Sandwiched!

Take two slices of bread, butter them lightly (you can use a heavy hand if that’s what rocks your boat), grate of a piece of cheddar, or your favourite cheese, add some chilli flakes or a dash of mustard and toast it all together on a grill or in a flat pan...

If you haven’t already figured it out, following these instructions will help you put a pretty scrumptious sandwich on your plate. Sandwiches are not only delicious, they’re also really easy to prepare. So much so, that countless variations of this snack exist — from the roadside vegetable toast, prepared with boiled, mashed potatoes and masala, to the extremely hearty BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato), which, interestingly, has been scientifically proven to help cure a hangover. Today, we bring you several different types from around the world and tell you where you can go in Mumbai to scarf down an excellent sandwich.

Chip Butty
A traditional sandwich from the United Kingdom, this one can be classified as serious comfort food. Thick, crispy French fries, sandwiched between a burger bun, make up the traditional chip butty. Served with either ketchup or brown sauce, this hearty, greasy sandwich is a real treat. Our personal favourite way to have this is by drizzling the chips with a garlic aioli before sandwiching it between crusty burger buns.

Chacarero
Native to Chile, the chacarero is one of the healthier sandwiches on this list. Made with finely shredded spicy pork or beef, the sandwich also has some greens. Usually topped with tomatoes, green beans and green peppers, this sandwich promises intense flavour in every bite.

Choripán
This is one sandwich that really whets our appetite. Made with chorizo, a spicy sausage, the sandwich uses only three or four elements. Crusty bread makes up the casing for this Argentinean treat, inside which are chunks of chorizo, dressed with a flavourful chimichurri sauce that is made with olive oil, parsley, oregano, vinegar and garlic, with a tomato-based salsa sauce.

Chivito
This sandwich, from Uruguay, has a rather misleading name. Although chivito means baby goat (or lamb), the sandwich actually relies on beef to make it the scrumptious treat that it is. Thin slices of beef, sandwiched with tomatoes, olives, bacon, fried/ hard-boiled eggs, ham, French fries, mayonnaise and mozzarella make up this monstrous sandwich. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, this delicious sandwich really piles on the calories!

Barros Luco
Another Chilean delight, the Barros Luco is a simple, yet satisfying sandwich. Slices of beef are topped with melted cheese and filled in a burger bun, to make this simple sandwich. It was named after former president Ramón Barros, because this was his favourite sandwich.

Döner Kebab
This Turkish sandwich sports a flavour profile that us Indians are more familiar with. Spiced meat sliced from a spit (just like a shawarma) is topped with tomatoes, onions, shredded lettuce and a garlic-based sauce, then sandwiched between bread and accompanied by fries. It’s the perfect hangover cure. Trust us.

Gatsby
Similar to a chip butty, the Gatsby, which is a traditional South African sandwich, is a massive sub-roll filled with home-style fries that have been sautéed with onions and spices. And when we say massive, we really mean it — one traditionally prepared Gatsby is sufficient to fill four people!

Medianoche
This Cuban sandwich takes the humble ham & cheese and elevates it to a whole new level. Served as a sub, the sandwich includes roast ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles, layered on sweet bread. We can already feel our mouths watering!

Pan-bagnat
We love the French. Their cuisine is delectable and this sandwich is proof that they can take simple ingredients and create a masterpiece. Essentially a tuna sandwich, this one consists of flaked tuna, chopped vegetables (including cucumber, onions and tomatoes), along with a generous helping of olive oil. Sandwiched between crusty, sourdough bread, we could eat the Pan-bagnat, all-day, every day.

Leberkässemmel
The name of this German sandwich is a mouthful and translates to ‘liver cheese’. It may not sound very appetising, but we promise you that this wonderful sandwich contains no traces of liver. It is made with corned beef, onions, bacon, mustard and slices of pork, and is tasty, but decidedly meaty.

Katsu-sando
Although we love getting our fill of sushi, we were only recently introduced to this Japanese sandwich, which sounds surprisingly delicious! Breaded and deep-fried pork cutlets, sandwiched between thick slices of white bread, topped with shredded cabbage make up this greasy, yet super tasty sandwich.

Bánh mì
This Vietnamese sandwich literally means different kinds of bread, but it is usually served as a sub roll, filled with slices of pork or pork paté and topped with cucumbers, coriander and shards of pickled carrots. Yummy!

Roti John
This Malaysian sandwich may have an unusual name, but it is extremely flavourful, and is one of our favourites on this list. An open-faced omelette sandwich, it is made with eggs, onions and lots of chillies, often adding minced meat to the omelette mixture. It’s pan-fried, and the finished dish looks like slices of baguette topped with an omelette.

