Despite being off the air for almost 20 years, Friends remains a classic, popular TV show with many of the character’s memorable lines still being used. From Joey’s ‘how you doin’ to Chandler’s intonation - ‘could you BE more…?’
While Ross may be known for his insistence that he and Rachel were on a break, one of his lines that sticks in my head is ‘MY SANDWICH’ in reference to when someone at work eats his lunch.
While I love a good sandwich (the best are surely leftover turkey sandwiches made on Christmas day night, usually by my Dad, with loads of mayo, cranberry sauce and on toastie white bread), I doubt I’d centre a midlife crisis around one, as Ross did. But then maybe I’ve not tried the right sandwich.
It was with this in mind that I visited Homemade, a cafe that opened on Dowanhill Street, just off Dumbarton Road, in Glasgow’s west end last November.
Speaking about the launch last year, owner Caitlin Hutton explained that the move came about after the popularity of her pre-Covid pop up at the Brunch Club, which then led to cook at home meal kits during lockdown.
These began with a cook at home Sunday roast and developed as lockdown progressed into date night boxes and other offerings.
Caitlin said that it was always the plan to have her own restaurant, and found the ideal space on Dowanhill Street, which she got the keys for in August 2021. Since then the cafe has gained a cult following, with the impressive looking sandwiches selling out quickly, usually on weekends.
We popped down one snowy afternoon in December, for a pre-Christmas treat.
On the menu there’s eight sandwiches and a daily special, which at this time was a festive one with turkey, stuffing, cranberry and sauce - which made my efforts look poor in comparison.
I decided to go for a Friends-esque ‘the one with the pear’, which had mozzarella, chicken, pear, parma ham and a hot honey drizzle (£9) while my boyfriend chose the buffalo frickle (£9), which included shredded lettuce, lime mayo, buffalo dipped chicken, fried dill pickles, red onion and American cheese.
As it was a chilly day, I warmed up while waiting on our order with a not-too-sweet hot chocolate (£3.20) but there’s also a good range of coffee and Tea Pigs tea
The first thing to note are the sandwiches are like doorstops, and not for those that aren’t that hungry, or cutting down on carbs (or on a first date - these are going to make a mess).
Both sandwiches in our order were stuffed with filling, mine with layers of crisp chicken, ham, cheese and little shiny dollops of balsamic roast pear.
There was a good ratio of chicken, cheese and ham, although the pear (and its subsequent sweetness) was a bit lost and the balsamic addition to the pear wasn’t obvious. I also couldn’t really find or taste the hot honey glaze, but the ham and chicken were well cooked and who doesn’t love an oozy cheese on a comforting sandwich?
Over the table, the buffalo frickle sandwich was going down a storm. The buffalo sauce had a good kick to it but was balanced against the sharpness of the lime mayo.
The pickles provided crunch and bite thanks to their saltiness but weren’t obviously fried. The chicken was moist with a crisp coating.
The mix of fried chicken, lettuce and sauce had a slight nod to a famous chicken sandwich, but a much classier version. This is comfort (or hangover) food at its best and I’d say this one was a highlight.
Veggies need to worry as there are meat-free options available in this dog-friendly establishment.
Before we fell into a carb coma, we shared a salted caramel brownie, which was squidgy and fudgy with oozing pieces of salted caramel. An indulgence with a deep, robust sweetness, the salt from the salted caramel cut through it to prevent it from becoming too sickly sweet.
In the morning at Homemade, there’s classic pastries but if you want more of a choice of baked goods to go with your coffee or tea, Big Bear Bakery is a few doors up and has a mouthwatering selection of freshly baked cakes and sweet treats. And if you want a drink, Sparkle Horse, a pub that has stood the test of time, is right across the road.
It’s nice to see a new addition to this end of Patrick, and although I’ve not yet found my life affirming sandwich, I think it may give Ross Gellar something to shout about.
11-13 Dowanhill St, Partick, Glasgow G11 5QS
