results in all the chicken getting blown out the back. It would be awesome if they put The 1972 into a pita pocket instead, so that the prodigious fillings wouldn’t go everywhere with every bite.
⠀
At the end of the day, when it comes to getting that bread, Berlin65 is an expert at it. Thank you for the invite, @berlin65_ig & @scalecollab.sg!

I’ve seen the memes & heard the legends about The Lord’s Chicken, and even Ye himself dropped one of the hardest gospel tracks about them. Of course I’m talking about @chickfila, the chicken sandwich chain that’s wildly famous for serving The Lord’s Chicken with the patience & politeness of Christ himself. They held a popup event @chickenandsmiles last week to test the market, and after battling satan himself a.k.a. @eventbrite, I managed to snag myself The Lord’s Chicken Sandwich.⠀
⠀
Yes, it is a chicken sandwich. Sure, it uses buttered burger buns instead of sliced bread, but there’s no cheese or sauce, which disqualifies it from being a burger. The deep fried breaded chicken fillet isn’t as crispy as other places, but it’s not the crunch that makes it memorable. Instead, the astonishing fact that Chick-fil-a deep fried a chicken breast that’s fairly juicy is what will be written about by generations to come. It’s less greasy than a thigh fillet patty, and with a slightly firmer chew, but that makes it all the more satisfying and healthier.⠀
⠀
The chicken sandwich itself was stunningly stellar, but the sauces push it straight to heaven. @chickenandsmiles has selected four sauces from the myriad of sauces that Chick-fil-a serve in the USA, and there was a clear winner to pair with the original chicken sandwich. The Chick-fil-a sauce was downright divine on the sandwich, and I would describe it as a slightly spicy Thousand Island sauce that joined in saucy matrimony with a bbq sauce, and united by smoke. It’s smashingly savoury, super smoky and tastefully tangy. Yes, now I see the light.⠀
⠀
Waffle fries are nice, but they are better dipped into the Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Sauce. Chick-fil-a clearly adores smoke, because this is essentially a sweet chili sauce fortified with smoke and had the spice turned up slightly. The Garden Herb Ranch sauce was satisfactorily herby and creamy, but a little too thin. I could see it being the GOAT if applied on Chick-fil-a’s spicy chicken sandwich though. Last but not least, the honey mustard is more mustard & less honey, which was just fine by me.⠀
⠀
Lord Jesus, please bring Your chicken to Singapore. Amen.

As the more deductive of my audience have already guessed, Miss Saigon is an offshoot of Banh Mi Saigon, Singapore’s preeminent banh mi maestro. The menu is almost a carbon copy of the mother store, but how about the quality? Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure to inform you that standards here at their new digs in Fortune Centre are very close to the original outlet.⠀
⠀
Their Grilled BBQ Pork ($8.90 nett) did subvert expectations, as I was expecting slices of barbecued meat like char siew. Instead I got a heaping helping of pork that resembles meatloaf more thar barbecue pork, but the sweet & salty marinade certainly does taste a lot like char siew. As you may expect of something made out of ground pork, the meat was very tender and quite moist inside. The sweet & salty marinade was perfect with the pork, applied in just the right amount for maximum flavour without going overboard.⠀
⠀
The baguette was crustier than a boomer on the internet, and each bite sent bread shrapnel flying everywhere. There’s no neat eating with Miss Saigon, so just come in ready to get down & dirty. And while you’re doing the nasty with Miss Saigon, just take a moment to appreciate just how ambrosial & affordable her banh mis are, and scarf down another one.

Besides fiery Indonesian food, @fangkocoffee does more common café staples, such as their Big Breakfast, croissant served with scrambled eggs, ham & cheese, and Fangko’s very own spin on a Grill Cheese Sandwich ($14 nett). Truth be told, it’s more of an avocado toast with cheese on top, but I ain’t complaining either way.⠀
⠀
A plentiful portion of smashed avocado is sandwiched between two slices of sourdough before a two cheese blend is melted on top of it all. Don’t believe on the avo portion? Check out the closeup cross section. I reckon the cheese could be melted more, but that’s the only nitpick I got for this titillating toastie. ⠀
⠀
The toastie was well buttered, and the avocado was fresh & addictively creamy. However, the element that really made this toastie tremendous was the inclusion of a secret, house made spread that flavoured everything with its supremely sweet savouriness. If I had to guess, it’s some kind of savoury marmalade that’s made with kecap manis, but the kitchen & the floor crew refused to divulge any info. Alright then, keep your secrets. Just keep these avo cheese toasties coming.⠀
⠀
Thank you so much for the invite & the fab food, @fangkocoffee!

