Nicest Sandwich in Dublin City Centre

Shabadu

The Holy Cow from itsabagel was voted best sandwich in Ireland on some radio show.

mycroft

Shabadu wrote:

The Holy Cow from itsabagel was voted best sandwich in Ireland on some radio show.

Kudos for getting nyom spelt right.

Whats in the Holy Cow?

Also, please a moments silence the winding stairs is closing down. It was a nice cafe, food was rank though.....

Shabadu

Holy Cow- Poppy bagel, roast beef, caramelised onions, tomatoes, lettuce, horseradish mayo. I can't have the mayo though, as I'm allergic to western Horseradish. I can eat wasabi till it comes out me ears though.

Tempted

seamus wrote:

I dunno, I always find O'Briens to be the best.

You sir are a fool!

O'Briens have some of the worst sandwiches in Dublin. The chains success and growth it is one of lifes great mysteries. To say they are scabby would be the understatement of the year. I once asked for a little extra cheese ( I could have counted the pieces of grated cheese already present) only to be informed that I would be charged for an extra topping, laughable. Needless to say I went elsewhere.

Repli

Quiznos - Honey Bacon Club

OMG This is the nicest sandwich I have ever tasted - O'briens has NOTHING on quiznos!!

Shabadu

O'briens are truly the kings of crap. I must go to this Quinzo's place- keep hearing good things.

kstanl

My favourite sandwich has to be a Swedish Food Company panini with Swedish meatballs, beetroot salad, lettuce and a little black pepper. It looks like a radioactive nightmare but it tastes bloody good!

I used to like O'Briens when I was younger simply for the "feeling stuffed" factor but I've found these days that their staff are infuriatingly rude. Not only that but day I'm given plain chicken, the next I'm told it's not available despite the fact that I know damn well they hide it in the fridge. Depending on who you get, you either get their "hidden plain chicken" or they tell you they don't "do" that and insist you take the crappy chicken mayo. WHY do they do that? LOL

mycroft

Shabadu wrote:

Holy Cow- Poppy bagel, roast beef, caramelised onions, tomatoes, lettuce, horseradish mayo. I can't have the mayo though, as I'm allergic to western Horseradish. I can eat wasabi till it comes out me ears though.

Reminds me of the Pig n Heffers Hot beef, only it's got melted swiss cheese, gerkin salad and beef. And it's on a wholewheat cianbita.

Mmm wasabi? Do you like to make your dipping sauce into a paste like consistency when eating sushi?

Shabadu

I make my own sushi, generally spread a load on the nori and whip up a little soy/wasabi mush for the side too. /droooooooool

tails2

i have to say i am a bit disappointed.. tut tut tut.lol. i cant believe so many have said o'briens... i used to love that place. i mean if i walked by one i'd almost certainly go in to get something but over the last few months the place has gone to ****. complete and utter sh1t. it used to be great. big bread lotsa filling and decent prices with good customer service but as of the past few months it has hit rock bottom. the bread is still big but the fillings are now charged overboard. i mean before you could go in and get a nice amount of several toppings and not be charged for extra(they didnt even have extra it was standard).but now if you order a toasty it is 3 veg and one neat i mean come on and the charge you if you change it to one veg and two meat. it used to be just 4.50 standard for a toastie no exceptions. now they are giving less toppings and charging more if you ask for extra of something. like if you ask for backon and they only give you 3 pieces andyou ask for a few more they say oh well i have to charge you for it as an extra topping. not only that but they actually tried to charge me to sit down. i mean does anywhere else charge this. plus the staff are starting to get obnoxious about things. i can safely say i aint going there again. the new place up in the food court in stephens green centre give you as much as you ask for for a set price or if not there then in dunnes. quality for less i tell thee. i might try some of the other places. where exactly is that bolands place in hibernian something... where is it???

DublinWriter

Repli wrote:

Quiznos - Honey Bacon Club

OMG This is the nicest sandwich I have ever tasted - O'briens has NOTHING on quiznos!!

I went to Quinzos last Saturday. Mosquite Chicken, holy jaysus! Two thumbs up and waddled back onto Grafton St. a very happy camper. Will try more tomorrow.

Took me a while to find the place though, it's tiny! It looks like a really neat franchise, doesn't take up much space compared to the huge area O'Briens seem to require to display all their fillings.

The Swedish Food Company and the Pig and Heifer are next on my hit list.

