Single Origin - CBD

Single Origin, or "Single O" for short is one of Sydney's leaders in making the most out of the humble coffee bean. Nestled among many other quick lunch fixes along York St is the bite sized spot where you can satisfy your caffeine addiction and grab something to eat on the go.

The Reuben is listed under the N.L.T (Next Level Toasties) list, at $14, and is simply listed as: smoked wagyu, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, green salad. The lack of gherkin was a bit upsetting but the green side salad partially made up for it. The bread was king even though it was a sourdough and not rye, with the perfect balance of crunch on the outside and soft in the middle. The wagyu was good, but paled in comparison to 2042's (in Newtown) smoked wagyu and felt more like a deli pastrami style. There also needed to be more of it to really beef up the filling (pardon the pun), and the same goes for the kraut and cheese. The upside of this was that it didn't leave me with reuben regret, which is often experienced after devouring a more sizeable counterpart. The dressing was nowhere to found and seeing as it wasn't listed as an ingredient on the menu board it probably has never made an appearance.

This reuben was not designed to be a monster, but a simple lunch solution. The lack of gherkin and dressing really let this down, but the bread was spot on.

7.5/10

Website: Single Origin Roasters

Naked Duck

Dropped right in the middle of tourist strip of the Darling Quarter and tucked behind the IMAX, quacks the Naked Duck. Predominately a lunchtime business crowd busies this cafe, as a fast and healthy option in between a day at the office. I was unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on your perspective) to visit during Darling Harbour's "Month of Love", where PDAs are encouraged and a sea of hearts and bright lights assault the senses even during the daylight hours.

The reuben is not on the permanent menu, but graces the "specials" board. Although how "special" this selection of treats is, is yet to be determined as it has seemingly remained the same for at least the past year with the reuben being one of the contenders. Greatness was not expected, mainly due to the fast in-and-out nature of the cafe and it leaning more towards a sandwich haven than anything else - not that there's anything wrong with that. I selected the take away option with no rosemary fries, which dropped the price by one dollar and saw me leaving the cafe with a neat styrofoam take away package in hand.



The specials board promised braised corned beef with sauerkraut and swiss on rye sourdough and that's (almost) exactly what was delivered. The braised corned beef had a slight deli ham taste and feel to it and the rest of the ingredients were something that your mum could whip up for you in a jiffy after soccer practice. The beauty in the sandwich was not in the end product, but how it was made in the hustle bustle of the cafe prep area. As I watched a number of other sandwich orders being placed, the method of constructing the sandwich is something I have not yet witnessed anywhere else. The filling of the sandwiches were meticulously stacked on top of each other on the large cutting board and lined up in a row, eagerly awaiting the separately toasted bread. For better or worse, the fresh sandwich ingredients were then swooped up by the toasted bread and delivered to their owner. The filling stayed fresh but the cheese suffered a lack of melt-age, but it was worth it just to witness a host of naked sandwich fillings lined up neatly in a row.

Come for a quick bite - the salads and roast meat looked a lot more delicious than the sandwiches and seemed to be the order of the locals.

7.5/10

Website: The Naked Duck

1 Abercrombie Lane - Cafe Bakery

Tucked away in a little alley you've probably walked past a million times but never ventured down is 1 Abercrombie Lane Cafe Bakery, aptly named after its street address. Whilst surprised at myself for never having even recollected that this alley existed, I was more surprised by the busy lunchtime crowd at the cafe. There are a couple of small tables in the alleyway and a few inside as well, but takeaway seemed the better option as to avoid having to knock elbows with the person next to me. Taking my order was a bit like Abbott & Costello's "Who's on first" skit - English was not the strong point of the guy taking my order, but we get there in the end.                                                                                                               After an unusually long wait I was almost certain they'd forgotten about me, but nevertheless the Reuben ($13) came out in a brown paper bag with a fish-n'-chip-esque styrofoam container within. I ordered it toasted, and although the cheese half melted, the bread was still as fluffy as ever. It worked. The ingredients all came together to form soft and juicy mouthfuls and I almost forgot about it lacking any type of crunch that you'd get from a toasted version. The meat was a generous serving and dominated the sandwich but a bigger helping of sauerkraut couldn't have hurt. It was less saucy than other ones I've had but in a good way. It didn't turn into a soggy mess, with an appropriate sized smearing of mustard to provide the essential condiment and tang to compliment the sauerkraut's edge.                                                                                                                      Get it take away and find a grassy spot to sit and enjoy it. 

         8.5/10

                                                                                      No website - facebook page found here: 1 Abercrombie Lane

Palomino Espresso

A stone's throw away from Loaf & Devotion is Palomino Espresso, a gem of a city cafe. The coffee is excellent and it gets busy during lunchtime, mostly for takeaways. This was my second attempt of securing a reuben from their window (the last one too!); their sandwiches are premade daily and once they're gone you miss out. I decided to carry the fun brown paper bag down to the harbour to enjoy the breeze and sun, definitely a good choice.

The reuben delivered and at $9.50 I'll be coming back again. Given the option between fresh and toasted, toasted was recommended as the better option so who was I to argue. Oozy cheese and house made sauerkraut sandwiched the corned beef, which almost needed the juices from the other ingredients. The sauerkraut was leaning away from the eastern european style to a more hipster variety which delivered an added tang, but didn't sway too far from traditional that it fundamentally changed the sandwich. Thin slices of gherkin and mustard weren't forgotten and the bread was just the right amount of soft - not too fluffy but not o.t.t. sourdough chewy.

