The Sandwich: The Nordic
Where: Made by Broodjes & Bier at Union Kitchen; sold at Chinatown Coffee, Compass Coffee, and markets in D.C. and Virginia.
Price: $9.99
Bread: Rye roll
Stuffings: Seared Atlantic salmon, pickles, dill-caper spread, arugula
Thickness: 1.5 inches
Pros: The European-inspired sandwich (broodje means sandwich in Dutch) manages to stay fresh despite having been packaged hours earlier. The peppery arugula and crisp pickles give the slightly squishy and salty salmon and mayonnaise combination a bit of crunch and color.
Cons: The bread, while not stale, has an odd, spongy texture that makes it hard to tear and chew. This is likely the result of having sat out prior to being purchased. It also lacks the traditional bitterness of many rye loaves, a flavor that would have been welcome in this sodium-laced sandwich.
Sloppiness level (1 to 5): 1. Credit the thickly applied dill and caper mayonnaise that acts like glue to keep the salmon and veggies trapped inside. Since the sandwich isn’t very thick, there is very little that could fall out, even when you take a bite.
Overall score (1 to 5): 3. The dill gives the sandwich a light herbal flavor when you first bite in, but the fishy flavor of the salmon lingers for a few hours after you finish. A bread with more crunch and flavor would improve this broodje, though it’s still not a bad choice for a quick lunch.
Photo by Caroline Jones