I was back in my old stomping ground of Joo Chiat for business recently, and I noticed that the Maison Kayser at Crane Road has been replaced by @woolysbagels quite recently. As you might expect from the name, they’re bagel dealers with an emphasis on bagelwiches, which range from the innovative like their Szechuan chicken to the classics like this Pastramania ($14.50 nett).⠀
⠀
Select your fairly large bagel (I chose cheese), and they’ll cut into it, take a heap of beef pastrami & plop it between two halves of the bagel. The beef is then topped with a ponderous parcel of scrambled eggs on top of the pastrami and a generous gushing of sweet mustard on top before it’s capped off by the top half of the bagel. I didn’t notice the cheese in or on the bagel, but I certainly did notice that the bagel was boisterously bouncy with an addictive chewiness, making for a rather robust sandwich.⠀
⠀
The pastrami was piquantly peppery, with an abundance of black pepper all over. The meat itself was fairly tender and satisfactorily salty with a superb smokiness. The scrambled eggs were a touch too dense & not airy enough, probably because the egg mix wasn’t whipped enough to sufficiently aerate it for that coveted airy scrambled egg texture we know, love and desire. The sweet mustard was the glue that held the bagel, eggs & pastrami together, but I reckon it would be better applied on the bottom half of the bagel, as the pastrami could use the creamy, sweet & subtly sharp condiment on it more than the eggs.⠀
⠀
However, at just under fifteen bucks, the cheekily named Pastramania from Wooly’s Bagels is a bit of a bargain for such a beefy bagel. If you’re looking to make a meal out of it, get yourself some fresh out the fryer tater tots & and a tall cup of lemonade for an extra $4.90. Oh and did I mention that Wooly’s is halal?

The Cent-Threesome sees a ménage á trois of Jamon ham, turkey ham & steamed pork belly all on top of each other in a saucy sandwich. The two slices of toasted sourdough (?) bread were exceptionally excellent, with a crunchy crust but a soft bready interior that won’t utterly maul the roof of your mouth. The lush lemongrass sweet chili dressing was amply applied on said bread, and it was the perfect flavouring for the meats. It’s very mildly spicy, but delightfully sweet & aromatic from the lemongrass. It went remarkably well with the steamed pork belly, which was also quite exceptional due to the lack of any stench and a gelatinous, charmingly chewy rind. While I understand the idea, the addition of century eggs to this sandwich was a mismatch. Perhaps they would’ve been a better fit if it was a century egg aioli instead, but it is what it is.⠀
⠀
Overall, I gotta say that the new dishes that Lil’s Taproom & Kitchen Playground have cooked up are delicious, innovative & whimsical. Quite impressive, and I’ll definitely be back for pints & grub. Thanks for the invite, @lils.taproom!

So as you can tell, I’m usually way behind the curve when it comes to most things. Which is the only explanation for why this is the first time I’ve ever had a banh mi from @banhmisaigon505, and god DAMN I’ve been missing out. There are FOURTEEN banh mi options on the menu, but the Roasted Pork Banh Mi (Bánh mi heo quay, $9.90 nett) appealed the most to my carnivorous sensibilities.⠀
⠀
As you can see, this soft Vietnamese baguette is absolutely stuffed with roast pork. The crispy crackling has mostly gone soft as the pork belly has been left out for a while, but the few spots of crunchy rind did satisfy. The roast pork is decently seasoned & savoury, but Banh Mi Saigon’s treatment of it elevated it from a decent albeit unremarkable roast pork sandwich into an unforgettably unctuous one.⠀
⠀
The fragrant & herbaceous scallion oil that’s been drizzled liberally all over the banh mi adds fresh, vegetal notes to the salty & rich roast pork. The oil soaked scallions strewn throughout the banh mi provide flashes of vegetal freshness to break up the meaty monotony of the pork, and when combined with the chunky cucumbers & julienned carrots, the bursts of freshness were able to coexist in harmony with the salty, sumptuous roast pork.⠀
⠀
The baguette is a little crusty on the exterior, but it’s still soft enough to avoid destroying the roof of your mouth when chewing. The mildly gamey (chicken liver, I believe) pâté added richness & lubrication to the soft baguette, while the unknown spicy spread that was like a spicy mayonnaise was the perfect foil to rein in the richness of the pâté, and light up the banh mi with its spiciness.⠀
⠀
When it comes to Banh Mi Saigon’s roast pork banh mi, I gotta tell you, it was perfect. Perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details.

