I don’t know what it is but Indian food is popping up all over the place. It’s probably the vegetarian craze or maybe people are more willing to try it- me being one of them. Bombay Sandwich is a Smorgasburg success story. This shop set-up at Brooklyn’s food market and got a big enough following to allow them to recently open a brick and mortar space in Chelsea. It’s an ideal take-out lunch spot for work, too small to visit for a sit down with friends but perfect for the solo eater to post up. The menu is all vegetarian with several gluten-free options and divided into sandwiches, wraps, salads, bowls, smoothies and platters that are a combination of items from bowls and salads sans bread.
Gluten-Free Bowl photo credit Anna Malskaya
I love the bowls. You can try all different combinations and all kinds of greens. They are gluten-free and all come with brown rice, homemade Kale & Walnut Pesto, Apple Garlic Pickle and optional hot sauce (do it). I got the Sweet Potato Salad which I loved. It’s more on the savory side than the sweet side like you sometimes see when it’s made with raisins or cinnamon. It’s a little thick and pairs well with the rice on the bottom of the bowl. I love the smooth texture of the creamy sweet potato mixed with the Shepard Salad which is diced cucumber and tomato with sliced red onion and dried basil. This combination in the bowl is right where it’s at. I also tried the Kale & Hearty Salad as one of my five options which is kale with shredded red and white cabbage, beets, avocado, carrots and sunflower seeds, the Garden Salad with arugula, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, carrots and onion and the Veggie Mashup which is a mix of mashed seasonal veggies that turns out purple. The kale and arugula salads are lighter and crunchier. They compliment the heavier Sweet Potato and Veggie Mashup flavors and textures quite nicely. I like this bowl for when you are looking for a lighter lunch but with something that tastes “carby” as well. When you need something new that also incorporates your vegetable category, these options are perfect and beat your usual deli chopped salad.
The Smorgasburg Sweet Potato sandwich was pretty good too. Even though I have extremely strong feelings towards this root vegetable, I’d never think that I would enjoy it between two slices of bread. It’s mixed with spring onion, dried cranberry, ginger, cilantro, and carom seed and then topped on the outside with date chutney, green chutney, pickled carrots and crunchy chickpea flakes. Let me tell you, that date chutney is key. While I did favor this sandy, I think it needed a heavier volume of the sweet potatoes. Just a little extra padding would make it stellar. The cranberries are also an amazing and completely necessary touch.
Smorgasburg Sweet Potato Sandwich
There are so many options on this menu that you could come here everyday for several weeks and always try something new. Variety is always a good thing. I definitely want to try the Seasonal Pesto Perfect sandwich which is spaghetti squash with arugula, sliced tomato and homemade kale and walnut pesto on a whole wheat hero. Other dishes include a more Indian heavy taste such as Chana Masala which is a chickpea stew with garlic, ginger, tomato, Indian gooseberry, Fresh Lentils or the Bombay Club which is a street food classic with potato, cucumber, tomato ed onion with green chutney and in between three layers of 7 grain bread.
Bombay Sandwich Company is really cooking up some colorful and unique options that are all super creative and new to the game as I’m pretty sure I don’t see Fresh Mozzarella & Apple sandwiches with basil, sliced tomato and tomato chutney on most menus. Give Bombay Sandwich a try, especially if you are thinking about dipping into Indian food for the first time. It’s a great way in and will keep your curiosity growing.