Braised beef, sauerkraut, cassava root chips and gravy mayo sandwich (£7)
Sandwiches are just brilliant, aren’t they? All hail the meal that comes with comforting carbohydrate walls. Max clearly likes a sandwich, because apart from a great selection of booze and a token pudding option, that’s all he’s selling from his succinctly titled shop. Eating here is a stress-free dream that will no doubt cure (and probably also cause) many a hangover. You take a seat in the bright, calm room and listen to Max gently singing along to an eclectic but cheering playlist while he pours you out some iced water. There are four food options, plus one breakfast-y one in the mornings. They’re all £7, they all sound delicious and we have reason to believe not a one of them would disappoint.
Labneh, beetroot borani, spiced fritter, herbs, sumac, pickled peppers (£7)
A not-at-all greasy, impressively sturdy and impossibly fresh focaccia provides a top and bottom for huge piles of fillings, which are so plentiful that they topple out of the edges but still leave you with more than enough in the middle. Juices from a rich, generous portion of braised beef soak into the spongy bread but somehow avoid making anything soggy. Crunchy discs of cassava provide a sturdy contrast to soft, tangy sauerkraut. Layers haven’t been this desirable since The Rachel. And as you start getting full about half way through – they’re HUGE – you hear Max’s baritone-Joe-Pasquale giggle in the background and find the courage to finish every last scrap.
Max’s Sandwich Shop
★★★★★ £££
19 Crouch Hill, N4 4AP