The Ramadan pasar malam at Geylang Serai has gotten pretty bougie this year, and nothing says bougie like a lobster roll. Yes, you can order a lobster roll in a night market now, you’re not hallucinating. @houseoflobstersg have five varieties of lobster rolls for you to select, from the standard one to an exotic sounding Samyang lobster roll. I went for the Flaming Lobster Roll, priced at eighteen bucks flat.⠀
⠀
Contrary to expectations, the Flaming Lobster Roll was completely bereft of spice, and instead features lobster chunks blanketed in torched, melted mozzarella cheese. The lobster bits are tossed & seasoned in a savoury mayonnaise mix, flavouring the slightly sweet & briny crustacean with salt & smooth creaminess. The lobster appeared to be suitably fresh, with a decently firm texture.⠀
⠀
As you might’ve already anticipated, there isn’t all that much lobster considering that this roll is eighteen bucks. There’s a bit more lobster tucked into the middle of beautifully browned & more than amply buttered roll, believe me, and the amount of lobster per serving is best summed up as adequate. Then again, a lobster roll will set you back by at least thirty dollars elsewhere, so having a decent one for eighteen is already a bargain all thing considered. ⠀
⠀
Come to think of it, I might go for the Samyang the next time, or possibly even the Napoletana. Honestly, it’s quite a feat to get a decent lobster roll at a bazaar for under twenty dollar, so compliments to House of Lobster are definitely in order.

At the Geylang Serai Ramadan pasar malam, it’s a tale of two dogs. Sure, there’s a couple more hotdog hawkers than just @meatmymeat & @kream.sg, but those two are directly staring each other down across the aisle, so they’re getting a faceoff here.⠀
⠀
Kream’s Tokyo Dog ($7) was a much simpler but no less messy hotdog. The Tokyo Dog is the result of some (probably drunk or high) madlad who decided to take the toppings & sauces from takoyaki and slap it onto a hotdog instead. So what you get is the same sweet, salty & tangy takoyaki sauce, the richness of mayonnaise and the intense sapidity of the bonito flakes are paired with the meaty snap of a big hotdog. Despite this combo coming outta left field, it works astoundingly well, possibly due to hotdogs being easy to marry to anything by nature.⠀
⠀
Despite the Tokyo Dog being less impressive than the Buffalo Cheesesteak Hotdog on paper, I have to declare the Tokyo Dog as the victor. And that’s all down to the fact that @kream.sg actually cares about their food, and they actually bothered to sear their hotdogs for maximal deliciousness. Effort always matters, folks.

Out of all the sandos at @thestacksg, the Pollo Avo Club was my favourite, just barely edging out the sublime K-Sando. As the name suggests, this sando is stacked with slices of smoked chicken & avocado, sumac onions and dressed adequately with a spicy aioli.⠀
⠀
The tender chicken was lubed up well by the avocado, and each soft bite was well flavoured by the spicy, salty & satisfyingly creamy aioli. While the aioli is spicy enough to zing your palate, it’s restrained enough to avoid making you sweat. The sumac onions added that charming crunchy contrast to the soft textures of the avo, bread & chicken, but it did overpower the flavours of the chicken with its sourness by a fair bit. If the sourness were toned down a little, the Pollo Avo would be gucci. Still, even with overly sour onions, this was an incredibly delicious sando.

The other egg sandwich was considerably more…eggcellent. The K-Sando ($10+) is a vegan sando that contains eggs…eggplants, that is. The miso glazed eggplant is garnished with kimchi & kale, dressed lavishly in a gochujang aioli, and sandwiched between the same chewy buns as before.

Despite lacking meat, the K-Sando felt surprisingly complete. The supremely savoury miso glazed eggplants are perfect, while the slightly spicy kimchi chipped in with an addictive sourness that gets the saliva going. The kimchi & kale combined to give a soul satisfying crunch to the otherwise soft sando, forming a complete balance of tastes & textures.

If all eggplants were this good, it might just egg me into reevaluating my hatred for the purple thing.

@joochiatcaphe Earthquake ($8.50 nett) is a behemoth banh mi, with chicken ham, honey glazed grilled chicken thigh and grilled beef patties stuffed into a freshly baked Vietnamese baguette. It is a monstrous meat maelstrom, and I goddamn love it.⠀
⠀
I’ve already reviewed the succulent honey glazed chicken before, and the standard was maintained this time. The chicken ham performs as expected of a typical chicken cold cut, upping the sodium & savouriness of the entire sandwich. The grilled beef patties are the real special element here though, and I couldn’t get enough of them. ⠀
⠀
The grilled beef patties, which are more meatballs than patties, are infused with lemongrass and seasoned with hoisin sauce. The coarsely ground beef meant that each meatball required the barest minimum of effort before it disintegrated, while still possessing a satisfying bite thanks to the bigger bits of beef. The lemongrass has fully imbued its vegetal aromas into the beef, and the deeply salty & sweet umami flavours of the hoisin sauce flavour the beef excellently.⠀
⠀
This beastly banh mi will rock your culinary world, and will absolutely destroy your hunger with its sheer size & tastiness. A true banger of a sanger, and this banh mi bussin, no cap(he).