On an incredibly freezing afternoon in New York City, 26 degrees to be exact, I took a stroll down the Bowery to visit a local sandwich shop named Tramezzini. In 2019 it was touted as one of the best 14 sandwiches in NYC, by Bloomberg magazine. With nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, I was curious to see how this tiny Venetian specialty shop was doing.
A few weeks earlier, I was walking on the corner of Lafayette and Great Jones street and looked up to see an enormous cloth billboard covering the entire side of a building. It read: Take Out To Help Out - Support Local Eats. This billboard summed up the total loss and desecration the Corona virus has had on the restaurant industry. Mom and Pop shops as well as corporate restaurants are struggling to survive. Although I am only an army of one, I wanted to do my part to help our local businesses. Tramezzini was on the menu!
Tramezzini are thin, white bread, crust-less sandwiches from Venice. The bread contains No sugar, No animal fats, No dairy and No preservatives. Most important, it has to be made in Venice, No exceptions. The Venetian tramezzino differs itself by the "Belly," the center of the sandwich. It must have a belly filled with quality ingredients. Quality indeed.
Upon entering the bright, tiny space, I ordered two tramezzini's; the prosciutto di Parma with fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, E.V.O.O. and a balsamic glaze, and my second tramezzino was the smoked salmon with cream cheese, fresh tomatoes, balsamic and arugula. Both were incredibly delicious. The mozzarella was thick and fresh (unlike many cafes that claim fresh ingredients, when there obviously days old). The prosciutto was savory with several slices in between. This was the real deal. They were not stingy with the ingredients. The belly, the center of the sandwich, was rich with cream cheese and thick with slices of smoked salmon. I was shocked. I assumed they would be skimpy on the lox, but to my surprise it was a generous amount.
These two tramezzini made my palate sing. I knew I would definitely be back for more. I just hope and pray this small Venetian shop will not be another casualty of Corona and survive the carnage this pandemic has left upon the restaurant industry. If you live in NYC, or just visiting The Big Apple, I implore you to take a trip to 309 East Houston Street and show your support for this wonderful cafe.
