Alidoro Serves Up the Most Savage Salami Sandwich in Soho

Alidoro in Soho serves up the kind of hearty, meaty Italian subs you could mull over for an entire afternoon — or at least through an episode of Rick of Morty, which is what I did with my Pinocchio sandwich yesterday.

The sandwich came packed heavy with soppressata layers, salty enough to suck your buds dry for the day. I assure you, the flavor is worth the dehydration! A beautiful translucent sliver of prosciutto peaked out below the slightly moist, soft slab of mozzarella, and sweet roasted peppers and olive paste completed the sandwich, which I ordered on sfilatino bread — a slightly softer version of a baguette.

Overall, the Pinocchio sandwich was a beautiful harmony of salty, sweet and meaty. My only qualm, not so much a complaint as a matter of taste, was the slightly bitter olive paste, which acted as a safety brake for my usual breakneck pace of processing sandwiches.

To me, olive paste feels like one of those specialty ingredients that should’ve stayed in the old world. The bitterness makes sense to cut the salt in the meat, but I prefer a more savory dressing.

Alidoro has been in business since 1986, and the wooden bookshelves full of dog-eared Italian cookbooks make clear their unstinting commitment to tradition. I’ll save requests for more oil and vinegar for the local bodegas.

With over 38 Italian sandwich options, Alidoro’s menu encourages repeat returns to try ‘em all — the sandwiches exist across a design continuum, like Yeezy colorways or the original iPods. I give Alidoro a 4 out of 5, and will definitely be ordering again. Just, you know, not a sandwich with olive paste.

Until next time.