The word is clearly out about Sathu, the new opening from the husband-wife duo who originally opened UR Caffe. At yesterday’s soft opening, all available space was packed with customers sipping coffees under umbrellas, crowding the counter to watch schiacciata slabs being halved and filled to order, or stepping out with a takeaway drink and a pastry from Prove.
Co-owner Kate Pattarapongkasame admits the full house has caught her off guard. “It’s been so amazing,” she tells Broadsheet, though she admits to running on only two hours sleep, having prepped until 3am the night before the opening.
People are right to be excited about Sathu. It’s more than just another sandwich shop. Kate puts her spin on lunchtime with a menu that blends traditional Thai flavours with ideas she gathered while traveling. “We had schiacciata in Italy with mortadella and stracciatella, and we loved it. I was imagining, ‘What if I put [Italian cheese] with satay chicken or even a chicken curry?’” she says.
Her kai satay schiacciata with grilled chicken, gruyere, Thai pickles, iceberg lettuce and a homemade cashew sauce is an early frontrunner for Sathu’s signature item. But it’s got fierce competition from the hot honey cotoletta with provolone, iceberg lettuce and homemade ranch dressing. As the days continue to warm, we’re sure the serrano – a fresh combo of poached peach, pesto, balsamic, olive oil and rocket – will join the fray.
Then there are toasted sandwiches stuffed with slow-cooked pork neck stew, Thai pickles, ranch and gruyere, or another option with truffle Swiss mushrooms in a beurre blanc sauce with more gruyere.
Wherever possible, Sathu’s pestos, flavoured oils and chilli honey are made in-house. With an insistence on quality and a commitment not to skimp on fillings, Sathu plans to capture the hearts and the appetites of sanga-seekers across the city.
Sathu
55 King William Road, North Adelaide
No phone
Hours:
Mon to Fri 7am-2pm
Sat & Sun 8am-2pm
