New for the lunchtime rush: Sliced, a sandwich shop at Bay and Elm
By Bianca Puorto
The PB&J at Sliced (Image: Sliced)
Recently opened at Bay and Elm, Sliced is a new gourmet sandwich shop hoping to change the way Toronto views lunch.
“We’re looking to change the stigma that fast food is a bad thing,” says chef Nabil Zakaria, who owns Sliced along with his wife, Jordana Appugliesi, and mother-in-law, Mary Jo Appugliesi. The owners, instead, want to offer healthier choices that are just as fast.
Originally from Casa Blanca, Morocco, Zakaria lived in London, England, for 10 years, where he trained as a chef, before coming to Toronto. Many of Sliced’s signature dishes are inspired by his time there, such as the Brick Lane chicken (it’s named after a street in London that's packed with restaurants; $8.75) and the Cheddar and Pickle (“It’s our take on a classic English dish”; $6.75).
Other specialties include a fig and prosciutto sandwich ($8.75), a twist on the classic PB&J that features almond slivers and jam from local food sources ($5.75) and the Baci, which is comprised of Nutella and toasted crushed hazelnuts ($4.75).
“All our food is made fresh, in house, throughout the day and we buy local whenever we can,” says Zakaria.
Sliced also serves soups by Queen West favourite Ravi Soups.
The sandwich shop itself is a far cry from the hostel that originally occupied the space. A rough wooden bar, where customers can eat their lunch, runs the length of one side of the shop, while a glass display at the front presents assorted pastries to tempt clients. In the center is an island soup counter, which also houses jars of jams and spreads that one can purchase for home. Just behind that stand the fridges, filled with sandwiches, yogurts and juices ready to go. “We also make our own granola for the yogurt parfaits,” adds Zakaria.
The rest of the building is set to become a boutique hotel in the next year.
Sliced donates surplus food at the end of each day to Second Harvest, a charity organization that collects left over food for the hungry.
Sliced has plans to expand to other locations around the city and the owners are also expect to have a food truck up and running in the next three months.
Sliced, 650 Bay St., 416-971-4000
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