Disclosure: I was invited by the owners for a complimentary tasting. Opinions are my own.
A new food court stall at Metrotown is trying to change the culture of mall food by making it better and more gourmet. Hailing from Alberta, newly opened Chachi’s is a Manhattan-style sandwich shop that serves sandwiches and salads, made with meat and cheese which are locally sourced. I was invited to Chachi’s for a menu tasting last week where I sampled a few of their popular items.
Locally Sourced, Comfort Food & Gluten-Free Options
Chachi’s menu of comfort foods includes gourmet breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, and sides like Mac N’ Cheese and chips. On their menu for dessert are fiasco gelato sammies which the owners are still working on with a local supplier. Chachi’s also takes pride in that they are the only food court stall in Metrotown that offers gluten-free options. You can also opt to build your own sandwich by choosing your bun, meat, cheese, veggies, spreads, and sides.
The gourmet sandwiches range between $8 – $11, breakfast sandwiches are $4.50 and salads are $8-$12. Prices seem to be on the higher end and perhaps more than the popular Meat & Bread. The owners have noted that the reason behind this is because of the high cost of fresh and real ingredients sourced locally. Each day, they receive fresh buns from a Langley bakery to ensure the best possible bun for a great sandwich.
Some of their other vendors include Spudniks for their chips, cookies from Cadeaux Bakery in Railtown.
What I Tried
My tasting menu included the following:
- Chachi’s Fountain Drink
- Hot Philly Sandwich
- Pork w/ Mac Sandwich
- Mac N’ Cheese
- Spicy Mac N’ Cheese with Capicollo
- Gluten-Free Arugula Salad
- Dill Pickle Chips
I tried two of their most popular, Hot Philly Sandwich and Pork w/ Mac Sandwich. Both sandwiches came in a box and pre-sliced in half.
One of the highlights was the bun which tasted very fresh and was not too hard. I would have to say that these buns are one of the best I have had in a gourmet sandwich, even better than the one from Meat and Bread.
The Hot Philly sandwich ($12) was outstanding. Made with rib steak, bell peppers, onion, jalapeno, provolone, garlic aioli and spicy mayo, this sandwich was the ultimate comfort food. The meat was wonderfully tender and the creamy melted cheese was a bit of heaven. I recommend this.
The Pork w/ Mac had tender pulled pork, sweet chili BBQ sauce, and topped with Mac N’ Cheese. I have never had a Mac N’ Cheese sandwich and this was quite delicious. Sweet, creamy and just scrumptious. This sandwich was particularly flavourful due to the sweet chili BBQ sauce.
The gluten-free arugula salad consisted of arugula, sundired tomato, artichoke, red onion, goat cheese, crema balsamic. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a miss for me. I thought the balsamic taste was too strong and just overwhelming but I did enjoy the lingering sweetness of the artichoke.
I tried their two most popular sides, a small Mac N’ Cheese ($4.50 small, $7.50 large) and Spicy Mac N’ Cheese with Capicollo ($5.50 small, $8.50 large). Bother were rich and creamy, but for a spicy kick and smoky flavour, go with the Spicy Mac N’ Cheese with Capicollo.
The dill chips offered at Chachi’s are kettle-cooked and not fried, hence healthier. I quite enjoy the crispy dill chips which had a nice though not overwhelming pickle taste.
I also had a mix of their two fountain drinks: Vanilla Bourbon Lemonade and Cherry Ice Tea. Although refreshing, I found the drinks to be too sweet. I would appreciate it more if the drink could have less sugar.
Expansion Plans
Chachi’s originated in Alberta where they have 9 locations in Calgary and 1 in Edmonton. The Metrotown food stall is their first foray into the BC market and they plans to open one at Pacific Centre in Downtown Vancouver and Tsawwassen Mills.
Overall Impression of Chachi’s Metrotown
All in all, I would agree that Chachi’s two most popular sandwiches, the Hot Philly and Pork W/ Mac are delicious. Add a bag of chips and a Mac N’ Cheese side and you’d have the perfect gourmet sandwich meal. Do recognize that prices are at a bit of premium due to the ingredients. You get what you pay for. Rating: 4/5
Website: www.chachis.ca
Instagram: www.instagram.com/chachissandwiches
[robo-gallery id=”9697″]