Foodletter Eats: Dan the Baker's Sandwiches & a Puerto Rican Food Truck
This week, we explore the new lunch offerings at Dan the Baker and enjoy Puerto Rican mofongo on the West Side.
Dan the Baker Moves Beyond Bread
By Andy Dehus
Dan the Baker, also known as Dan Riesenberger, is a guy who can keep a secret. For well over a year the James Beard-nominated baker has been quietly remodeling a sizable space next door to his previous retail counter, turning it into a stylish vessel for an expanded range of offerings that include premade sandwiches, gelato, an augmented coffee program and a curated selection of top-quality packaged goods.
With a surprising (and in this day and age, admirable) lack of hype or even leaks, Riesenberger unveiled his reimagined Dan the Baker early last month. Having visited recently, I can confidently say that it’s sure to draw a significantly expanded range of customers and test the parking supply of the quirky Ridge Street location.
Our visit began with a chance meetup with Riesenberger, during which he took Bethia and me on a kitchen tour and shared delectable nibbles of steak slices, house-smoked salmon and some Madrid-sourced, uniquely flavored potato chips that he was testing out. Riesenberger’s perfectionist streak was evident in all of it.
Which is to say that the attention to detail that’s long been a hallmark of his bread and pastry program is baked into every element of the prepared items menu. And as longtime customers of Riesenberger know, this exacting approach comes at a price.
One that is surprisingly reasonable. Both sandwich options, the Turkey Bacon and the Steak, come in at a mere $14. As a friend who works in Grandview Crossing noted excitedly, that undercuts the sandwiches in The Little Grand Market across the street by a couple of dollars.
Dan the Baker’s are very good. The Turkey Bacon—filled with sliced turkey, Nueske’s bacon, avocado, aged provolone, arugula and rosemary aioli—does the best thing anyone can do for a turkey sandwich by including enough great flavors to relegate the turkey to the textural back bench. It’s the first turkey sandwich that an avowed turkey hater like me could love, and I will genuinely go back just to order it.
By contrast, in its counterpart—the Steak sandwich—the savory beef flavor is happily front and center. Caramelized onions and a mildly spicy sauce accompany, and the arugula and bread lead it to vibe like a steak salad with all of its ratios rearranged for maximum enjoyment.
Both offerings deserve a special shoutout for their semolina “slab bread” exteriors. Riesenberger talked about how much time he spent on getting his sandwich bread right, not only to get the flavor he wanted, but to dial in the exterior crust and interior texture so that it felt satisfyingly substantial without being so dense as to squeeze out its contents. Mission accomplished.
Brisket cabbage knishes and a caesar salad with Faroe salmon also caught our eye, which will surely lead to a return trip soon. If you’ve tried them, please let us know in the comments!
Find It:
Dan The Baker
1028 Ridge Street, Grandview
614-928-9035
Hours: 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Thursday-Sunday
Mofongos, Empanadillas & More at Nuestro Sabor Boricua
By Andy Dehus
Puerto Rican food trucks seem to come and go so quickly that they almost always disappear before we can get to them, but Nuestro Sabor Boricua has steadfastly maintained its location on an unlovely strip of Georgesville Road for at least a couple of years. Time to take a look.
The truck’s menu breaks down into three broad categories: empanadillas, mofongos and comidas criollas. We ate from the first two.
Look at the picture of those empanadillas—printed labels! This truck has it together. The pastry’s exteriors were flaky and nicely fried, and the ground beef version burst with criollo seasoning and seared maillard. The chicken reminded me of a Mexican tinga.
Nuestro Sabor’s solid rendition of mofongo con camarones al ajillo stood up to my memories of enjoying it on the island, with the garlicky and porky plantain mash playing nicely with the buttery (but slightly overcooked) garlic shrimp.
Nuestro Sabor may not quite be peak Puerto Rican, but it’s a solid place for scratching the Boricua cuisine itch. If you’re curious about Puerto Rican food, or yearning for its flavors, this truck is definitely worth a shot.
Find It:
Nuestro Sabor Boricua
491 Georgesville Road, West Side
614-756-7674
Notes
Around the Columbus Food & Drink Scene
The Chapman’s Eat Market team announced on Wednesday that the restaurant plans to close for good in August after a 5-year run, sending shockwaves around the local dining scene. Chef-owner BJ Lieberman has not been quiet about the struggles of running a restaurant since the pandemic. With the restaurant’s 5-year lease coming to an end, he told Columbus Monthly he’s decided to wind down the German Village restaurant “as responsibly as possible." Grab a reservation while you still can.
Hark, bargain-seekers! West Olentangy Grocery Outlet is set to open at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 10, at 749 Bethel Road. The discount supermarket chain is known for offering overstocked and closeout products from name-brand suppliers. The Kitchn has a Grocery Outlet primer here.
I stopped by Dan the Baker recently myself and I'm in complete agreement that the turkey sandwich is outstanding. We also enjoyed the vegetarian breakfast burrito and marshmallow cornflake cookie. I was pleasantly surprised by the prices. I'll try the steak sandwich next time!
beyond excited to try dan’s new spot! and now i’m definitely ordering the turkey sandwich 🤙