Toast Hawaii
Native to Germans, we aren’t sure about whether we love or hate Toast Hawaii. Averse to having anything sweet added to our savoury sandwiches, this is an open sandwich with a slice of toasted bread topped with a slice of ham, a ring of pineapple, a slice of cheese and a cherry. We aren’t jumping with joy, but we’re definitely intrigued.

Fluffernutter
Continuing our streak of sweet sandwiches, this American treat is a favourite with us. An unhealthy sandwich made by spreading peanut butter on one slice of white bread and marshmallow fluff on another, this sandwich is rich, gooey and the stuff that food dreams are made of!

Yakisoba-pan
If you cringe at the idea of noodles being stuffed into a sandwich, what we are going to tell you next isn’t going to be pleasant. This Japanese sandwich is essentially made with stir-fried soba noodles that are stuffed into a hotdog roll and garnished with a hard-boiled egg. Interesting!

Mettbrötchen
This one made our stomach turn and if you aren’t adventurous with food, steer clear of it! Made only with raw pork mince and white onions, this German sandwich seems seriously unappetising.

Dyrlaegens natmad
Although we have trouble pronouncing the name of this Danish sandwich, it is safe to say that we can’t wait to try one. An open sandwich made with rye bread, salted beef and paté, topped with onions and shredded cabbage, the Dyrlægens natmad sounds scrumptious.

Doubles
As close as it gets to Indian cuisine, we would love to try this sandwich from Trinidad & Tobago. Curried chickpeas are sandwiched between flatbread and topped with onions, cucumber, mango and tamarind chutney, making it a perfect evening snack!

Donkey sandwich
Sounds blasé, but this Chinese sandwich is exactly what the name suggests, with shredded donkey meat sandwiched in a crispy bread called Huoshao. Topped with lettuce and peppers, this sandwich is a popular street food in Beijing.

Cemita
This Mexican sandwich is fiery, but worth trying. Made with thick slices of avocado, pork or beef, white cheese, onions, salsa, lettuce and chillies that are sandwiched in a brioche-like bun, we can’t wait to get our hands on a cemita.

Kaya Toast
A snack sandwich (below) that is popular in Singapore, this one is sweet too. It is basically comprised of two slices of white bread sandwiched with a coconut and sugar spread. Doesn’t sound too bad, but hold on, as sometimes, an egg is thrown into it as well! A runny egg and coconut? No, thank you. a really small idol to immerse.”

ORIGINS
No matter how simple a sandwich might be, someone had to have to thought of it first, right? A popular belief goes that the word sandwich came into being because of John Montagu, who was the fourth Earl of Sandwich, a town located in Kent, England. The story goes that once during a gambling game, the Earl asked his cook to serve his meat between slices of bread because he didn’t want to interrupt his game with a meal. Soon, people started following his order and said ‘the same as Sandwich.’ This story is the first documented evidence of the existence of a sandwich. But,, while the Earl of Sandwich did make the snack popular, especially among the higher classes, he didn’t really invent it. It is believed that farm labourers in France had been eating meat between bread for a long time. Another story goes that a Jewish rabbi in Jerusalem in 110BC recommended eating herbs covered with a rolled up flat-bread — just like the modern sandwich roll.

Sandwiches in Mumbai
You might swear by your neighbourhood, roadside sandwich-wala, but if you want to try a new, and unique preparation, check these places out:

The Bagel Shop: The Goan Chorizo sausage bagel at The Bagel Shop is as close to the Choripan as you’re going to get in Mumbai. It’s a simple preparation that uses a spicy version of the famed Goan sausages, with a dash of cream cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. The bagel, priced for Rs 299, might be a bit expensive, but it will be worth your money.
Where The Bagel Shop, Carter Road, Bandra (w)

Between Breads: With a variety of delicious burgers and sandwiches on offer, it’s not surprising that Between Breads is on our list. Want something like the Barros Luco? Opt for the Beef Cheeseburger (Rs 219). But, if you want to go all out and try some hearty varieties such as the Chivito or the Leberkässemmel, opt for the Bacon Cheeseburger (Rs 339). While you’re here, we also recommend trying their version of the Philly Cheese Steak (Rs 289) — the sandwich is as delicious as they come.
Where Kalpitam Apartments, Opp. Hawaiian Shack, Bandra (w)

The Sandwich Bar: Seafood sandwiches such as the Pan-bagnat, are hard to come across in Mumbai. However, Shalimar Hotel’s The Sandwich Bar is a great place to head to if you want to try unique varieties. They offer a make-your-own-sandwich service and tuna is one of the several options available. The fresh catch sandwich, which costs Rs 165, can be made with tuna, salad and your choice of sauce.
Where August Kranti Marg, Cumbala Marg, Kemps Corner