During our last two Lunch Bunching adventures, I strayed a bit from my New Year’s resolution. But this week I am back on the wagon and searching for foods that don’t make me feel like a bloated, three-toed sloth. Then I remembered a certain sandwich shack that will make any of itssubs into an “unwich,” which is a clever name for a lettuce wrap. So to get back to eating right, I grabbed my Lunch Bunch Buddy and dragged him down to Jimmy John’s.
One thing Jimmy John’s boasts about on their website and in their signage is their “serious delivery!” I thought my unwich would be even better if someone else brought it to me, but, alas, both my home and my office are out of Jimmy John’s delivery range, which is north of its location to Kell Boulevard, east of their location to Taft Street, west of their location to Fairway Boulevard and south of their location to Southwest Parkway. This discovery made me question how “serious” the delivery really is, but my buddy and I carried on with the mission nonetheless.
Parking was our second hurdle at Jimmy John’s, though this one is not necessarily the eatery'sfault. Some construction cordoning off almost half the lot plus a handful of front-row spots reserved for a vape shop and the Verizon store makefinding a parking spot a chore. But find one we did.
The first thing we noticed is how clean this restaurant is. We arrived shortly after 1 p.m., and the windows were spotless, the floors spic and span, and the tables were so clean you could eat off them. Even all the witty and colorful signage appeared to have recently received a wipe-down. All this combined with the smell of freshly baked bread created a wonderful atmosphere to walk into.
In addition to the atmosphere, the employees were pleasant and helpful. I already knew I was going to order an unwich, but I was unsure which sub I was going to unwich-ify. Seeing the guy patiently waiting on me behind the counter, I joked, “I’m totally unprepared,to which he generously responded by suggesting Jimmy John's two most popular subs, the No. 9 Italian Night Club and No. 12 Beach Club ($6.49 each). I got the first (unwich style, of course); my buddy got the latter. We each ordered chips and a drink as well ($1.49 for a small drink; $1.25 for a bag of chips).
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Jimmy John’s did live up to their other quip: “Subs so fast you’ll freak!” Our food was ready in almost no time. So my buddy and I grabbed our things and dug in.
My No. 9 unwich was a great suggestion. This sub comes with Genoa salami, Italian capicola, smoked ham, provolone, tomatoes, onion strings, Hellman’s real mayonnaise and Jimmy John’s homemade Italian vinaigrette (the sub also comes with lettuce, but in this case the lettuce wrapped the sandwich). All of the ingredients were cool and tasted fresh. The obviously quality deli meats were juicy, and each bite was dripping with great flavor. I imagine this would taste great as a sub, but as an unwich it was extra fresh and crispy. Also, the unwich was surprisingly easy to handle -- I could easily hold and eat it with one hand. Overall this was a great choice.
I grabbed a bag of “thinny chips” to go with my meal. Expecting the usual bland, baked low-fat chips, I was surprised when I opened a bag of seemingly normal-looking and -tasting potato chips. I’m not sure how low fat they really are, but they tasted great, and I didn’t feel gross after eating them.
My buddy wasn’t as impressed with his No. 12 sub as I was with my choice, but it still wasn’t a bad sandwich. This one comes with turkey breast, provolone, avocado spread, sliced cucumbers, lettuce, tomato and Hellman’s real mayo. The avocado spread was a little thin, and he wasn’t crazy about the bread (he later figured out Jimmy John’s offers different types of breads), but that was the extent of his complaint list.
He grabbed a bag of barbecue chips, and they were worth mentioning. The chips were crispy, easy to chew and had a hint of sweetness to them. My buddy said they might be the best barbecue chips he’s had, and he’s somewhat of an expert on the subject.
All in all, Jimmy John’s provided a nice lunch experience. The parking is trying, and chances are you won’t be within delivery range. But once you get there, the place is clean, the people are friendly and the food is great. We give Jimmy John’s four out of five forks.
IF YOU GO
Grade: Fourforks (out of a perfect five)
What: Jimmy John’s
Where: 3210 Midwestern Parkway
When: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Sunday
Contact: 940-692-0024 or jimmyjohns.com
