We tried the famous Japanese 7-Eleven sandwich in Canada and here's what we thought
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that the world-famous 7-Eleven egg sandwich has finally made its way to Canada.
After going viral with travellers and receiving shoutouts from culinary greats such as Anthony Bourdain, the convenience store Tamago Sando has been a must-try for those visiting Japan, with many opting for the 7-Eleven version.
To bring the item to life in Canada, 7-Elevenās executive chef, Benny Cheng, replicated the Japanese recipe, using authentic ingredients such as cage-free eggs and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. The filling is served between slices of fresh shokupan (a soft and fluffy milk bread).
Charlie Hart/Dished
After hearing so much hype about the Japanese iteration, we practically ran to our nearest 7-Eleven location to get our hands on the goods when they officially launched in Canada on March 4.
Is it worth it?
Charlie Hart/Dished
Immediately, we were met with signage about the new sandwich being available, so it’s safe to say the hype was real. That being said, when we looked in the fridge, the packaging was a little less exciting compared to what I’ve seen of the Japanese equivalent, which has the iconic 7-Eleven logo in orange and green.Ā
Maybe it was my fault for having too high expectations here, so I picked up my sando to go along with a cup of matcha (when did 7-Eleven start serving matcha?). I was also pretty surprised at just how light it was. Milk bread is generally quite airy, but it was already obvious that while this sandwich would work as a snack, it definitely wouldn’t be enough if you’re super hungry.
The sandwich rang in at $5 as part of a promo for the launch, but will cost $5.95 at full price, making it pretty affordable for a snack on the go.
Charlie Hart/Dished
However, without even opening the sandwich, I could tell the ratios were off. The bread was sliced pretty thick, while the filling was seemingly lacking, but it comes down to the all-important taste test.
And it was… underwhelming. Listen, I enjoy an egg salad sandwich and have made plenty at home for myself over the years, and this wasn’t anything special.
As I’d suspected, the milk bread really took over. While it was tasty, it was quite dry, something that can easily be disguised if there’s enough sandwich filling. Alas, there was nowhere near enough egg salad here, and what there was wasn’t particularly flavourful.
I’d hoped to be able to taste the sweetness of the Kewpie mayonnaise coming through, or at least something that could differentiate from a classic egg salad sandwich. That didn’t happen at all.
While I was happy to try the Tomago Sando a go in the name of science, it’s not something I’d rush back to 7-Eleven for.