Magic Monkey

Shabadu wrote:

I make my own sushi, generally spread a load on the nori and whip up a little soy/wasabi mush for the side too. /droooooooool

Nigiri or maki? Maki is straightforward enough, but proper nigiri technique allegedly takes years to master, so I've never attempted it. Spreading wasabi on the nori sheets before rolling is a good idea, but gotta be careful if making for others - not everyone cares for wasabi

Shabadu

Nigiri isn't too hard at all, the Japanese definition of perfection is, of course, a lot more exact than ours.

I'm lucky in that a lot of my friends are also chefs, and those that aren't are either foodies, or we try to turn them into foodies. So wasabi ahoy!

DublinWriter

Darth Homer wrote:

Mile high club in the pig and heffer(sp?) across from the bleeding horse !

Second on my hit list and quite good, even though the owner was having an arguement with the guy who was making my sambo about the notice period he had to serve!

It's amazing, I must have walked by there a zillion times on my way to Insomnia a few doors up, and never noticed it. It's hardly the most outstanding livery on a shop. I don't think they even have a proper shop sign up.

Interesting and unique sambos. I'll definately be back in my quest to break my Insomnia/O'Briens/Cafe Sol routine.

It's also a good way to end a book hunt in the 8+ charity shops on the way up from the Carmalite Church on Camden St. ('Dude Where's my Country?" €2, couple of Nick Hornby's, €1 each).

Govindas (veggie place run by the Hare Krisha's) is next on my hit list, people seem to be raving about it. There's also a few other interesting independant eateries on Camden St.

I remember years ago my Mother telling me that Camden St. used to be the main shopping street in Dublin up until the late 60's. Personally I'm falling back in love with it again as to me it seems to represent the 'true' Dublin, more so than the British-multiple dominated Grafton and Henry Streets.

There's also supposed to be a really good Chinese place on Moore St. (menus are only in Chinese!) reviewed by Ross Golden Bannon in the SBP a few months ago. I'm not sure what the lunch options are there!

Shabadu

Govinda's is hippy heaven. If i'm unwell or shattered my boyfriend picks up the govinda's meal from abbey st. with one tub of rice and dal, and 3 tubs of their curries for 10 quid. Bargain, and bloody tasty.

RDM_83

DublinWriter wrote:

There's also supposed to be a really good Chinese place on Moore St. (menus are only in Chinese!) reviewed by Ross Golden Bannon in the SBP a few months ago. I'm not sure what the lunch options are there!

For cheap rolls centra on westland row is much better than any other centra i've been to (can get a smoked salmon roll for 2.65!)

Might be talking about a different chinese on Moores St but was in one there at the weekend which had menus in english(really bad though), food was great and reasonably priced (only €8 for sizzling seafood, nice beer as well)

segadreamcast

DublinWriter wrote:

I went to Quinzos last Saturday. Mosquite Chicken, holy jaysus! Two thumbs up and waddled back onto Grafton St. a very happy camper. Will try more tomorrow.

Took me a while to find the place though, it's tiny! It looks like a really neat franchise, doesn't take up much space compared to the huge area O'Briens seem to require to display all their fillings.

The Swedish Food Company and the Pig and Heifer are next on my hit list.

Quizno's has got nothing on Subway to be totally honest - nice angle and all with the 'toasted' but it's just a poor imitation (and just as pricey to boot).

DublinWriter

Shabadu wrote:

Govinda's is hippy heaven. If i'm unwell or shattered my boyfriend picks up the govinda's meal from abbey st. with one tub of rice and dal, and 3 tubs of their curries for 10 quid. Bargain, and bloody tasty.

Well, on my selfless quest to try out all the places mentioned here I popped into Govinda's today to give it a review.

I walk into the Govinda's on Aungier St. and at 2.55 I sit down at a table and browse through the menu. There's one guy behind the counter and another walking around on the floor and three patrons chatting and eating.

Ten minutes later, the floor-walker never even bothered to come over to me! He's doing everything in his power to try and look busy and try not to catch my eye.

Fair enough, the place might be self-service, but the menus on the tables, the slightly-higher-than-normal prices, the fact that they have starters, mains and deserts and the word 'restaurant' in the name suggest otherwise.

So I walked out of the place at 3.05 and brush by the waiter who's now given up trying to look busy and is just standing in the doorway gazing idly out onto Aungier St. Bad Karma on Govindas!

...and just to teach them a lesson I walk 200 yards up the road to Subway on Wexford St. and order a foot-long Meatball sub. With barbacue sauce. Double bad Karma on Govindas.

This was my first Subway, as I mentioned earlier, I pass by the Subway at the bottom of Grafton St. a lot and the general grubbiness of the place puts me off the chain in general.

