where jess ate

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to drop by This End Up (@thisendupTO). Located on Dundas, just east of Dufferin, this cozy restaurant is serving up some damn good sandwiches.

It occupies a long narrow space which felt very warm from all the red décor. There’s a bar at the back of the restaurant and on another visit, I’d definitely drop by in the evening to get a taste of their cocktail offerings. They offer a long list of seasonal cocktails, so many of which sounded incredible. On this visit we came by for a quick lunch so cocktails weren’t in the cards this time around.

As far as food goes, This End Up specializes in sandwiches. You’ll have a tough time choosing one with tempting options including the Hogtown Cubano and Pulled Pork Rendang Banh Mi. Non-sandwich options include fish tacos, wings and kimchili cheese fries. The owners wanted to create a simple, approachable and comforting menu and they’ve certainly done just that.

Being a huge fan of Big Mac’s, I immediately knew what I was going to order: the Better Mac – 2x4oz fresh ground chuck patties, special sauce, lettuce, choice of cheddar or American cheese, pickles, sweet onions ($14). This really is a “Better Mac”. Two juicy patties, pickles, rings of sweet onions and the delicious tang of the special sauce, all sandwiched between a soft sesame bun. SO good!

All sandwiches are served with fries or salad. I went with the fries which were also excellent. Thin, crispy and very addictive.

Mike decided to go with the Basa Fish Po’Boy – fried basa filets, house ketchup, lemon tarragon mayo, shredded lettuce, pickles, sweet onions ($15) which arrived at the table bursting with fish. The filets had a nice cornmeal crust and were incredibly flakey and moist. The combination of the house-made ketchup, lemon tarragon mayo and pickles created a delicious mixture of flavours. It’s definitely one of the best po’boys I’ve eaten in the city.

What a great lunch! Even though we only tried two sandwiches, it’s obvious why This End Up has such a loyal following. You can bet we’ll be back.

At a glance:

• Serving up delicious internationally-inspired sandwiches
• Open for lunch and dinner everyday except Tuesdays; open late on the weekends
• Licensed; extensive list of cocktails
• Loved the Better Mac and Basa Fish Po’Boy
• Kid-friendly; a kids menu is offered

Ratings (out of 5):

• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars