Meet the meat sandwich gracing foodies’ Instagram feeds in Japan right now. 

If you were to think of a sandwich in Japan, images of soft white bread slices and maybe even fruit and cream might come to mind. While these types of sandwiches certainly are popular here, they aren’t the only types available, because over in Kitazawa, home to the trendy Shimokitazawa neighbourhood, there’s a very different breed of sandwich currently taking the crowds by storm.

▼ You’ll need to head over to Shimo-Kitazawa Station to find Stabler, the store that sells them.

Stabler is a short walk from the station, and it’s the talk of the town amongst foodies at the moment, due to its massive meat sandwiches.

There are a number of different options to choose from, but the one that’s gracing a lot of Instagram accounts right now is the Shimokitazawa Meat Sandwich, sold as either a “single”, with 150 grams (5.3 ounces) of meat for 1,350 yen (US$10.25), or a double, which contains 300 grams of meat for 1,850 yen.

Our reporter Mr Sato chose the double and opted for takeout so he could take advantage of the 100 yen discount. Taking it to a nearby park for eating, Mr Sato sat down to unwrap the beast and admire it in all its glory.

▼ “Bow down and worship me as your meat god!”

Mr Sato felt unworthy to be in the presence of such a sandwich. It certainly made a great first impression with its massive meat centre, and there was no skimping on the fillings here — there was so much of it, in fact, that it was difficult to see the bread that sandwiched it all together.

According to the store, they use a rare cut of beef called “sagari” (hanging tender) for the sandwich, and it’s cooked medium rare to impart maximum flavour and tenderness.

So how did it taste? Well, in a word…fabulous. The meat was incredibly tender, juicy, and so flavourful that it needed nothing other than the mustard and chives it had been paired with. The bite-sized chunks of meat were the perfect size for chewing, and the slices of bread were thick enough to mop up the meat and mustard, creating mouthfuls of moreish flavour.

Despite the large serving, Mr Sato reckons he could’ve gone a triple if they had one, it was that delicious. It was top quality, and definitely worth the slightly high price tag, because hot and huge sandwiches like this are a rare find in Japan.

So next time you’re wandering through the streets of Shimokitazawa looking for a place to eat, you might want to stop by Stabler for one of their epic meat sandwiches. And if you have room for dessert, don’t forget to check out the Studio Ghibli Totoro desserts at Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory nearby!

Store Information
Stabler / ステイブラー
Address: Tokyo-to, Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa 2-12-15
東京都世田谷区北沢2丁目12-15
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Website

Images: ©SoraNews24
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