Crows Nest Arcade is fairly unremarkable except for one thing: a tiny timber shack selling excellent brisket sandwiches. They’re the creations of Sam Frizell, who, along with his brisket sangers, sells Reubens, melts, toasties, Philly cheesesteaks, Cubanos, coffees and more at On a Roll.

Sandwich watch, the column dedicated to the Sydney sangers you need to know about, could have built a case to profile the mayo-covered, melty-cheese-laced smoky Reuben, but we think the brisket is the essential buy here.

Why’s that?

On a Roll’s brisket sandwich has the perfect ratio of meat to salad and bread. The generous slice of brisket is juicy, textured, well smoked (not too much, not too little) and with a nice shine (a sign of a good one). Most importantly, the meat is deeply flavoursome.

Frizell uses white sourdough from Marrickville wholesalers Bob and Pete’s Bakery, adds a colourful slaw of kale and cabbage for excellent crunch, house-made Alabama white sauce (mayo, vinegar, and spices) and chipotle, and aged cheddar for a bit of bite.

Tell me more about this shack

We’re not going to lie, it’s hard to believe sandwiches this good come from this blink-and-you’d-miss-it timber kiosk. The no-frills shack is painted lemon, musk and blue, and it sits in the middle of the equally no-frills narrow arcade that includes a nail bar, old-school hairdresser, shoe repairers and vacant shops. If we’re being honest, the arcade has seen better days.

When we visit, Frizell is cooking up the steak for his Philly rolls, and enticing cooking smells waft through the arcade and onto the busy Pacific Highway. There is a smattering of stools and low tables, so you can smash your outstanding breaded purchase immediately. The arcade offers zero vibe, but the sandwiches are good enough to distract you from the traffic whizzing by.

Frizell says the trick to his brisket is not to over-trim and overdress it

“[The beef] is rubbed with mustard for a binder to keep the seasoning on and help to create a nice ‘bark’ on the exterior,” he says. “Then we season with salt, pepper, paprika and dehydrated garlic. The briskets are put on the smoker at about 110-120C for around 12 to 14 hours.”

Frizell cooks the brisket at his home, in Weber kettles and in a Green by Mountain Grills, which he recently bought. “It makes it a little easier to cook overnight as there’s a lot less maintenance,” he says. He uses applewood chips to impart smokiness. “Cherrywood used to be my go-to, but I have settled on apple”.

When someone orders a brisket sandwich, Frizell butters the outside of the bread and then slides it into the sandwich press for a decent amount of time. “We give it a good toasting as the sandwich is thick, and you don’t want to hit some cold brisket,” he says to me as I wait patiently. After a couple of minutes, it emerges hot and with a glorious golden glow.

Where to get one

The On a Roll brisket will set you back $17.50. You can get one at 437-441 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, Wednesday to Sunday 9am to 3pm. instagram.com/onaroll_official

This is the latest instalment of Sandwich watch, a column dedicated to the Sydney sandwiches you need to know about.

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