As far as Amy’s Bread is concerned, I was one of the uninitiated until recently. In Manhattan for a conference at the Marriott Marquis a few blocks away from the original Hell’s Kitchen location of Amy’s Bread, I stumbled on to this wonderful little place while trying to warm my bones with some coffee before a lunch reservation around the corner at Sushi of Gari 46. Amy’s Bread is located on 9th Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets. For me, it was a lucky find. A friend of mine keeps telling me to go to Serendipity, because she loves the desserts there. So far, I have resisted that suggestion, because I have other gastronomic priorities. Moreover, I prefer finding my own serendipitous experiences like this one, because I know my gastronomic priorities better than she.
I got to Sushi of Gari 46 a bit early for my noon lunch reservation. I had about thirty minutes to kill. It was a blustery, frigid day in Manhattan that Friday. I looked around for a place–a place that wasn’t a Starbucks or a Dunkin’ Donuts– to have coffee or tea to warm my bones. I walked west toward 9th Ave. along 46th. I looked uptown. I looked downtown. I metaphorically flipped a coin and walked uptown. Then, I found the inviting storefront of Amy’s Bread and their similarly inviting chalkboard out front.
The Hell's Kitchen location of Amy's Bread
I initially passed Amy’s Bread and walked further uptown to see what other options were nearby, but I fully planned to come back to Amy’s Bread if nothing else seemed as promising. As expected, nothing did. Then, I turned around and headed to Amy’s Bread. I saw on the chalkboard an invitation to passersby. The lovely people at Amy’s Bread were warmly inviting us in for a little soup or a cup of coffee to warm our bones on that painfully cold day in Manhattan. I took them up on their kind offer. How could I refuse when they put it like that?
I entered to find the store packed, presumably with locals who frequent the place. One look at the bounty of baked goods is enough to explain. A couple of display cases show off their wonderful pastries, breads, cupcakes, cakes, cookies, scones, and sandwiches. On top of one of their display cases is an impressive array of little sandwiches on their artisanal bread. Too many to list here, a visit to the online menu of Amy’s Bread will show a great variety of sandwiches that belies the tiny size of this New York-small store. As I had lunch reservations, I could only choose a little tiny sandwich to try while I drank my coffee. I thought a little baguette and cheese would do as an appetizer before going around the corner for an omakase at Sushi of Gari 46. I chose the Mini Brie Sandwich.
The Mini Brie. For Mini Me?
Amy’s Bread describes the Mini Brie as being done on a baguettine roll with tomato and a light vinaigrette. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed that the Mini Brie wasn’t a mini-something else. Brie is fine, but I think that there could have been something more fun. In any case, cheese and tomato just works. So did this sandwich, especially with that light vinaigrette, I assume. I say that because there was a little something there beyond just bread, tomato, and brie. I only notice in retrospect that it was there. The roll was soft. It was firm, a bit chewy, but it wasn’t uncomfortably so. It was just firm enough to be an appropriate vessel or handle for the brie and tomato slices.
My coffee was served in a paper cup. They asked me if I would like to have some cream in it. I asked for half-and-half. I sweetened it myself with a bit of Splenda. It was just the thing non-corporate-chain I was looking for to warm my bones. The sandwich and the coffee were a wonderful, unexpected prelude to a wonderful meal at Sushi of Gari 46. Serendipity indeed.
If I lived in the area, I could see myself seeking out Amy’s Bread on a fairly regular basis for a coffee and a little sandwich. I’m sure that the next time I’m at the Marriott Marquis for a conference, I’ll be visiting Amy’s Bread for more coffee and little sandwiches. It’s a surprising little find around the corner from the tourist trap Restaurant Row where the seemingly most notable place is Sushi of Gari 46. If you’re in the area, give Amy’s Bread a try. Skip the Starbucks. Support the little, local guy–or girl. http://www.amysbread.com/
