I'd have sandwiches every day for lunch without fail when I was a kid. As a result, because I'd eaten so many, sandwiches have since lost their sense of appeal and I've tended to shy away from them as...
I'd have sandwiches
every day for lunch without fail when I was a kid. As a result, because I'd eaten so many, sandwiches have since lost
their sense of appeal and I've tended to shy away from them as a lunchtime
option. But then along came the narnie.
The narnie is Three
Williams' specialty. It's a naan sandwich that is served gua bao style; fluffy, soft naan bread folded over a handful of tasty, ingeniously constructed fillings. It's an innovative
creation that combines all the best of the humble naan bread and old faithful
lunchtime sandwich.
The naan acts
as the perfect base for the sandwich. It's robust enough to support the hefty
filling without falling apart, isn't too heavy or greasy, and is just the
right thickness. It's comparable in texture to a fluffy pita bread, only with more
of those trademark naan air bubbles.
There are a few different narnies on the menu at 3 Williams in Redfern, which change seasonally. On our
first visit I tried the Southern Fried Chicken narnie, and only few months
later visited again to find that this has been swapped for a Portuguese
Chicken version. As well as a well-rounded drinks list, other food items on the
all day menu include blueberry crumpets, a tantalising cherry ripe french toast
and maple bacon blini along with café classics like smashed peas on toast,
jamon bruschetta and mussel linguine.
Queues frequent the
minimalist, spacious café on weekends, which is located on Redfern's Elizabeth
Street among a row of large warehouse-style buildings.
Iced latte ($4.50) and Seasonal Soda ($6)
The seasonal soda on
our visit is a refreshing lime, mint and cinnamon concoction. An iced latte is
served in a tall glass with an aesthetic ombre coffee-milk colour.
Southern Fried Chicken Narnie ($16)
This narnie was
probably my favourite of all the narnies. Two majestical pieces of heavenly fried
chicken are stuffed inside the naan bread, along with curly coral lettuce,
pickled cucumber and bright orange chipotle mayo. Eating this narnie is a
wonderfully messy affair, and my dining companion ends up eating this with a
knife and fork while I tackle it with my hands. The chicken is fried to
perfection, with the perfect crunchy, bubbled batter and succulent meat. The
mayo, pickles and lettuce provide cool freshness and zing which counteract the
naughtiness of the chicken. The naan withstands the weight of the filling
really well.
Portuguese Chicken Narnie ($16)
The Portuguese
Chicken Narnie has a filling of grilled Portuguese chicken, coral lettuce, mayo
and beer battered Portuguese seasoned chips. This, too, is a winning narnie.
The chicken is so flavoursome and juicy, with a hint of char from the grill. Of course, the addition of beer battered chips inside the bread seems to make
everything that little bit tastier.
Mushroom Narnie ($15)
This is the messiest
narnie of them all, and it does not skimp on flavour. Piled inside the soft
naan are big, meaty pieces of roasted field mushroom and a tumble of shredded wombok,
coriander, toasted peanuts and water chestnuts. The mushroom is coated in a
sweet, punchy Asian glaze that is counteracted by the fresh, crunchy salad. We
can't manage to tackle this with our hands and end up eating it as a
deconstructed sandwich instead.
Poke Bowl ($22)
The poke bowl is
deceptively large and super delicious. It's an explosion of colour, with a
healthy rainbow of salmon sashimi, cubed cucumber, avocado, and pink-hued
pickled red cabbage on a bed of jet black rice. The soy and mirin dressing is fresh and vibrant.
The narnies are a
must-try at Three Williams, but don't stop there. The rest of the menu must be
sampled too, which is why I'll be returning back for sure.
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