The number one item on last year’s Time Out list was the porchetta sandwich at Porchetta. And it was well-deserving. Porchetta is a hole-in-the-wall spot that serves delicious pork sandwiches in the East Village.
The word porchetta refers to an Italian boneless pork roast. At Porchetta, they use the loin, the belly, and lots of savory seasonings. The sandwiches are huge, crispy, moist, fatty, hearty, and just amazing. It’s really an experience to eat one of them. And if you’re a pork fan, you absolutely should.
The version at Locanda Verde, which is Robert De Niro’s latest trendy Tribeca outing, is not nearly as successful. It’s buried much further down on Time Out’s list and left a lot to be desired. It reminded me of a pulled pork sandwich. It had lots of vinegar and salt and not much meat. And the meat that was there wasn’t very complex. No different textures or surprises.
I normally only eat half of Porchetta’s version and I’m full for hours. Here, I had half the sandwich, plus other dishes, and I had to stop at Whole Foods for some soup. It was cold out, leave me alone!
Would Locanda Verde’s porchetta sandwich make my Top 100 of the year? A very sad 5 out of 10probably indicates no. But, if you want to try a porchetta sandwich without the need for a soup supplement, head to the East Village to the sandwich’s namesake.
