Mani and Chimac Have Created a Saucy Beast of a Sandwich
Mani and Chimac Have Created a Saucy Beast of a Sandwich
Words: Hannah Lemass
Photography: George Voronov
Once in a generation, two minds collide to create something so deliciously unhinged that the gods themselves cannot help but weep.
Both Mani and Chimac are known for their fearless experimentation. These shared qualities make them a dream partnership. Together with Square Ireland, we challenged them to create the most ludicrous, over-the-top, outrageous, juicy and downright filthy sandwich imaginable. And they delivered.
Introducing The Dirty Club
The story of this wild creation begins with fat , chicken fat, to be exact. This humble ingredient, usually dismissed as a waste product, finds new life in The Dirty Club. Garrett Fitzgerald, co-owner and chef at Chimac, came to Mani‘s owner Ciaran McGonagle and head chef Rory Shannon with a simple question: “Can we use the fat?” Rory ran with it, using the rendered fat to enrich the dough that forms the foundation of this gloriously indulgent sandwich.
“The dough here at Mani has about 3% oil and Garret renders a lot of chicken fat. So I thought, let’s upcycle it. Lets’s put it in the dough.”
-Rory Shannon, Mani
So what goes between those two slices of chicken-fat-infused bread?
Naturally, Chimac‘s famous fried chicken takes centre stage. And since this is a club sandwich, all the hallmarks are here: fresh beef tomatoes, crisp shredded lettuce and perfectly cooked bacon.
But this is where things start to get properly messy. Chimac are renowned for their sauces, the same ones you’ll find bottled on supermarket shelves and served in their restaurants, so of course The Dirty Club had to be a saucy affair. A rich and herby ranch dressing mellows their signature Chimac hot sauce, while a sweet and savoury sriracha caramel bacon jam adds another hit of flavour. And just when you think it cannot get any more indulgent, the Mani crew pour over a layer of warm, ooey, gooey cheesy Mornay sauce.
It simply could not be saucier.
Why a Club?
Gareth from Chimac says he knew right away he wanted to make a club. It might be the most iconic sandwich ever created. It is classic and nostalgic. We have all had a club sandwich at some point in our lives, perhaps at a hotel on a family holiday or maybe as a special treat your granny used to make for you. It is also universal. No matter where you are in the world, even far from home, lonely and homesick, you can call room service in almost any hotel and order a club sandwich that tastes just like the one you know, making the world feel a little smaller and safer.
” We were obviously messed with a lot, but we still want to maintain the integrity. I want someone to bite into it and be like, that’s amazing, but also be like, that’s a club sandwich.”
-Garrett Fitzgerald, Chimac
The Maniacal Genius of Mani and Chimac
You know Mani, the Roman-style pizza makers on Drury Street, famous for their crisp, lighter-than-air slices topped with fresh, inventive combinations that range from the traditional to the wonderfully weird. They never shy away from creativity or risk-taking, and neither do their friends at Chimac.
Chimac is a Korean fried chicken restaurant that serves the most perfectly seasoned and crisply fried chicken in town. They are known for pushing things to the extreme. Their sandwiches drip with gooey, messy goodness. Like Mani, they thrive on experimentation and boundary-pushing. One glance at their menu tells you everything you need to know about chef Gareth’s mind, from their loaded fries to mountainous chicken burgers. Chimac is fearless. Their creations sit on the very edge of madness, yet somehow always hit the mark.
For all these reasons, it is clear that Mani and Chimac are a perfect match, each bringing their unique creativity and flair to this collaboration, fusing their identities into one extraordinary sandwich.
How to Get Your Gob on The Dirty Club
The sandwich is dropping at Mani on Drury Street today when the doors open at midday. Get there early because the first 100 sandwiches will be absolutely free. If you miss out on the free sambos, you can pick up a Dirty Club for €11.50 over the next two weeks.
