[ad_1]
A Dunedin sandwich shop has been awarded the official right to boast the best toast in the country.
Hungry Hobos and his “good old-fashioned comfort food” won this year’s Toastie Grand Takeover of New Zealand, reigning over 80 other entries.
It was a combination of Bat out of Hell toast, made with meatloaf, and simple ingredients served with confidence that impressed them, judges of the competition led by McClure’s Pickles said.
Labeled a “jolly” meal, the sandwich features homemade meatloaf, creamy mashed potatoes, gravy, aged cheddar cheese and McClure’s sweet and spicy pickles, amidst ciabatta with herb butter.
Owner Romeo Dowling-Mitchell said the victory was exciting and promising.
“It’s good now that we have the bragging right … and we’ll probably bring in some business, which is a great thing.”
At first, he thought the call notifying him of the victory was a joke.
“It sounded like a friend of mine, but it became apparent pretty quickly from the information they gave me that it wasn’t a joke.”
Mr. Dowling-Mitchell spent some time “buzzing” alone while he waited to break the good news to his girlfriend, who was driving at the time.
The idea of Bat out of Hell was to create something different, while staying within the realms of something someone could “ambitiously” put together with leftovers, he said.
It seems he accomplished just that.
Head Judge Kerry Tyack said the combination was expected and a total surprise.
“The evaluation team felt that this was eaten as a toast that has not tried to be anything other than unapologetic.
“Simple, creamy, familiar, comforting and delicious in every bite of the way.”
Hungry Hobos, which opened two and a half years ago on George St, will receive a custom-made Toastie Takeover trophy that resembles a toasted sandwich for display, as well as a year’s supply of McClure pickles.
Dowling-Mitchell still hadn’t decided where to put the trophy, but he had some ideas, even in the store window.
The annual supply of pickles would save you thousands of dollars.
The contest criteria called for toasting a sandwich between two slices of bread and being able to eat it by hand.
It also needed to contain McClure’s cheese and pickles.
The South Island has taken the title two years in a row, with Joseph Walker and Hokitika Sandwich Company taking top honors in 2019.
