I tried the UK's most expensive toastie, a TikTok viral wagyu beef pastrami sandwich right here in Lancashire
If you were wondering what a £20 toastie tasted like, look no further…
If you’re on the hunt for something decadent, something particularly special and out-there in terms of culinary delights not designed to be enjoyed every day, then you could do much worse than heading down to King’s Castle on Church Street in Preston here in the heart of Lancashire. And that’s because they sell a £20 toastie.
Never in my life did I think I’d ever come across a £20 toastie, let alone try one. But, with my interest in just what a £20 sandwich would look and taste like, I headed down to King’s Castle - which has further branches across Lancashire in Blackburn and Haslingden - to try this culinary fascination for myself.
First off, King’s Castle is one of the most incredible places I've ever been in the sense that it is the most classic American diner location you can imagine. The whole place was a picture of pink neon, bright colours, and glitzy sheen everywhere. From the mock Hollywood Boulevard-style stars to the American muscle car seating, it had it all.
But did it have the top-notch grub to match the décor?
There was only one way to find out, and so I ordered the £19.99 Wagyu beef pastrami sandwich, which I’d seen on TikTok and which feature Malik Butchers’ cured and smoke wagyu beef pastrami, red cabbage sauerkraut, pickles, mustard, and cheddar cheese in what was their revamped take on a classic Reuben.
Straight off the bat, it looked incredible. This was sandwich heaven; it was packed with filling and it had a lovely crispy outer crust. It was visually perfect. I had seriously high hopes for this toastie, £20 price tag or not. It looked brilliant.
Now, when I say I was a little underwhelmed by the flavour, I want to be clear: this was a very, very good sandwich. It was expertly cooked, it had wonderful ingredients, and it melted in my mouth, but what I felt was missing slightly was balance. Overall, the flavour profile was too skewed towards the vinegariness of the mustard and the sauerkraut, which meant I missed out a bit on the classic soft saltiness and depth of the pastrami.
And, let’s face it, when you drop 20 quid on a toastie, you really want the main star of the show - ie, the pastrami in this case - to shine through, and I can’t help but feel that the taste of the meat got lost a little bit. I like the flavour of American mustard as much as the next Lancastrian toastie aficionado, but I wanted more meat taste from this butty.
Once again, I’ll reiterate that this was a supreme sandwich which was very very tasty indeed, but I feel that with a smidge less mustard and the whole thing could be transformed into a real culinary masterpiece. Now, whether it’s worth £20 or not is up to you - head down to your local King’s Castle branch, grab yourself one, and report back on Lancashire’s most expensive sandwich.
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