Though our address doesn’t end in Five Dock, we consider ourselves to be somewhat Five Dock locals (the suburb housing the closest and most accessible Coles to us) even if the moderators of the Five Dock Families Facebook group disagree. After several months of walking past huge lines on the way to the grocery store, my partner and I both found ourselves hungry and free during a weekday before 10AM, and caught ourselves a couple of sandwiches without much of a wait at all.
As someone not particularly experienced with the art of the Italian sandwich, these were phenomenal. We had two different sandwiches ($15 each, pictured is half of each), one with ingredients picked out by my partner (stracciatella, mortadella, artichoke, capsicum, amongst other things), and another by the owner (sun dried tomatoes, prosciutto, fior di latte) between toasted focaccia. The number of possible combinations and permutations of ingredients at the counter was extreme, and I’m glad we were able to get an omakase panini, as it were.
The sandwiches were large, the price quite good, and overall very delicious. The ratio of cured meats to stracciatella was perfect so as to make the overall flavour balanced and not too salty, though this balance was somewhat lost in the panino with the fior di latte and prosciutto. This, as well as the comfortable wetness of the stracciatella would definitely make it my choice for the choice of cheese.
Apart from this, I don’t have any particular menu recommendations. I think any combination of antipasti, cheese, and meats is going to be a winner – the only challenge is getting your sandwich without waiting two hours in line.
Verdict: Quality local option. Will come back. Please petition the admins of Five Dock Families to open it up to nearby Five Dock refugees so that I have a place to understand the common thought surrounding the escalator up from the Coles parking lot.
Raineri’s Continental Delicatessen
97 Great N Rd, Five Dock NSW 2046