The wording on the paper bag sums up the delish choices of food items (Reuben included): "Get In Ma Belly".

8.5/10

Website currently down, facebook page found here: Palomino Espresso

Sourdough Panini Bakery & Cafe

My hopes were high, standing outside the Sourdough Panini Bakery & Cafe with a crowd of other city workers at lunchtime. You order at the hole in the wall, receive a number and then wait to collect at the same hole when your number is called out. The Reuben came under the "Sourdough" category rather than the "Panini" category but really just felt like a baguette with a fancy title.

The ingredients were true to the menu list: shaved corned beef, provolone cheese, sauerkraut and russian dressing. The sauerkraut was far from the Eastern European style and was leaning more towards the inner west pickled fermented food movement. As fresh as the bread was, a baguette has no place holding a Reuben filling in my mind. The best part of the Reuben was the view, I settled in at Darling Harbour in the sunshine and was glad I didn't spend more than $10.






















The photo speaks for itself and captures the one word that best describes it: underwhelming. 

5/10

No website, facebook page here: Sourdough Panini Bakery & Cafe

Marketa Espresso

I discovered this gem thanks to a work colleague who had spied this reuben on the commute to and from the office. It's a cafe located in Town Hall Square -  coming from Kent St towards the station go up the escalators and it will be on your left. It's a no-nonsense cafe with a bit more gourmet oomph than you'd normally expect from something in the underground labyrinth that extends in all directions from Town Hall Station. I was impressed that the fresh selection of sandwiches and would definitely recommend this for a grab and go I'm-hungry-right-now solution.

The sandwich prices reflect the take away style cafe operation, the reuben was set at a delicious price of $8. The meat was one of the better cuts from reuebn offerings so far, the fresh tasting rare roast beef was so good I wanted more. I ordered it toasted but I imagine it would have been equally as enticing untoasted. I'll forgive the use of coleslaw for the great tasting rare roast beef, with the cheese and dressing coming together very nicely

Great for a simple sandwich solution at lunch time.

7.5/10

No website, but facebook page: Marketa Espresso

Swine & Co

Be prepared to be full - very very full. OK so in the photo it doesn't look that big, but make no mistake and come in no other state then very hungry.

Swine & Co is the meat lovers dream with many animals served in many delicious ways within this bar and restaurant hybrid. The service for the seated patrons appeared quite timely however I was left standing at the bar for more than an acceptable amount of time before I could get anyone's attention (Swine & Co have a take away deli style option for an on-the-go sandwich fix at prices well below the sit down menu which you order at the bar). For $9, five day cured wagyu brisket from the oven was the star of the show. One bite was enough to know this would be one of the most satisfying reubens to date. And by satisfying I also mean slightly on the food coma side - the meat was just so juicy and filling that I could feel the top button of my pants complaining.

I struggle to fault this, the only thing that I'd change is having thinner bread. The slices were so thick, that with all the yummy filling it was a struggle to finish. The best part (besides the juicy meat and being a sauerkraut lover), was the authentic eastern european style sauerkraut with caraway seeds.

The best value reuben so far. Come hungry.

9/10

Website: Swine & Co

Loaf and Devotion

Nestled among the many lunchtime food options on York St is a simple café devoted to creating a delicious combination of ingredients between two fresh slices of bread. I must confess this has regularly been my go-to for a weekday lunch working nearby in the city. I’ve had many menu and also make your adventure sandwiches here, or at times just letting the guys behind the counter make me something delicious of their choosing. Although takeaway is probably more popular there’s enough tables to enjoy yourself sitting inside as well.

Now to the Reuben, technically it’s the “not-a-Reuben”, offered at $9.50. The menu board lists the following ingredients: corned beef, swiss (cheese), pickle and mustard – and that’s exactly what you get. It’s a good option for grabbing a bite on the go but I wouldn’t cross the city for it, mainly because it’s lacking sauerkraut and comes on white (albeit soft and fresh) bread. The missing constituents of a traditional Reuben give credence to the not-a-Reuben title but it is stretching the Reuben bow just a bit too far to score any higher. 

You’ll come for the (not-the) Reuben, but you’ll return to try the other delicious options.  

6.5/10

Currently only a Facebook page, no website: Loaf and Devotion

Naked Espresso

Food courts divide even the closest of friends. You either can handle being in the throng of people at lunchtime, bumping elbows into passers by while you do yet another lap to survey the offerings, or you can't. I for one enjoy the lucky dip, the unknown of what may be hidden in the furthest corner and the satisfaction of coming across a gem. Enter Naked Espresso. In among the food outlets in the circular Australia Square food court just tucked off George St is Naked Espresso, not to be confused with the Newtown cafe that once had the same name but has since turned into a 100% vegan restaurant. An open plaza spills out from the food court, but getting a spot is like a game of musical chairs so I find myself sitting on the edge of the fountain which appears to be a popular secondary seating choice.

The hot meat really makes this sandwich feel quite hearty, the Wagyu salted beef was a winner and oh so juicy. Add swiss cheese, homemade dill pickles, mustard mayo and sauerkraut into the mix all in between two very soft slices of rye and you're onto a winner. The sandwich isn't toasted but the hot meat adds a dimension in which toasting isn't really needed.

A solid contender, it's generously stuffed and keeps me full.

8.5/10

No website, but the Australia Square site has general and location information.