More lunchtime options with this new gourmet sandwich joint in the CBD
Lunch in the CBD just got a lot more interesting with the arrival of cool new sandwich joint, Park Bench Deli (aka PBD). Helmed by chef Ming Tan of Lolla, chef Andrei Soen of The Cajun Kings, and management guru Aamir Ghani, this Telok Ayer outlet offers elevated renditions of the humble sandwich.
The space consists of an open kitchen and a counter, with a small standing bar on the side. It really isn’t much, but for a takeaway spot, it works. The larger-than-life menu’s plastered on the wall, displaying a tight curation of options: five sandwiches, two breakfast items, and five sides. We would have loved to try the cheese steak sandwich ($16, sliced beef with sautéed onions and molten cheese sauce #yum), but alas, it was already sold out for the day when we got there. So, pro tip: get to PBD early if you want this baby.
Instead, we ordered the fried chicken sandwich ($14) and the kong bak banh mi ($14). The former comes with a massive slab of Southern-style fried chicken, corn and cabbage slaw, and Russian dressing and is absolutely value-for-money (sinful, too), while the former features super tender, melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly with pickled carrots and daikon, peanuts, and cilantro. Both creations were lip-smackingly good, and tasted even better with Sriracha sauce.
If you’re feeling extra hungry, get the potato salad ($6, comes with bacon bits) or the creamy spinach dip ($4.50) – great if you’ve got some crackers or bread to spare back in the office/home.
Park Bench Deli, 179 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068627. Open Mon-Fri 9am-3pm.