sandwich – Michael Eats

Quick Bites: Giragi, Barbershop Patisserie, Queen’s Pasta Cafe

Published on August 8, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Lamb Wrap from Giragi

I previously tried the steak wrap from Giragi, and it was stellar. I just tried the vochkhar (lamb), and it was just as good. Clearly, the people in charge of this place know their stuff. As per the menu, this particular wrap comes stuffed with “jajekh, xaviar, pickled turnip, pevaz.” To translate, jajekh is a cucumber yogurt salad, xaviar is an eggplant spread, and pevaz is a mix of onion and parsley. It’s a really, really tasty wrap. It’s so much stuff, and it seems like it should be overstuffed (and technically, it probably is — it’s a mess), but all the flavours work so well together, and the perfectly spiced lamb patties are thoroughly delicious. It’s so good.

Brownie from Barbershop Patisserie

Speaking of things that are obscenely delicious, the brownie from Barbershop is ridiculously good. Like, one of the best brownies I’ve ever had. It’s got an amazingly rich, chocolatey flavour, and the perfectly fudgy-but-light texture has a great chewiness that I can barely even describe. It’s pretty special.

Meatball Sandwich from Queen’s Pasta Cafe

As the name implies, Queen’s Pasta Cafe is mostly about pasta, though they do have a lunch menu with a few sandwiches. I went with the meatball (“Meatballs with Arugula, Mozzarella Cheese and Tomato sauce”), and it was okay. The meatballs were actually quite good, with a nice meaty flavour, a tender texture that isn’t too soft, and a rich sauce. But the stale bun was a bit of a disaster. This is probably my fault, however, for ordering something that isn’t pasta at a restaurant with pasta in its name. Those meatballs would have been boffo on spaghetti, I’m sure.

Quick Bites: Bear Steak Sandwiches, Pizza Cantina, Pizza Karachi

Published on July 26, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Original Steak Sandwich from Bear Steak Sandwiches

I’m a big fan of Bear Steak Sandwiches, though I’ll admit that a recent experience there was a bit unfortunate. I ordered the special, which was a steak on rye sandwich, and… it was basically inedible. The rye bread it was served on was so stale and dry that it crumbled into bits the second I picked it up. I took a couple of bites, and then brought it back for a refund, which is something I basically never do. Not great! On the plus side, they seemed to know it was an issue and immediately offered to replace it with an original steak sandwich, which they assured I’d like much better. And they were correct — I’ve previously raved about this sandwich, and yeah, it’s still stellar. A bit too greasy, but otherwise the combo of the ultra-tender steak and zippy chimichurri (and non-stale bread!) is a big winner.

Diavola Stinger from Pizza Cantina

Pizza Cantina, a pizza joint in the Junction, seems to be pretty well regarded, so I was excited to try it. I went with the Diavola Stinger (“San Marzano tomato sauce, hot soppressata, mozzarella & hot honey drizzle”), and it was tasty enough. Certainly, I didn’t dislike eating it. The crust was odd, however. I don’t know if it was supposed to be like that or if something went wrong, but it was extremely stiff and cracker-like, with the ends being full-out crunchy with no softness or chew. It was a bit too much for me, but if you like a crunchy pizza, it was otherwise pretty solid. My only other complaint is that I found the hot honey to be a bit too aggressively applied — but then I find honey on a pizza to work best in small doses. Others may disagree.

Pizza from Pizza Karachi

As you’d gather from the name, Pizza Karachi serves pizza with a Pakistani flair. I tried a couple of pizzas (the Mirchi Sauga and… another one whose name is currently escaping me), and both were solid. They were pan pizzas (somewhat Pizza Hut-esque), and while the vaguely gummy crust was nothing to write home about, the vibrant Pakastani flavours actually worked pretty well.

