Midtown Lunch

I’ve had nothing but hits with the sandwiches at French Cafe Gourmand on Maiden Lane (btw. Broadway & Nassau) and the other day when pressed for time I stopped by again to sample another of their creations that one of you Lunch’ers had recommended.

That would be for the Indian sandwich, aka, the French version of a chicken curry sandwich. It is delicious.

I’ve barely made a dent in the more than a dozen sandwiches, both hot and cold, on offer here. The farmer sandwich, which I’d previously sampled, seems to be the favorite among customers, as five people after me ordered it. I’m also a huge fan of the bargain leg of lamb sandwich with its delicious braised meat.

The Indian contains sliced grilled chicken with herbs on the outside, romaine lettuce, tomato slices and a dose of yellow curry sauce that likely contains a large amount of butter. It is a French cafe, after all. The whole thing is then toasted so the baguette gets crispy on the outside but stays chewy on the inside.

It’s a bit dangerous to eat this if you’re wearing nice clothing, as with each bite, yellow curry sauce spills out the sides. That sauce   soaks into the baguette and keeps the sandwich from being dry.

If you’re not in the mood for a sandwich with French cheese, and want something marginally exotic, go for the Indian. Your only regret will come in getting the sauce all over yourself.

French Cafe Gourmand, 9 Maiden Lane (btw. Nassau & Broadway), (646) 756-4911