At Salt Hank's, a West Village eatery, the ardor for their $34 French dip sandwich shows no sign of waning, with patrons lining down the block — testament to the culinary prowess of content creator Henry Laporte and chef Daniel Rubenfeld. This establishment, as noted by Eater NY, is a minimalist's dream with barely a handful of menu options: a viral French dip, shoestring fries, and select accompaniments. Rumors hint at a chicken Parm dip available on Wednesdays only adding to the lure.
The sandwich itself is a hefty assemblage: a Frenchette demi baguette, carefully chosen after considerable taste testing of nearly 150 options cradling dry-aged prime rib, Provolone, horseradish aioli, and onions caramelized over seven laborious hours. Such attention to detail has done more than just pique the interest of Eater NY, which claims, "The sandwich is so large that you may need to unhinge your jaw to eat it."
Parallel sentiments have been echoed on social media, as highlighted by BuzzFeed, where the extravagance of the French dip has marked Salt Hank’s as a culinary heavyweight on TikTok.
Reaching almost cult-like status, Salt Hank's French dip became the subject of countless posts across TikTok, thanks to Laporte’s influencer status and his commitment to quality ingredients. As described by BuzzFeed, the sandwich's ingredients include "shaved prime rib from Pat LaFrieda, seven-hour caramelized onions, melty provolone cheese," and a horseradish aioli with a depth that has diners reaching for their phones.
The high price tag, originally at $28 and now standing at $34 just for the sandwich, has stirred up plenty of discussion both online and in line at the eatery, yet devotees and newcomers alike continue to flock to Salt Hank’s — spurred on by tantalizing social media posts, and arguably, a shared reverence for the craft of sandwich-making. After trialing the beloved dip for herself, a BuzzFeed reviewer described it as a "triumphant umami bomb — intensely satisfying and delicious." Despite the price climbs – with the combo now reaching $41, diners seemingly can't resist Salt Hank's siren call, as they queue up to partake in what has been lauded as more than just a meal, but indeed, an experience.
For those gearing up for the ordeal of snagging one of these famed sandwiches, an insider tip courtesy of Eater NY suggests showing up "at least 30 minutes before opening" due to the overwhelming demand.
