“Slow smoked grub” served from a “custom built railway cabin”? Sure, why not? I tagged along to a menu tasting at Brick Lane’s Caboose. Hosted by Warburtons – the UK’s leading independent baker – the event also provided an opportunity to have a taste of Caboose’s limited run Thinwich, a smoked chicken sandwich made with Warburtons’ Thins.
I liked eating at Caboose, the custom built cabin has a cosy dining area, and the fellas behind the food – three school chums keen to bring a “refreshing British take on the American tradition of smoked food” – were friendly chaps, and (of course most importantly) the food was actually good. Of particular note were Caboose’s range of signature slow smoked burgers (all served with maple slaw, white bean salad and roast garlic mash):
- The Fat Controller, ten-hour pulled pork belly, smoked over fruit wood with oak lettuce, homemade BBQ sauce, pickles and smoked Cheddar;
- The 3:10 to Yuma, 12-hour shredded flat rib of beef smoked over hickory wood chips with oak lettuce, pickle, onion, BBQ sauce and blue cheese sauce; and
- The Derailer, a mix of ten-hour pulled pork belly and 12-hour shredded flat rib of beef with house pickles, hot sauce and smoked Cheddar.
For the tasting I attended, the star of the show was the Thinwich, a chicken sandwich designed to be big on flavour but low on calories. The sandwich featured Warburtons Sandwich Thins (100 calories per Thin) chocked full of four‐hour fruit wood smoked chicken, tossed in a homemade salsa verde made of capers, anchovy, parsley, basil, mint, English mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil, and topped with charred celeriac, red onions and oak lettuce.
I must admit, I really enjoyed sampling Caboose’s Thinwich. The chicken was flavoursome and I thought the combo of condiments and toppings were interesting and delicious. Warburtons’ Thins are pretty tasty and super convenient for making quick sandwiches and snacks – and in the case of the Thinwich provide a handy dandy means for downing a great tasting sarnie. As I mentioned before in a post about Warburtons’ Sandwich Thins, I’m a bit bummed to see dextrose listed as an ingredient though, as it’s something I actually try to limit in my diet. In a pinch or a rush though, the thins and wraps would admittedly really come in handy.
The Thinwich is available until the end of the month for £4 and includes a salad box.
Caboose is located behind the Old Truman Brewery in Ely’s Yard off Brick Lane, E1 6QL.
Find out more at wearecaboose.com.
