A Must-Order at Banh Anh Em and Six Other Memorable Sandwiches
New York's answer to LA's French dip, a Japanese department store egg salad, and more
Sandwiches are seeing a revival. Maybe it was the appearance of ‘gramable ones that instantly became “must haves” — like East Harlem’s chopped cheese or the now-ubiquitous avocado toast. Or maybe it was the spiraling cost of a restaurant meal, which makes a sandwich seem like a cheaper alternative.
Whatever the reason, sandwiches are a powerful leitmotif of today’s dining era, often generating long lines when new and novel ones are introduced. Here are some of the sandwiches I’ve run across lately, and loved.
O.G. at Banh Anh Em
O.G. stands for original gangster, and this sandwich ($14.95) reimagines the banh mi in grander terms. Find it at the East Village’s new Vietnamese sensation Banh Anh Em, which has seen two-hour waits for seats during its pop-up phase of the last three weekends. But rather than waiting, stroll in and order this sandwich from the limited carryout menu, and you’ll be standing in the street gobbling it in five or ten minutes. The roll is made in-house, light and crunchy; the roster of meats includes a schmear of pate, Vietnamese ham (something like head cheese), pork floss, and generous quantities of cha lua, the Vietnamese answer to bologna, all seemingly seasoned with Maggi. Don’t be alarmed that the pork floss looks like rope. 99 Third Avenue, East Village
Bulgogi sandwich at Semicolon
Semicolon — the one in Washington Heights, at least — is an uncommonly comfortable hangout festooned with real plants. Its menu offers coffee and matcha beverages, the usual pastries, smoothies, and bing soo: shaved ices that are particularly cooling in summer. Nine breakfast-oriented sandwiches are served, which arrive popping out of little boxes, each featuring a main ingredient plus a thin omelet on brioche with a couple of gloppy sauces. My favorite is the beef bulgogi ($12), which is messy enough to require several napkins, but is exceedingly satisfying. 9 Edward M. Morgan Place, Washington Heights, other locations
The Edith at Edith’s Sandwich Counter
Reuben sandwiches have become rather ho-hum: dullish corned beef, sauerkraut from a bottle or a can, and Swiss cheese — which nobody likes, am I right? Along comes this New Age version from this Williamsburg (and now West Village) sandwich specialist. The namesake Edith ($22) begins with some really zingy house-cured pastrami, uses the less rubbery Emmenthaler cheese, and zaps the sandwich with yuzu sauce, which adds a refreshing edge to the sauerkraut. The carraway-seeded bread makes a good impression, too. The result is a spectacular ramping up of traditional Reuben flavors. 495 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn
Tamago sando at Muji Department Store
Presiding over a darling micro lunch counter with only six seats is a coffee-making robot that not only concocts hot beverages but interacts with you while doing so. A small collection of viands is made available if watching the robot makes you hungry, including this delightful sandwich ($7.50) — egg salad in the Japanese style with a nose-clearing blast of wasabi on milk bread made crunchy with wheat berries. 75 Ninth Avenue, Chelsea Market
Tuna salad sandwich at Breads Bakery
To what extent does the excellence of a sandwich depend on the bread? Quite a lot it turns out, when you start checking out sandwiches available in bakeries. At this local chain, if you proceed to the rear of the store, you’ll see many just-made sandwiches laid out around lunchtime. The tuna salad is a paragon of its type, with a bouncy, sesame-seeded roll, tuna salad made with tuna that retains its briny flavor, fresh tomato and fresh cucumber, and — the best reason you might pick this sandwich ($9.95) rather than the one down the block — the enriching addition of sliced boiled egg. 18 East 16th Street, Union Square
Roast beef at Brennan & Carr
Gravesend’s Brennan & Carr was founded in 1938 when the surrounding neighborhood was mainly still farmland. Its epic roast beef sandwich has much in common with LA’s French dip — a hot sandwich ($9.30) on a crusty roll piled with roast beef that has been extensively steamed after it was roasted. The result is a very mellow and somewhat squishy sandwich, served with an aggressive bouillon for dipping, an enjoyable sensory experience on all levels. 3432 Nostrand Avenue, Sheepshead Bay
Mama’s special at Leo’s Latticini
Located in the back roads of Corona, Leo’s is an antique Italian cheese store where products made on the premises like ricotta and mozzarella are so good. The mozzarella goes into Mama’s special — commemorating Marie DeBenedettis, who died in 2018 — along with prosciuttini (a black pepper ham), salami, and pickled peppers (mushrooms are optional). The result is a sandwich ($8) you’ll probably resolve to eat only half of, then keep taking it out of the butcher paper to give it one more bite. 46-02 104th Street, Corona
Robert, love the list, but I would invite you to try, possibly, the OG Bulgogi sandwich at Between The Bagel in Astoria. It is perfection.
OG Seoul Meets Bagel (SMB): Bulgogi, Egg, American Cheese, Sauteed Kimchi and Gochujang Mayo on a bagel.