However the Wexford St. looked clean enough. Everything was ok, umpteen choices of breads, sauces, toppings etc, etc, but something was just 'wrong'. I can't put my finger on it, the roll was tasty enough, but something was missing.

Anyways, I don't think Subway are a patch on Quizos. Best yet would seem to be the Pig and Heiffer.

segadreamcast

Meatballs with BBQ sauce don't go too well - partially because the meatballs already have their own sauce really.

Try something like ham or turkey on hearty italian with southwest chipotle. Alternatively, just try BBQ rib. Either way, you'll come crawling back to Subway begging for forgiveness. Quiznos is overpriced trash - "ooo, it's toasty" - no no, it's trashy.

Victor

I know!! I know!! Me an these two Polish chicks I know.

segadreamcast

mycroft wrote:

Oh and Spacedog you're still a twat.

And it's Panini

Incidently panini is italian for "I can't believe you're paying that much for a toasted cheese sandwich" Honest.

Futhermore, mycroft is apparently italian for "I like to steal jokes from Des Bishop".

Keano_sli

After 9 years and every variety and type of sanwhich joint in Dublin I like to consider myself a bit of an expert.
Couple of quick points, Subway is the McDonalds of the Sandwich industry and O'Briens are the SuperMacs. The Bagel Factory is owned and run in Ireland by Abrakebabra so thats self explanatory.
The 2 best places to eat are undoubtable No1. Itsabagel (genuine NY bagels, great quality and selection and staff and owners who give a toss)
No2. Dunne and Crezenzi (an excellent if pricey sit down treat, especaily if you are skiving off work on a friday and throw in a glass of wine for fun)

All of those who love Subway, O'Briens, Centra etc.. will either develop taste buds as you grow up or never experience the joy of real fresh food presented well.
I agree with all who talk up independent sandwich places as they are always going to score higher on the scale. Honourable mentions must go to La Corte in the Epicurian, Powerscourt townhouse and on the quays, Anything in the wallace development on the north side of the millenium footbridge and I think its called Cafe Napoli on Westland row, had just opened before I left Dublin.

And if any of you every need a Sambo in "Surprising" Sligo I recommend Grappa on the riverside nice Ciabattas and Paninis on Turkisk flatbreads not the white doughy baguettes and also wraps and Paninis in Hargadon's pub at lunchtime. Of course the Garavogue on the riverside has the best overall lunch (non-sambo) and great soup and cowder!

SprostonGreen

Sufis on Lwr Stephen St do lovely pepperoni paninis. Nice coffee too.

Sleipnir

Unicorn on Merrion Row gets my vote. Lovely triple-grain baguette with Parma, buffalo mozzerella, sun-dried tomatoes and rocket.
Can't beat it.
Their ciabatta's are delicious too.

segadreamcast

Sleipnir wrote:

Unicorn on Merrion Row gets my vote. Lovely triple-grain baguette with Parma, buffalo mozzerella, sun-dried tomatoes and rocket.
Can't beat it.
Their ciabatta's are delicious too.

Some good suggestions - though how about some specific locations keano_sli? (RE: itsabagel etc)

Stench Blossoms

when to that quiznos place today, i got the chicken and bacon thing

thought it was the most horrible thing i've ever tasted in my life tbh

only got a small one but after half of it i just threw it out.

Biggest waste of money ever

DublinWriter

orla wrote:

when to that quiznos place today, i got the chicken and bacon thing

thought it was the most horrible thing i've ever tasted in my life tbh

Oh come on, it can't have been that bad? Did you ask them to put Japalenos on it after it was toasted, or wha'?

Stench Blossoms

nope there was no Japalenos on it.. thank god . If there was it would have been even worse

segadreamcast

DublinWriter wrote:

Oh come on, it can't have been that bad? Did you ask them to put Japalenos on it after it was toasted, or wha'?

Got it myself today man - whilst my criticism isn't as harsh as Orla's, I personally think it's a lot of fuss over nothing. Incidentally, I visted itsabagel yesterday for lunch though - magnificent stuff, I thoroughly recommend it!

magpie

La Corte in the Epicurian

There's one in the IFSC too, owned by the same Mafiosi who run Dunne & Creszenzi.

While Corte do great coffee, and very tasty Panini for lunch, anyone who goes to Dunne & Crescenzi for food is in for a disappointment. They're primarily wine bars, so if you get a starter and a bottle of wine to while away an afternoon then fine, but if you go in ravenous then there's not really a huge amount of choice beyone hideously overpriced pasta.