King + Bannatyne, a special sandwich shop

I love it when people get to know your love for food and come forth with restaurant recommendations. When off to a Jets game, my local Winnipeg foodie friend began speaking of the marvel that was King + Bannatyne. Touted as one of the best sandwich bars in the city, I began to listen closely and drool at the thought of homemade brisket, porchetta and meatballs. Thankfully, he stopped after seeing my eyes glaze over and my carnivorous foodie side bubbling to the fore. Needtoless to say, I made a mental note to check out King + Bannatyne at my next convenience.

King + Bannatyne is located on the corner of ... King and Bannatyne. Slightly amused at the simplicity of their name, I quickly realized there was a method to their madness. Their building, mostly devoid of advertisements and signs, would be completely missed by most if not for the easy directions in their name. Smiling to myself, I quickly whisked myself in for my lunch.

King + Bannatyne's menu works as follows. They have three sandwiches they deem their staples: The River City Brisket, The Porchetta and the Meatball. Accompanying them are two rotating sandwiches which, during my lunch with them, the Grilled Cheese and a Chorizo sandwich. The first thing one will notice is the aroma of roasted meats and fresh bread.
Mixed in with them is the clink and clatter of happy patrons. I had a good feeling about this.

Not having supper plans, I felt the need to try a few things. My entire meal consisted of the River City Brisket, the Chorizo special and the soup of the day.

The soup of the day was a Roasted Tomato with celery and fennel (?). Topped off with fresh mozzarella this was a fantastic way to start a meal. The tart and tangy soup was deceptively simple looking but had strong deep flavours. The celery cut through the tomato nicely while the cheese added much needed saltiness.

I want to pre-warn those reading this. This photograph does not do this sandwich justice. The River City Brisket was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. A heaping pile of braised brisket on a simple bun with mustard might seem simple, but you quickly realize the small details. Like the pepperiness of the rub on the brisket, or the sharpness of the mustard, or the spongy soft bread cut thick enough to keep all the mouth-watering ingredients in. This sandwich really showcases how to make brisket and is instantly one of my most recommended sandwiches ... if not dishes in all of Winnipeg.

The special of the week was the Chorizo, Caramelized Apple, Raisin, Fennel sandwich. This was good but altogether average (especially when compared to the brisket). All the ingredients were fresh and well prepared, but the chorizo was unfortunately overpowered by the strong fennel. Similarly the apples added a nice sweetness but again masked any hint of flavour in the chorizo. This was a good example of adding too much of a good thing in a sandwich.

King + Bannatyne is a whimsical tour de force on the sandwich food scene of Winnipeg. Touting amazingly fresh ingredients and utilizing bold flavours, I expect them to become tremendously popular within the coming months. King + Bannatyne ranks highly on my list of go-to restaurants. Do yourself a favour and go.