WORLDWIDE CHICKEN BURGER APPRECIATION SOCIETY
Posts in Category: Sandwich
CITY EDGE
Purveyor: City Edge, Surry Hills NSW, Australia
Menu Item: Vietnamese Schnitzel Roll
Price: $10 AUD
Squawk: It’s BIG. It’s cheap. Most of the “Vietnamese” flavour seems to come from soy sauce which actually added a nice and unexpected bit of flavour – and cucumber which added a nice bit of freshness, crunch and necessary moisture. And when we say necessary, its because that bread roll is just maybe a tad too big.
Buaawk: This place is popular – probably this has more to do with large portions for little money, than amazing food. All that popularity means you’re gonna be waiting in line – although it moves fast. Judging by the lines – and all the people who encouraged us to try this place – City Edge seem to be a literal crowd pleaser.
But you are here because you don’t follow the crowd. You’re a chicken burger connoisseur. You aren’t satisfied with what feeds the masses. You want special. You want mouth joy. And while we did find some with the soy sauce and cukes, it was countered with long strands of coriander – the stalks, not the leaves which basically turn into nature’s chewing gum after awhile if you don’t pull (or spit) them out. We mentioned the bread roll. Its nice and fresh, but it’s so big that even with the “Tangy Asian Slaw” and mayo, it’s still dry in the mouth. We would have liked to see a bit more salad on here – or some vinegar perhaps to soften things up. The schnitzel is the same old boring schnitzel you get anywhere that serves boring old schnitzel. And its overly chewy nature belies a lifetime spent in a freezer.
We didn’t see the optional addition of fresh chilli mentioned on their menu board until it was too late, and nobody offered it to us when we gave our order. If they had, it could have earned them an extra point or two.
Rating: 4/10
Bonus Tip: Tip: Share this one with a friend if you need to stay awake after.
SAMMICH POSTAH
Lettuce introduce you to the most impressive sub-mission yet: A savory chart of sandwiches! Featuring an internationally inspired, mouthwatering menu of nearly 90 hand-drawn heroes, gyros, and much, much more—from the basic Bologna to the revered Reuben to the veritable food-pocalypse that is the gut-busting Gatsby—each enticing edible has been deconstructed into its various components and sorted by primary ingredient, along with notations for country of origin and serving temp. An open-faced love letter to the super-heroes of lunchtime, this delectable diagram makes for delightful decor no matter how you slice it.
Using 100 lb. archival stock certified by The Forest Stewardship Council, this poster is pressed on an offset lithographic press with vegetable-based inks in Long Island City, New York. Each print is signed and numbered by the artists, and comes packaged in a Pop Chart Lab Test Tube.
THE STABLES
Purveyor: The Stables, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia
Menu Item: Chicken Sandwich
Price: $10 AUD
Squawk: This cool little cafe is at the back of a cool little clothing store, and even though we’ve heard the owners are jerks, we kinda like the place. Up front they’ve got some nice (overpriced) threads and in the back they’ve got some friendly hipsters serving up pre-made sandwiches & salads and coffee. Now, normally “pre-made” is a problem, but this sandwich was, from the looks of things, recently made, so we’ll let it slide. Nice rye bread, good combo of veggies and freshly toasted upon ordering give this simple sammie some points. We also love the jumbo bottle of Sriracha sauce that got plunked down when we asked for some heat.
Buaawk: As a general rule, when it comes to chicken burgers and sandwiches, we think that what’s in-between the bread or bun, should be at least as thick as one of the slices. In other words, in a worst case sammie scenario, looking from the side, you have 1/3 bread, 1/3 filling and 1/3 bread. Anything less is unacceptable. And really, all purveyors should be reaching for 1/4, 1/2, 1/4 at a minimum. Stables was worse than our worst case scenario, and for this they lose major points. Don’t be stingy!
Rating: 5/10
SYDNEY DANCE LOUNGE
Purveyor: Sydney Dance Lounge, Walsh Bay, NSW, Australia
Menu Item: Grilled Chicken on Sourdough
Price: $16 AUD / $17.50 with chips
Squawk: OK first of all the venue is fantastic. Right on the water, great views of the harbour and all the super fit dancers coming and going. But hey, we’re here to talk about chicken, not chicks. So here we go. This sandwich came nicely presented – clean and simple. They say on they menu it’s served with “oregano lemon rubbed chicken, avocado, tomato, rocket and Parmesan” and this potentially makes for a nice sandwich. The chicken was pressed and grilled flat – almost Cuban style and had nice crisp edges. We also love the “all you can drink Sriracha.”
Buaawk: Sadly SDL ruins what could have been a contender by putting too much mayo on the bottom slice. All that mayo combined with the heat/condensation from a warm sandwich sitting on a cold plate, creates an unfortunate situation where the bottom slice of bread gets soggy and, to quote my lunch buddy, loses all “structural integrity.”
Rating: 5/10