SnackTime With Jen— A Hankering For Lunch, July 16th

On a hot summer Friday, I trekked down to Bleecker Street in the West Village hoping that the fancy folk had already left the City to go Down The Shore, Out East, Upstate or anywhere but Salt Hank’s. I knew it was a gamble braving the line in the heat, but I was dying to try this buzzy new sandwich spot. The shop doors fly open at 11:30am promptly and this mecca of roast beef only has twenty seats and a few stools so you need to be among the first 25 on line to ensure adequate seating for your feast. We barely made the starting lineup with our 11:05 arrival (yassssss) and I was thrilled with our chances of a quick wait and great eats.

Salt Hank’s is owned by the social media star and cookbook author Henry (Hank) Laporte. His posts have been going viral about his new shop and his killer creation. Hank’s only has two food items on the whole menu. You read that right. TWO. A spectacular looking French Dip that comes with a wide mouth cup of homemade jus for dipping and what they call “Fries,” but between you and me… they are really potato sticks.

So I ordered the Combo with the Sando/Fries to share and upped the ante by including a house specialty tangy Limeade and added a Saratoga Sparkling Water bonus.

This monster is nothing short of gigantic. Its base is a super crusty Frenchette baguette and the two halves are certainly adequate for a pair of hungry adults to share… which we did. The super thinly sliced prime rib is unbelievable! It’s topped with melted beyond recognition provolone cheese and a miraculous heaping of seven-hour caramelized onions that could seriously change your life. A thick swipe of roasted garlic horseradish aioli also enters the chat and this Dip is ready for consumption.

The jus was deliciously rich but I totally didn’t need it. The sandwich was gooey, sloppy and piping hot. The bread crunched in the best possible way. I was a fan after one hearty mouthful! The beef and cheese just melded together with the onions and aioli. The flavors of each component are just ridiculous making the totality of each bite utterly mindblowing. There is not one thing I would change about this sandwich. Nothing. Total slay. The tater sticks are a welcome side and the Limeade had a wonderful palate cleansing tartness that kept me wanting more of that savory sandwich sensation.

Salt Hank’s is not yet an institution, but it’s one of the best bites in all of NYC if not the country. Early adopters are already calling this French Dip the most incredible sandwich they’ve ever had. Personally I might need another few bites to be abbbbsolutely sure. (Wink.) Truthfully I have a Hankering to return already and it’s only been a few days! Jen’s Little Black Book just loves a restaurant that goes all in on their signature dish and Salt Hank’s executes theirs with prime rib perfection.

Everyone I know just loooves a little snack. Especially me.