Classic Italian-American Heroes – NYC
It’s rare I have a hero craving, but when I do, my two go-to places are Defonte’s of Brooklyn and Faicco’s Italian Specialties. If you were wondering, this isn’t a Bite vs Bite. It would be hard to compare since both are good in different ways. Whether I go to one or the other really depends on my mood…
For example, when craving something substantial but not so heavy-feeling, I’ll go to Defonte’s for a Nicky Special ($11.50), Italian hero bread layered with ham, capocollo, salami, fried eggplant, provolone, hot salad, marinated mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, and a sprinkling of oil and vinegar. I know what you’re thinking. How the hell is this monstrosity light? Well, it has to do with the hot salad and the marinated mushrooms. There’s a good amount of meat, but not a crazy amount, and in exchange you get mushrooms and Nicky’s Famous Hot Salad (vegetables vary, but cauliflower and onions are usually present). Slightly pickled and packing a gentle heat, the vegetables add a nice brightness. I also like the fried eggplant, which — although isn’t crunchy since it’s pre-made — is very tasty in an “oil sponge” kind of way. Sometimes the Nicky Special can be a tad on the bland side, as can the other sandwiches at Defonte’s, but other times it’s absolutely perfect. If the former happens to you, the problem is quickly solved with a few shakes of salt.
And going back to the lightness factor of the Nicky Special, to welcome my brother back home after an emergency appendectomy this summer, I ordered a hero spread from Defonte’s. For the record, despite my mother’s fear he would pop his stitches, my brother had no problem scarfing down half a hero.
Had I ordered the Italian Special ($10) from Faicco’s, that would have been a different story. Piled high with prosciutto, hot capocollo, Genoa salami, soppressata (spicy or sweet), fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes, the only thing preventing it from toppling over is the fact that the bread innards are cleverly gutted out. A drizzle of olive oil and a bit of raw garlic melds everything together. It’s pure genius in construction and taste. (If you want to get more old-school, ask them to skip the lettuce and tomatoes. And for those who don’t like red peppers, you can substitute sun-dried tomatoes.) For a classic Italian-American hero with all the meat, and all the salt, Faicco’s has been doing it right since 1900.
Not that Defonte’s is exactly a newbie. Established in 1922, both are standing the test of time.
Defonte’s of Brooklyn
261 3rd Avenue (b/n 21st & 20th St; map)
New York, NY 10010
212-614-1500
Faicco’s Italian Specialties
260 Bleecker Street (b/n Morton & Leroy St; map)
New York, NY 10014
212-243-1974
Wow, that Italian Special from Faicco’s looks incredible. They definitely don’t skimp on the meat. I’ve only tried Defonte’s Firehouse, and it was superb — basically an Italian roast pork sandwich like the ones you find all over Philly, but with the addition of fried eggplant. Delicious.
love your photography… i m starting to look into taking some good food pics myself.. any tips will definitely be appreciated
@Kevin – I kinda did, but with substitutions so it wasn’t the same. 🙁
@foodie – Best tip is to take a lot of pics if possible. At a restaurant though, be courteous of other diners and limit the photo taking.
My favorite “Italian” type sandwich is the number 5 at Lamazou with roasted peppers added. When I go to Defontes, I want roast beef.
I love Italian cold cut heroes of all types, but one trend over the past two decades is the use of balsamic vinegar instead of plain wine vinegar. For me it completely destroys the balance of the sandwich.
I believe Faicco’s uses balsamic now. Does anyone know whether Lamazou or Defonte’s does?