Simply Sandwiches

Well, well, well, Defonte’s (261 3rd Avenue, Manhattan and 379 Columbia St, Brooklyn) has finally come to Manhattan. Its opening has created quite a buzz as everyone clamors over each other to eat. And eat. And eat. Yeah, the sandwiches are that big. Thankfully the hubbub is true: the sandwiches are delicious and massive. If you’re unfamiliar, Defonte’s is a tiny sandwich shop out in Red Hook that has earned a strong reputation for serving massive heroes, with two outstanding: Roast Beef and Nicky Special [sic] (just about everything). They’ve been around for 84 years and the NFT guide describes it simply as “Crazy-ass Italian hero shop.”.

They set up shop on 3rd Avenue at 21st Street in a little place with a long counter and practically no room for the tables and chairs they keep by the windows. Hours are 9:30-8pm and it’s usually crowded. I tried their two signature sandwiches: the Roast Beef and the Nicky Special [sic]. Both were incredibly large, delicious and a little quirky.

First, look at the Roast Beef ($9.75). Yeah, take a look at it. If “Wow, look at all that roast beef” isn’t your first reaction, I’d like to know where you eat. That’s a veritable surplus of roast beef. If Mr. Defonte could run our city the way he packs these sandwiches, we’d be set. Hell, if he could run the country this way, there would be five chickens in every pot and a car made out of roast beef in every garage! (Take that Herbert Hoover!) I was full after just half the sandwich. And I was a little sad, because the roast beef was delicious. Sure, it was a little cold after a short walk outside, and sure, the inclusion of a slice of fried eggplant made it taste a little sweet but damn, that roast beef is delicious. I’ve come to accept that even tasty delis obliterate their roast beef until it’s grey (e.g. Champs), but this roast beef is a perfect medium-rare! Finally! The mozzarella was good too, but who really cares? I had some troubles keeping the fillings in place and not even the counterforce could stop the slow slide to the plate. I resorted to “patrolling the border”, an advanced technique I’ll illustrate shortly wherein the eater issues a preemptive strike on unlawful fillings by eating them as they are exposed from the bread, around the edge of the sandwich, reversing the direction of filling creep.

Now look at the Nicky Special ($9.95). Nicky must be huge. I mean really HUGE. Who else would resemble that sandwich? Now, I thought the Roast Beef was big, but this one is colossal. Is this the biggest sandwich in the store? Is this the biggest sandwich in Manhattan!? Is this the biggest sandwich ever served?!? I don’t know but it’s certainly the biggest I’ve ever seen. Take a look. Yeah, that’s right, it has layers like the grand canyon. If the Governor Arnold is a regular Italian hero then the Nicky Special is Arnold from Conan. See the difference. Nicky Special’s got: ham, capocollo, salami, fried eggplant (again), provolone, hot salad (spicy), marinated mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar. Can you spot them all? That’s surplus! Nicky Special is delicious. It has spicy flavors from the hot salad, a little sweet from the fried eggplant and plenty of savory flavors from the ham, capocollo, salami and provolone. The marinated mushrooms, lettuce and tomato gave it a nice crunch, but I fear were the prime culprits of some massive filling creep.

I’d recommend Defonte’s to anyone willing to listen. I’d also skip the fried eggplant in both of these sandwiches, it’s too sweet. Lastly, block out your schedule for a food coma and when you wake, you’ll think the same thing I did: “Defonte for Mayor!”

Defonte’s Earned high marks for both sandwiches:

Hello, roast beef:

Eek, not so close!

Hello, Nicky Special:

Don’t you look pretty:

The first layer is from 400BC: