A taste of Americana at Sandwich Factory

Text and Pix by Shiran Illanperuma

The Sandwich Factory has moved to a new location on palm Grove in Colpetty.

CEO and Managing Director of the American diner-style family restaurant Hisham Cader said that plans are afoot to expand the events and experiences that the restaurant has to offer.

“We have begun doing a retro movie night once a week. I select a movie from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s and our customers vote for what they want online. We are experimenting with introducing more of these gimmicks to create a unique experience.”

Gimmicks aside however, Sandwich Factory has garnered fame for being one of the few restaurants to Colombo to offer a selection of American diner classics like burgers and subs with fries and milkshakes, all packaged in a nostalgic Americana. The Daily FT attended a special pre-launch showcase organised by the restaurant to try out some of the dishes on offer.

With belts loosened and sleeves rolled up we stuck into our meal with a portion of Chilli Cheese Fries and a Butter Cookie Thickshake. A cool velvety body punctuated with crisp crumbs of cookie made the thickshake an instant crowd pleaser. The sweet and creamy beverage was a little on the heavy side but proved to be immensely satisfying none the less.

The fries on the other hand were a disappointment. While the chilli con carne, melted cheese and salsa were on point – offering a juicy burst of flavours and textures – the fries themselves were of dismal quality being thin, hard and rubbery. Fries are an integral part of the American diner cuisine experience and so it was disappointing to see this element neglected with what felt like cheap supermarket fries.

We doubled up on starters with a crispy hot plate of taquitos, a unique tex-mex dish that is essentially a rolled up and deep fried taco. This one wasn’t necessarily the most authentic, lacking the sharp pinch of lime and coriander that accompanies Mexican cuisine however it stood well enough on its own as Sandwich Factory’s unique take on the dish.

The Barmy Wrap is something of a fan favourite at the Sandwich Factory. Marinated beef smothered in BBQ sauce and wrapped up in warm Arabic bread alongside French fries a fried egg and a strong hit of mustard, this one is not for the faint of heart. Cader seems especially proud of this concoction, which draws on the Middle Eastern wraps he enjoyed after nights out in England but with an American diner twist. The wrap is hearty and delicious though once again the fries bring it down for being too hard and chewy.

Next up was the Western BBQ Burger. A little intimidating in size the burger packs a juicy double meat patty with cheese, jalapenos and onion rings. The level of peppery spice on this certainly gives away its Lankan-isation but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The burger hits the spot with the savoury meat patty shining through. Our one critique would be that the patty itself was, in terms of flavour and texture, more akin to a sausage than the mince patties traditionally association with a burger.

Our last try for the night was undoubtedly also the best – a good old-fashioned Philly Cheese Steak. Slender slices of beef with sautéed green peppers, onions and mushrooms on warm submarine bread blanketed with yellow cheese. This sandwhich was perhaps the most authentically American of everything we tried which was perhaps what made it exceptional. No attempt was made to twist it for a local palette letting instead the natural hearty flavours of the beef, cheese and onions shine through with every indulgent bite.

Overall Sandwich Factory’s new location seems promising. Their quirky Americana ambience and knack for gimmicks aside it’s the food that will draw in new clientele. However there is still much room for improvement especially in the quality department, the lacklustre fries let down nearly every dish they accompany and some Lankanisation could be scaled back for a more authentic American diner taste.