This must-try Bowen Hills singer will get your mouth watering and talking

When we launched Sandwich Watch last month – a column dedicated to the Brisbane singers you need to know about – reader recommendations came thick and fast Brisbane Times’ social media channels.

And one name came up more than a few times: Supernice.

Never heard of it? That’s okay, because we hardly knew about it either. But us had to try these sandwiches, apparently.

Well, it took a few visits to sift through this little Bowen Hill shop’s menu of focaccias and sourdough toasties, but we finally agreed that, yes, Supernice does make some very good sandwiches – and there is one in particular those you absolutely must check out.

But first about Supernice

Supernice is the creation of chef Dalip Singh and his partner, barista Sherman Yeung. Hidden in a backstreet of Bowen Hills, this was a post-pandemic project for the couple.

“I have been a chef for almost 12 years now,” says Singh. “Before this I worked at Tattersall’s Club in the city… we were always going to open something but then it got scary with the pandemic so we thought, ‘Okay, you’ve got to find a balance where it’s not huge because the business becoming increasingly larger. so difficult’.

“So we decided to start a small café that focuses on the things we like.”

Singh and Yeung did a lot of research, traveling mainly to Melbourne just as that city’s sandwich craze was kicking into high gear.

“We do things we like to eat, so our menu isn’t huge,” says Singh. “We wanted to keep it simple and make sure everything was of good quality.”

Supernice sandwiches are toasted sourdough or lightly toasted focaccia. There’s a Reuben made with Wagyu pastrami that’s extremely popular, and the Mortadella and Tuna Melt are both great (especially the latter, with the precise application of dill and chives).

Still, for our money, it’s the bologna on focaccia that earns your stomach space.

Bologna sandwich from Supernice

This is one of those singers that looks straight out of the box.

Singh lightly toasts his Danny’s Bread focaccia on the inside once it’s sliced, then throws in about 90 grams of high-quality mortadella from Salumi Australia, the same amount of sticky stracciatella from Mansfield’s Casa Motta, and a generous amount of ground pistachio, making the sandwich arises. a nice color accent. (“I was thinking artichoke or something,” says Singh, “but (Yeung) suggested pistachio would be a great fit.”) The final touch is a drizzle of Bee One Third honey.

It’s a lesson in delicious restraint (which can be surprisingly rare in Brisbane’s current sandwich arms race). The focaccia remains soft on the outside, avoiding wounds in the mouth, with much of the texture carried by the crunch of the pistachio. The mortadella is not greasy or greasy, but has a mild saltiness that is offset by the milky silkiness of the stracciatella. Singh thinks he can’t find better local honey than Bee One Third; it’s a smart addition, both in mouthfeel and mild sweetness.

“I’ve seen places that make focaccia, fill it, wrap it and put it in the refrigerator. It will never be the same as when it is freshly prepared, because you can ensure that everything is at the right temperature.”

Co-owner of Supernice, Dalip Singh

According to Singh, it’s all about a few simple quality ingredients prepared with care.

“Danny’s Bread makes such good focaccia, but I drizzle the inside with oil and toast it because you want to bring it back to life,” he says.

“I’ve seen places that make focaccia, fill it, wrap it and put it in the refrigerator. It will never be the same as when it is freshly prepared, because you can also ensure that everything is at the right temperature. The mortadella: you don’t want it hot, you don’t want it cold. The same goes for the stracciatella.”

In short, the bologna is what happens when an experienced chef turns his hand to something as simple as this: a well-thought-out, absolutely delicious sandwich where the last bite is just as brilliant as the first.

No wonder Supernice has started shifting more and more focaccia since it was first introduced to the menu 12 months ago.

“I am very happy with the balance of customers,” says Singh. “They are also happy to try different things, which has been great.”

Where can you get one

Supernice’s bologna sandwich costs $16.50. You can get one at 4/37 Mayne Road in Bowen Hills (turn the corner and you’ll find the shopfront on Edgar Street, which is little more than a laneway).

It is open Monday to Friday from 5:30 AM to 2:00 PM and on Saturday from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. In addition to sandwiches, it serves matcha, coffee from Coffee Supreme and thick, freshly baked cookies.

This is the latest installment of Sandwich Watch, a column dedicated to the Brisbane sandwiches you need to know about.