The latest stop on my quest to find the perfect sandwich is Mordi’s Sandwich Shop in Jersey City.
Located in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood, the popular Israeli street-food truck opened a brick and mortar shop in 2018. The truck continues to operate and regularly posts its locations on its Facebook and Twitter.
Mordi’s specialty is crispy, lightly fried chicken schnitzel but it also serves up other Mediterranean staples like shawarma and pita sandwiches. Inside, Mordi’s is bright and cozy with a couple bar areas to sit and eat. But with restaurants forced to close their dining rooms to the public due to the coronavirus crisis, I ordered the sandwiches for delivery.
At first, I was hesitant to order hot sandwiches for delivery because a soggy sandwich wouldn’t be a fair review. But I decided to fully embrace the schnitzel and ordered the Italiano Sub, the Sloppy Jeff, and the Breakfast Schnitzel.
First, I tried the Breakfast Schnitzel. It features chicken schnitzel, cheddar cheese, bacon, fried egg, tomatoes, ketchup and garlic lemon aioli on a challah roll. Let’s start by saying that my delivery was quick and nothing was too soggy. I was also concerned that with all of the condiments and ingredients on the sandwich, it would be a wet mess. But I was wrong again. This was one of the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve had. Move over Taylor Ham, the Breakfast Schnitzel from Mordi’s should be a new go-to. The challah was soft and airy while the chicken—essentially a fried chicken cutlet—was crispy and seasoned well. The combination of bacon and cheese with the ketchup and lemon garlic aioli gave the sandwich a pleasant sweet and salty punch without overpowering it.
Breakfast Schnitzel:
Bread: 4/5
Filling: 4/5
Toppings: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Next I had the Sloppy Jeff, which features chicken schnitzel, oven-roasted pulled pork, barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, pickles, sumac-pickled red onions and vinegar coleslaw on a challah roll. This sandwich was a little wet, but it was bound to happen. No matter; it was still delicious. The pulled pork took away some of the crispiness of the schnitzel but it was juicy and salty with the sauce giving it a slight tang. The pickled onions and coleslaw had a cool, refreshing crunch that was necessary with all the meat.
Sloppy Jeff:
Bread: 4/5
Filling: 3.5/5
Toppings: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Finally, I tried the Italiano Sub with chicken schnitzel, baby romaine, cherry tomatoes, sumac pickled red onions, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and pesto aioli on a sub roll. This was a very solid sandwich. While the sub roll was decent but nothing special, the schnitzel on the Italiano was light and crispy. The romaine, tomatoes, mozzarella and roasted red peppers all tasted fresh and crisp, and the pesto aioli gave the sandwich a needed complementary zest.
Italiano Sub:
Bread: 3/5
Filling: 4/5
Toppings: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5
After fully embracing the schnitzel, I was not disappointed. Despite the slight sogginess of the Sloppy Jeff, I still enjoyed all of these sandwiches. The schnitzel was light and crispy, all of the condiments and toppings were complementary and nothing overpowered the sandwich. Everything was seasoned well, without being overwhelming in any way. The sandwiches tasted cohesive, deliberate and fresh. The bread wasn’t mind blowing, but it was still very solid. During these difficult times, it’s important to support your local businesses as much as you can. Remember to stay safe, social distance, wash your hands and eat a sandwich.
Overall Between Two Slices Score: 3.75/5
Mordi’s Sandwich Shop, 320 Communipaw Avenue, Jersey City; 551-697-4805. Open daily. Currently open for take out and delivery until 8pm.