An interview with a sandwich

If there is anything ChatGPT has inspired us to do, it’s to have a conversation with inanimate objects. The AI bot pens poems, writes music, and helps win lawsuits. But nothing made us want to talk to things that we don't “normally” talk to more than Microsoft’s Bing’s existential conversation with the tech journalist where it confessed it wants to be a human with emotions, thoughts, and dreams. 

In an experimental interview, we tried having a conversation with a sandwich. To keep matters fresh, we choose a sandwich from the newly-opened deli in Bandra, Mumbai. Why specifically this place? Because this new shop, Veronica’s, has a strong main- character energy—a graffiti-filled facade, sunlight pouring through its interiors, bright walls, and a menu that oscillates from being borderline bougie (matcha latte and gluten-free galore) to downright, dirty and juicy (fried chicken sandwiches and shrimp burgers). 

Veronica’s is chirpy, she’s sassy, and we thought there is no better way to get to know her than through her sandwich. 

How are you feeling today? I want to say filling, but that would be an obvious pun and we don't do it obvious here. 

They say you can’t eat your feelings, but I can definitely eat mine. 

From the roads of Bombay to the bars of Nashville, everyone has a version of you. Where do you truly feel home? Where do you belong?

People say, home is where the heart is, but I belong in your stomach. 

Is butter your favourite brand of moisturiser? How does it feel to be buttered every day?

Yes, it is. How did you know? None of the plant-based butters for me, please! I love being slathered with 100% milk-based (dairy) butter. Oh, and I absolutely love being buttered every day; it makes me feel softer than Sidharth Malhotra’s cheeks. And now that he is taken, maybe Aditya Roy Kapur’s. 

Why haven't you committed to fried chicken yet? You guys have been together for a while now. 

I don’t have the buns for it. 

You and gochujang are having a moment right now, is there a wedding on the cards?

I love to live in the moment! Gochujang today, sambal tomorrow, and something else the day after, that’s how I live my life. 

People look at you as a cheap eat, how do you feel about that? Would you like to change that? 

Cheap lies in the eyes of the beholder. People hold me, that’s all I need, I feel their love and warmth. 

How do you unpack your layers at the end of a long day? 

I am a comfort food favourite with a simple lifestyle. At the end of a long day, I just kick my socks off and hangout with my best friends—fries and ketchup. 

You keep changing your choice of covering, from ciabatta to brioche to milk loaves. Is there anyone from your core friends’ circle that you feel the closest to and why?

I was in a long-distance relationship with sourdough for a while. Very recently, I have started swiping right—so today it is ciabatta, Dutch crunch tomorrow, and bagel the day after. 

Veronica's, Waroda Road, off. Hill Road, Ranwar, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050
Contact: +91 9372981697