German-style street sandwich: A dreamy combo of crispy bread and Iberian pork

Text & Photos /San Gao Eats Han

Minsheng Community is a place I hadn’t visited many times before. The streets here aren’t as bustling as those in the East District. It’s been over a year since the Songshan-Xindian Line of the MRT opened, and now there are ubikes available near Nanjing Sanmin Station, which makes things much more convenient.

Turning from Sanmin Road into Yanshou Street, you’ll first see the Japanese-style Hana Family Restaurant, and just a bit further ahead is Sally's Black Bottle — a small shop that looks like a street-side coffee bar, with only three chairs set up at the front, mainly for takeout.

The burly Taiwanese boss is in charge of grilling the meat, while his German girlfriend Sally handles the salads and bread. There’s also a press grill nearby. Looking at the menu written on the blackboard, I heard this style is referred to as German street food — for example, spiced mulled wine, which even someone like me who’s never been to Germany can easily picture as a classic winter drink. They also use ingredients like fresh Taiwanese beef (love Taiwan?). Interestingly, there’s a sign on the wall that reads “Harmonious Couple.”

I ordered a pan-fried Taiwanese beef liver (NT$180) and Spanish Iberian pork (NT$350). The Iberian pork is a recently added item. For the beef liver, you can choose between focaccia or Cuban bread. Focaccia seems to be the standard option, so I went with the Cuban. The pork came with a salad and bread combo automatically, though I think you can request how you’d like it served.

I found a spot nearby to sit down and have a bite. The Cuban bread in the beef liver sandwich was only lightly pressed, not really crispy but chewy with a nice firmness. There was a generous portion of liver, seasoned with spices, pepper, and salt. With this amount, most people would probably feel full after finishing the sandwich.

The thick-cut beef liver was cooked to about seven or eight tenths done, and the texture was nice and tender. It paired well with the lettuce and bread, creating a balanced flavor overall. Though sometimes the liver has a strong smell — it was quite noticeable today — which is a slight pity. Eating it while hot is better. Boss San seems to occasionally stock fresh Taiwanese beef to make sandwiches or meal boxes, a combo I’m curious to try. And no worries about any weird smells like the one today.

The other meal box was wrapped in aluminum foil to keep it warm. It also had lettuce, meat, and bread inside. The Iberian pork in the middle was marinated whole, then grilled to seven-tenths doneness and sliced into slightly thick strips. Both the fat and lean parts were juicy and chewy. The flavor was somewhat like mildly salted cured pork, with a richer aroma and nice fattiness. The lettuce was drizzled with mashed garlic and lemon juice, which paired perfectly with the pork. The little oiled bread pieces were slightly sweet, crisped up nicely from the heat press, and were also delicious. This meal box turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable.

Sally's black bottle
Address: No. 125, Yanshou Street, Songshan District, Taipei City
Business Hours: 5:00 AM – 10:30 PM (Closed on Sundays)

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