Savta Sandwich Shop
As I bite into the Sleazy sandwich at Savta in El Raval, it’s instantly clear that I am in the wrong physical state for this sandwich. To really appreciate it, I should either be hungover or actively drunk. Only then will the true beauty of this beast of a sandwich: carb-heavy, mayonnaise squirting out sloppily, pickles and tomatoes striking high notes of acidity – shine through. There are three kinds of meat! Pastrami, salami and bacon. And Gouda cheese. And caramelized onion. It’s a thing of excessive beauty. The kind of sandwich that would keep Marie Kondo up at night (which can only be a good thing).
Savta is an Israeli import, the name means grandmother in Hebrew. With two shops, one in Haifa and one in Tel Aviv. I once went to New York with an Israeli friend of mine, and she spent the whole trip telling me that there was a better version of whatever we were eating in Tel Aviv. The menu mixes up the best of the US and Israel. So there is a Philly Steak sandwich, burgers, and vegan sandwiches slathered in tahini and salsa verde, both of which can make styrofoam taste good.
The fried potatoes. Oh, the fried potatoes. They are cut horizontally into millimetre thick discs. Fried so there is crispy and yielding and accompanied by a homemade sauce in one of those paper cups that they serve coleslaw in, in the US. I couldn’t tell you what is in that sauce, but it made me want to keep going.
And because Savta seems to want to flex all its muscles, there are cookies. Three. I try the chocolate chip cookie and the Bomba (walnuts, almond butter, dates and pistachios). They are cracked at the corners – delicious.
The combination of calories, carbs, gluten and meat means I am the only person over the age of 25 (and over 30 and over 40) to be eating here. While I struggle, pleasurably, to reach the end of my sandwich, the table of young Frenchies behind us orders extra chicken nuggets.
There is plenty of outdoor seating appropriate for the times we live in, and Savta is far enough from the skateboarders of MACBA not to hear the clattering, but it’s close enough so you can still enjoy that vibe. Oh, and it’s next to Flax & Kale, so you can always nudge the non-believers over to them.
Savta Sandwich Shop*
Carrer dels Tallers 76,
08001 El Raval
www.ilovesavta.com
More Sandwiches on Foodie in Barcelona:
Boro Bar
Entrepanes DiazĀ
Little Fern CafeĀ
*I was invited to eat here. My views remain my own.
Let me just say again that you are a fabulous writer: your descriptions continue to entice and your advice and appraisals always seem balanced.
A general question: Are restaurants in Catalunya open for indoor dining? I’m here in the US south where rates are high enough we no longer eat indoors, but I see Spain has done a good job with vaccinations and their rates are low. How are things doing there for the restaurant business? Any resources welcomed–it’s hard to get updated or specific info. from here. I am so eager to visit (we are vaccinated) but don’t want to burden the city.
Thanks as always for your posts!
Hi Lorena,
Spain has from struggled with high covid infections from the beginning. Although things were difficult, to begin with, they have continued to open things up much more than in other places in Europe. Spain now has a good number of double vaccinated people, I think over 75%. And a lot of people have had Covid. So we find ourselves with quite a normal life, with the exception that everyone wears masks indoors.
There is a lot of travel in Europe right now. Flights and airports are full and numbers are staying constant. Italy is more strict than most places insisting on a vaccination certificate to dine indoors or even go in most places.
People eat in doors here though I still avoid it. Even though I have the Johnson’s vaccine.
Thanks so much for this update. More useful than most articles I’ve read! We are looking at 2022 now to get back to Barcelona. I’m so pleased Europe is (generally) faring better these days and the vaccination rates are very heartening.