Maison Mayci, Kings Heath, Birmingham. GCSE french and beef sausages

After sampling and enjoying the delights of Maison Mayci in Moseley I thought I should try out the original bad boy, i.e. the Kings Heath establishment of the same name on Poplar Road. Just like it's younger sibling it is a very nicely decorated and authentic feeling Frenchy cafe, this one extending the illusion even further when I was greeted by the owner, a real life French man! Anyway...once sitting comfortably on a table in the nice little courtyard, I scanned down the menu, my eye immediately caught by the 'merguez' sandwich, which the description informed me was spicy beef sausage (called merguez) with roasted vegetable and Dijon mustard. TRES BIEN...a delightful sandwich...the merguez sausage was, as advertised, slightly spicy and very delicious, perfectly complemented by the roasted vegetables which were really soft, sweet and slightly oily, just as they should be. The hint of mustard topping the sandwich off. The side salad with new potatoes which comes with every sandwich is always a winner and makes this not only a very satisfying lunch but also a bit of a bargain at £3.90. C'est fantastique!

New York Deli, Manchester. California,New York......via Manchester

New York Deli is a really nice little sandwich place at the top of the oxford road in Manchester. They have a wide selection of classic fillings and a daily roast which varies between beef, lamb and pork with a selection of breads and rolls available. I went with the daily special which was Californian cheese steak. This delightful little number consisted of rump steak (which was fried up in front of me), mozzarella, sweet pickle, grilled onions and homemade coleslaw in a toasted ciabatta. The picture doesn't do it justice as this sandwich was a blooming treat. The steak was superbly cooked, all the ingredients complementing it perfectly; creamy mozzarella, soft onions, really nice coleslaw and the sweet pickle with a welcome little tang. Very nice, and only 3.95, not bad.

Taylor Made, Northwood, London

Taylor Made is a little family run takeaway sandwich shop on Northwood high street in N.W. London. They have a good menu of no thrills classic sandwiches, I went for their chicken and avocado on thick white bloomer style bread. Not a bad sandwich, could have done with a bit of salad but for 3 quid it's not too bad. A nice simple sandwich and the bread was good, soft with a nice thick crust.

Hartenkass, Amsterdam, Part 2- Curry sauce?

This place is so good I thought I'd tell you about another one of their many sandwiches. This time it's the Ajax '04, just as ambiguous a name as the NR.19, it consists of brie, lamb, pancetta, tomato, pine nut, and the menu says guacamole, but mine came with curry sauce (not sure if that was a mistake, but their curry sauce is amazing, don't think chip shop curry sauce, its actually really good), on brown bread, covered in poppy seeds. This is a really good sandwich, the creamy brie and salty pancetta go particularly well together, and the thinly sliced lamb is an interesting element and works well, I would imagine guacamole would be a good touch, but the curry sauce worked well too, and the pine nuts are an ever welcome top off...another great sandwich from Hartenkass!

http://www.hartenkaas.nl/

Singel 404, Amsterdam....OOOOHHHHHHH its good

Singel 404...now this is a sandwich shop and a half..and another half..and another other half.. you get the idea, I like this place..A LOT. It's a fantastic little cafe on the Single canal, Amsterdam. On a sunny day it's nice to sit outside, but tables are few and its always busy so getting there early is always advised. If you do have to wait, DO IT, it will be worth it!

Right, to the sandwiches, they are all amazing but I’m just going to mention a couple, its a tough choice but my favourites are the grilled chicken, avocado, tomato, cucumber and basil yoghurt sauce and the 'single club', which consists of chicken, bacon, old (mature) cheese and the extra slice of bread in the middle. The grilled chicken is particularly good, like most of their sandwiches it is served open; two ridiculously thick slices of bread with an enormous pile of chicken and avocado. It has to be tackled with a knife and fork, trying to turn it into a conventional sandwich would be near impossible! The chicken is the true star of this sandwich, grilled to perfection, ever so slightly crispy on the edge, it combines with the avocado and the sauce for a delightful texture. All in all an incredible sandwich.

The 'Single club' is also a treat, with sticks impaling through the layers of bread-filling-bread-filling-bread, holding the sandwich together. Luckily the bread is relatively thinly sliced and toasted which adds a nice crunch along with the crispy bacon juxtaposed with the soft chicken and cheese. Other greats include the salmon, avocado and cream cheese and the melted goats cheese and smoked chicken. All the open sandwiches are around the 6 euro mark and the clubs around 6.75, well worth every penny. GO THERE

Maison Mayci, Moseley, Birmingham. Bonjour!

Maison Mayci is a lovely little cafe which has recently joined Moseley high street. It is the sister establishment of the cafe on Poplar road in Kings Heath, always a favourite for those partial to a little bit of Frenchy. You're greeted by huge loaves of delicious looking bread stacked up in the window and a counter full of cakes and pastries, which make this place feel like an authentic Parisian cafe...almost, the brummie accent of the friendly waitress reminds you where you are, but we're not here for the French waitresses, we're here for the food...

The menu has many temping French inspired sandwiches, soups, and quiches all at reasonable prices, most under a fiver. Naturally I went for a sandwich, I was drawn to the croque monsieur, such a simple sandwich but done well can be a treat, the menu told me this one had crème fraiche in it which I thought would be a winner, unfortunately so had many others that day and so I was informed by said waitress that it was sold out! Not entirely sure how a cafe can sell out of cheese, ham and crème fraiche, but never mind, onwards and upwards, I opted for the chicken marinated in spinach and mustard sandwich. What a treat...all negative thoughts regarding the lack of croque monsieur vanished as I sunk my teeth into the slightly toasted brown ciabatta-esque bread and then the sublimely creamy moist filling. All the sandwiches come with a little salad and a few new potatoes which really go down a treat and for 4.50 I think it's an absolute steal! Can't wait to try everything else on the menu, especially the elusive croque monsieur...

http://www.maisonmayci.co.uk