First in a series of sandwich features from Amsterdam is this fine smoked mackerel. It was found at a low-key family restaurant in the old section of the city and they know how to do open-faced sandwiches. In the states, an open faced sandwich is usually a hero roll sliced open, covered with meat, sauce and smothered in melted cheese. Sure they’re delicious the first few times, but they quickly get tired (and can be very gross especially if you don’t want a crippling food-coma.)
This open-faced sandwich shares almost nothing with the stateside versions: it’s clean, formal and almost beautiful. A thick slice of fresh bread, mayonnaise, a large piece of smoked mackerel topped with arugula and tomatoes. Simple, classy and delicious. The stateside open-faced ‘wiches have to be eaten with a knife and fork or risk dropping a 3lb chunk of melted American and 2 quarts of red sauce down your trousers, but this one is simple and clean enough to temp my fingers. I tried, but the bread was way too thick and I didn’t want my toppings flying all over the plate and becoming fallen soldiers. With the knife and fork it went down in two passes: first the mackerel and toppings then the remaining mackerel, mayo and delicious soft and crunchy bread.
This is the best open-faced sandwich I’ve ever had. The bar has been raised, finally! No post-meal food coma and no melted cheese! The stigma of the open-face has been cast off. May open-faced sandwiches start their triumphant return from menu’s at Denny’s and Friday’s to hold a special place in everyone’s heart!
Plated (in modern white and metal):
Workin’ it:
Bow before the new standard of open-faced euphoria:
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