Nick's on Broadway, A special sandwich shop

Sandwiches are the Swiss Army Knives of food. Find two pieces of crusty bread, load up whatever toppings you like, finish them whatever way you want and you will generally always have a delicious, nutritious and fast meal. Perfect for any occasion, sandwiches are the epitome of versatility. Therefore it was with excitement when I found a new sandwich joint had opened up in Winnipeg, Nick's on Broadway.

There definitely has been a novel trend in Winnipeg towards higher end sandwich shops using quality ingredients and advanced cooking techniques. Nick's motto is to "create the best sandwiches in Winnipeg while providing a show in their open kitchen". A strong confident statement for a new start-up restaurant.

Located in an office building on Broadway Street, Nick's focuses on homemade breakfast and lunch options geared towards the busy day to day professionals who long for delicious meal options that can be made promptly and freshly during the hustle and bustle during the day. Indeed, the clientele was on mass when I was dining there with many patrons making the quick jolt down from the upstairs office buildings to grab a sandwich to go. Nick's offers both a breakfast and lunch menu; their lunch menu is a nice collection of sandwiches, paninis and sides with a daily special. I was impressed by the customizability of their food, as patrons able to add on small (but still sizable) sides at minimal prices.

I asked what their specialty sandwiches were and one of them came as the Broadway Beef Dip. Served on a brioche bun, Nick's plants a moderate portion of herb roasted beef between the buttered buns and pairs it with a rosemary jus (and a side of pickles and coleslaw). Overall this beef dip was good but not extraordinary. The beef, extremely tender and well roasted, was a bit lacking in flavour by itself; but this was somewhat mitigated by the rich rosemary jus. The buttered brioche was a nice addition as it provided a soft pillow of crunch enveloping the tender beef.

Hot Pastrami was the other specialty of the restaurant. This was incredible. I love it when restaurants present their food simply but packed with flavour and the pastrami here was a wonderful mix of juicy tender meat with a hint of coriander. The meat mixed well with the grainy hot mustard and was all surrounded by thick sturdy rye. Although the sides given are standard for all their sandwiches, I felt the sweet pickles and crunchy coleslaw gave nice contrasts in flavour and texture to the pastrami.

Wanting to try a side I ordered a Tomato Soup along with the meal as well. I was thoroughly pleased with the hot, warm and bubbly tomato and herb soup. Impressed by the large portion size (especially for the price), the soup had a nice sharp tomato-ey flavour contrasted well by the aroma and taste of parsley.

Nick's on Broadway represents everything I love in a good sandwich shop: simple, delicious food served attractively, priced aggressively in a busy part of town. I applaud them for the thoughtful menu and think they will be an attractive alternative to the fast food, food court esque options I have become accustomed to during the lunch hour. For anyone in Downtown Winnipeg, Nick's is an easy recommendation for a wonderful lunch.