DISH OF THE WEEK: Celery Root Sandwich at HUNKY DORY

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

Hunky Dory has gotten a lot of attention lately for their sustainable practices. That is something I am very excited about. I’m the guy who walks around with his own coffee mug, re-fillable water bottle, sacks to buy food in bulk, and even my own take-out containers.

Sustainability is very important to me. I haven’t looked at a straw in a long while. Except in the delicious mocktail at Hunky Dory where the straw is washable and reusable.

One of the other things I’ve tried to do for the environment is eat less meat. I love burgers as much as the next omnivore, but I’vm aware that eating meat for every meal (or even every day) is not the best solution to help save the planet.

And so I appreciate that Hunky Dory, in addition to being mindful about food waste and water usage, also puts vegetables on a pedestal. And while there are a few additions of meat on the menu, I was immediately drawn to their celery root sandwich.

I couldn’t quite imagine how that would play out, but when the owner described it to me as a vegetarian play on the now ubiquitous pork katsu sandwich, I was immediately sold.

Just like the small Japanese sandwiches, this is a cutlet that is braised, breaded, fried, and sandwiched between two milky slices of grilled bread. Except here the pork is swapped out for a mound of soft, meaty, earthy celery root.

It actually has a much cleaner and lighter flavor than you would get from pork. But it has pops of flavor not just from the juicy celeriac base but also from tangy mustard, crispy cabbage slaw, and that buttery bread.

I’m adding this to my ever growing list of inventive vegetable dishes that are truly just as delicious as meat and are also going to help us save the world. Price: $9