Jersey Mike's stands out among the many meat-on-bread chains

By TERESA GUBBINS

Special to the Star-Telegram

You don’t have to look very far these days to find a sandwich. From Subway to Potbelly to Quiznos to Jimmy John’s, we have sandwich shops aplenty.

Jersey Mike’s stands a cut above. The chain started out in 1956 as an independent sub shop on the Jersey Shore, and has gone on to open more than 350 outlets across the country.

The first branch in the Dallas area opened on Greenville Avenue in 2002; there are now 11, including this branch in Southlake and a new outlet in Watauga.

Jersey Mike’s meats and cheeses are good quality, and its bread is denser and not as fluffy or airy as the bread served by other sandwich chains. You come away feeling like you’ve eaten something solid. The lettuce, tomatoes and other ingredients are chopped fresh every day — no recycling of yesterday’s sliced tomatoes. All of these things combine to make for a more satisfying sandwich.

The signature original Italian sub ($6.75 for a regular) was a meat-filled joy with ham, prosciutto, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni, plus provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a drizzle of oil and vinegar. The use of good deli meat, thinly sliced, added zippy flavor. This sub is supposed to be served cold, and that’s how Jersey Mike’s did it.

But it also has hot subs, including the meatball ($6.77 for a regular), with three to four large meatballs in a savory tomato sauce, topped with melted provolone and Parmesan cheeses. The meatballs were tasty and firm and generously proportioned; we used the leftovers the next day with a plate of pasta.

Many cheesesteak aficionados insist that Jersey Mike’s Famous Philly ($6.77) is the best in town, and that’s not hard to believe. Angus beef was sliced nice and thin so that it remained tender, then cooked on the grill before our eyes, with sliced onions and green bell peppers. The kitchen staff scooped the mixture onto a roll, then topped it with slices of provolone cheese that melted and bound the steak mixture together. You can also get a cheesesteak with chipotle mayo or with mushrooms, jalapeños and extra cheese.

Wrap sandwiches ($6.25) included a chicken Caesar with torn romaine lettuce and tender bites of white-meat chicken. Other options: Buffalo chicken with a spicy sauce and melted blue cheese dressing, a turkey wrap, and a grilled veggie with peppers and onions — not even mushrooms, boo.

You can also skip the sandwiches and just order a salad. There are chairs and tables for a quick nosh; the atmosphere is brisk and friendly. Desserts are minimal, but they do import Tastykakes, a Pennsylvania-based baked-goods company that’s popular in the Northeast and not easy to find in these parts. Doesn’t a Butterscotch Krimpet sound good right now?

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