Sandwich Of The Week: Harding's Giving Thanks

The "Thanksgiving Sandwich" can be hit or miss. Because it's based on an entire plate-full of food, oftentimes the individual components can become a muddled mess, getting lost in a sea of gloopy gravy or weighed down by the otherwise unwise addition of stuffing to a sandwich.

When well-proportioned, though, a Thanksgiving sandwich can be a true masterpiece. And that's the case at the recently opened Harding's, in New York's Flatiron neighborhood. Chef Ariel Fox joined the team from ACME, where she was formerly chef de cuisine, and her menu reflects only what's local, fresh, and in-season. In fact, it's one of the few restaurants that's "100 percent domestic" in its sourcing of ingredients.

And while her ingredients might always reflect what's in season, there's one sandwich on the menu that, while technically out of season, is a welcome sight year-round. It's called the Giving Thanks, and it's our Sandwich of the Week.

Chef Fox starts with a soft, crusty baguette, and layers on a few thick-cut slices of fresh-roasted smoked turkey breast. The turkey is then topped with a thin layer of fresh cranberry sauce and a couple of dollops of creamy mashed potatoes. Finally, stuffing gets added to the top, and the sandwich is served alongside a bowl of rich sage gravy for dipping.

While it sounds like a starch-on-starch-on-starch gut-bomb, all the ingredients are added with a deft hand and are individually prepared with a fine-dining chef's skill. This isn't just a great Thanksgiving sandwich, it's quite possibly one if the city's top turkey sandwiches. 

Click here for other featured sandwiches or check out the 2012 Year in Sandwiches and the Sandwich of the Week Slideshow. Know a sandwich that should be featured? Email The Daily Meal or comment below. Better yet, become a contributor and write up your favorite today!

Dan Myers is the Eat/Dine Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @sirmyers.