Julia and I love tackling new or unique types of eateries and cuisines as part of our Drive-Thru Diners series.
We have sampled a variety of different dishes from businesses specialising in Mexican, Thai and Greek food.
We have conquered burger vans, takeaways, pizza places and chippers (or chippies to some) galore, as well as McDonald’s, KFC, Mr Beast Burger, Starbucks and Costa.
But we were yet to try a sandwich shop, so set out to stop by DejaVu Sandwich Bar in Aberdeen this week – an eatery that Food and Drink editor Julia is very familiar with.
“The girls at my first job loved it,” she said before referring to it as a Friday treat on occasion.
It sounded like it had a lot to offer.
DejaVu Sandwich Bar: What is it and what’s on offer?
DejaVu Sandwich Bar is situated on Rose Street in Aberdeen and was established in 2006.
It is open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday, so is perfect for those after a quick breakfast or lunch and are in the area.
The business also has a DejaVu Sandwich Bar app on the App Store. This allows people to order and pay on their mobile before collecting their items at the eatery at a designated time slot.
A range of tortilla wraps, flatbread wraps, sandwiches, paninis, toasties and salad boxes are available to choose from and fillings include chicken breast, crispy bacon, tomatoes, mozzarella, honey roast ham and cheddar.
DejaVu Sandwich Bar also has daily soups and weekly specials available.
The order:
The verdict: Katsu chicken melt panini
Katsu sauce has a distinct flavour to it that Julia and I know all too well. In my opinion, it’s either a hit or a miss.
This katsu sauce missed the mark and needed double the amount of spice to give it that much-desired kick.
The breaded chicken, lovely and juicy, was cut into perfectly sized chunks but had a southern fried coating on it. The peppers added a nice crunch to the panini overall, but the pair of us thought it fell flat on the flavour front.
Presentation
Julia: 2/5
Karla: 2.5/5
Taste
Julia: 1.5/5
Karla: 2/5
The verdict: Veggie club sandwich
The veggie club sandwich was a clear highlight for me – and Julia agreed.
There were a number of different flavours and textures on the go, all of which married really well together.
The falafel boasted a richness and mild spice, the hummus was creamy, and the salad crisp and juicy.
DejaVu Sandwich Bar nailed it with this one. However, Julia and I would encourage you to order the veggie club in a tortilla wrap instead – our brown JG Ross bread proved a tad too flimsy resulting in quite the mess.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 2.5/5
Karla: 3.5/5
The verdict: Honey chilli chicken wrap
If you’re ordering a honey chilli chicken wrap from the eatery, please be well aware that your fingers will get sticky. However, there are worse things that can happen when tucking into your lunch.
Like our katsu chicken panini, we were a tad disheartened to see that our mozzarella hadn’t quite melted inside the wrap and the sauce was a little bland.
But again, the crunchy peppers saved the day and ensured there was a zingy freshness in the mix.
Presentation
Julia: 1.5/5
Karla: 1.5/5
Taste
Julia: 1.5/5
Karla: 2/5
The verdict: Jack Daniel’s sesame chicken flatbread wrap
Jack Daniel’s sauce boasts the perfect balance between sweet, sour and spice and, let’s be honest, there aren’t many people out there that don’t adore it. The pair of us certainly do.
We didn’t catch any real hint of Jack Daniel’s sauce, which is what the chicken breast had been drizzled in prior to being served in our flatbread wrap.
There was garlic mayonnaise in there, too, but again there wasn’t much going on flavour-wise.
The salad and pickles really elevated this one and the flatbread was great for ensuring our filling didn’t go everywhere.
Presentation
Julia: 2/5
Karla: 2/5
Taste
Julia: 2/5
Karla: 3/5
The veggie club sandwich came out on top at DejaVu Sandwich Bar, racking up a score of 12/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
Fill out our online form below to share your recommendations.
Conversation