An Amazing Fried Chicken Sandwich at DownLow Chicken

Published on June 2, 2026June 2, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 538 Manning Avenue, Toronto
Website: https://www.dlchicken.com/

DownLow Chicken is a Vancouver fried chicken chain (well, maybe “chain” is overstating it — they have three locations there, and now, one here) that specializes in Nashville hot chicken.

They’ve only been open in Toronto for a few months, but just based on this visit? Strong contender for the best fried chicken sandwich in the city. Absolutely stellar.

They have a variety of tenders and chicken pieces on the menu, but the specialty seems to be the sandwiches. I went with the OG: “Nashville Dusted Chicken, Pickled onions, Cole slaw, Pickles, DL Sauce.”

You can pick from seven spice levels; I went with hot, which is right in the middle. They also asked if I wanted dark meat or white, which I don’t think I’ve ever been asked when ordering a fried chicken sandwich. I went with dark.

Wow, it’s good. It actually reminds me a lot of how Chica’s Chicken was a few years ago, before the quality went downhill.

Every element here is on point: it’s got a perfect level of exterior crunch, the meat is super juicy, it’s perfectly seasoned, the ultra-fluffy and slightly sweet bun has just enough heft to stand up to the substantial sandwich, and the toppings are all great.

There’s a great balance between the zippy slaw, the sweet pickles, and the creamy sauce. And the Nashville spices are right where you want them to be (though “hot” is a bit mild for me — it’s still got a decent amount of heat, but I’ll probably go one or two notches higher next time).

And I can’t say enough about how perfect the chicken itself is — it’s just so tender, juicy, and satisfying.

I also got an order of the slaw, and it has a nice vinegary bite and is pleasant enough, but it’s not on the level of the chicken. That sandwich, though.

Delicious Sandwiches at DAM Sandwiches

Published on May 31, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 363A Oakwood Avenue, Toronto
Website: https://www.instagram.com/dam_sandwiches/

I tried DAM Sandwiches at last year’s Do West Fest and quite enjoyed it, so this visit was long overdue.

They have four sandwiches on the menu along with a rotating special; I believe the brisket (“36 hour slow cooked brisket, sautéed onions & peppers, raw onions, banana peppers, chimichurri mayo, hickory stix”) is the most popular, so that’s what I went with.

It’s seriously good. The beefy, tender brisket is extremely tasty, the veggies complement it well, the hickory stix add some nice crunch, and the zingy chimichurri mayo does a great job of cutting through the richness of the beef.

As good as all that stuff is (and it’s very, very good), the bread might be the star of the show? It features a perfect balance between its delicately crispy exterior and fluffy interior, and kinda reminded me of a really good banh mi.

Clearly, another visit to this place is in order, because they really know their way around a sandwich.

Tasty Cold Cut Sandwiches at Bevi Birra

Published on May 12, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 3072 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Website: https://bevi-birra.com/

Though Bevi Birra seems like yet another place serving Italian cold cut sandwiches because that’s the trend, they’ve actually been around since 2020. Props to them for doing this purely because that’s what they want to serve — not to jump on a bandwagon.

And you know what? That level of passion makes a difference. The sandwiches here are very, very good.

I tried a couple. First up: the Anna Rosaria (“Prosciutto, provolone, rosemary aioli, olive tapenade, arugula”).

They make their sourdough bread in-house, and it’s absolutely fantastic. It’s got a great crispy (but not overly crunchy) exterior, a chewy interior, and a nice sourdough flavour. I could have just eaten the bread alone and walked away satisfied.

But everything else here was thoroughly tasty as well, with a nice hit of saltiness from the cold cuts and the tapenade, a creaminess from the aioli, and with the pepperiness of the arugula balancing it all out.

I also tried the Giovanna (“Hot sopressata, garlic ricotta, pepperoncino, honey, arugula.”

Both sandwiches were very good, but this one might have been my favourite. In particular, the salty/sweet combo from the sopressata and the honey is kinda irresistible, and the sandwich’s spicy kick is very satisfying. It’s seriously delicious.