Getting to know Harsono from Meet Sando
This month we catch up with Harsono from Meet Sando – the Market’s brand new Japanese-style katsu sandwich bar.
Tell me about Meet Sando and how it all started?
Meet Sando is a casual restaurant located on Elizabeth Street. We’re the new kids on the block and serve Japanese style-sandwiches (also known as katsu sando) with some sides, open toasties (for breakfast), French pastries, as well as a selection of coffee and tea. Plus, we use coffee beans roasted by Proud Mary.
It all started with a passion for bringing people together with good service, good food, and good coffee. That’s been our main philosophy from the start.
How do Japanese sandwiches differ from some of the more regular varieties?
There are fewer ingredients in a sando than your regular sandwiches. It’s a case of less is more – like minimalism. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery (French writer) said: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
Why are your sandwiches so delicious?
We believe it’s because our Japanese style-sandwiches are always served hot, crunchy and fresh (as they’re made to order). We always use the very best ingredients on offer.
What’s your favourite sando on the menu?
We’d say our egg salad sando is our favourite one. It’s everyone’s favourite. The second choice would be the chicken sando! We’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like our chicken katsu sando.
Have you always been interested in food?
I am not a foodie by any means; I eat all kinds of food as long as it’s clean, tasty and healthy; however, I have a sweet spot for Japanese food. I have the utmost respect for Japanese culture due to their unquestionable dedication to their craft in everything they make.
What’s the best part of your job? The worst?
The best part is meeting people from all walks of life. Perhaps, the worst part is when the weather isn’t too friendly and we can’t leave the door open.
Why did you choose Queen Vic Market?
We’ve been a fan of Queen Vic Market for a long time and we’re honoured to be a part of this vibrant community. We hope to bring more diversity and more traffic into Queen Vic Market with our concept of Japanese Katsu Sandwich.
