Say hello to Amsterdam Croquette Sando, a rising star at Epicurean Group, and a 2022 Best Sandwich Winner from Food Management.

This customer favorite at the Abbot Diabetes cafeteria in Alameda, CA combines gouda cheese and honey-Dijon mustard with Bitterballen, a favorite comfort food made of braised beef. Found at street stalls around the Netherlands, the Dutch like to pair these croquettes with a cold beer, earning the “bitter-ball” moniker.

Food Management chose 5 winners for 6 sandwich categories: classic, chicken, seafood, vegetarian, global and wild card; 31 winners in all. Epicurean Group’s global winner Amsterdam Croquette Sando took spot #11.

Bitterballen is made by mixing ground beef or other braised cuts with onion, nutmeg, and gravy. The mix is rolled into balls, coated with breadcrumbs, deep fried and served on a Dutch Crunch roll. EG chef Chris Mendieta introduced the sandwich to Abbot Diabetes a couple years ago and it’s been attracting attention ever since. “We feature different types of burgers throughout the month like Swiss burgers, or Guacamole burgers. I think of Bitterballen as an Amsterdam burger. It’s a smart menu item that reduces food waste by giving meat scraps a new life. In the summer we serve it with slices of home-grown tomatoes harvested from our onsite garden.”

At Epicurean Group, our job is to entertain and educate our customers and we continually strive to improve your experience. We like to try new things and want to hear your feedback. A big part of our business is engaging our communities and finding out what you want. Talk to your kitchen with special requests or suggestions for new recipes. We look forward to serving you.