Having visited the restaurants on Prospect Road a number of times, I was intrigued when I noticed Jersey Mike’s, a new sandwich place, being built next to my favorite barbecue spot. When it finally opened in December, I couldn’t wait to try it.   

I was lucky enough to catch the employees in the middle of a testing day and received a free sandwich and drink. The quality of the food prompted a visit when they officially opened, and I was greeted with a clean interior and simple layout.

The store is decorated with art and text on the walls that tell of the history of the restaurant. The place had a ‘50s-style atmosphere to it, and was bustling with enough customers to keep the workers constantly making sandwiches.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that all its food was made on the spot. I could tell the employees were serious about keeping their food fresh; they cut their meat immediately before putting them in the subs, allowing for fresh sandwiches. What’s more, the tuna that is used in their Tuna Fish sub is prepared in the restaurant itself.

I chose the Chipotle Cheesesteak with jalapeños for $8.50, and the employee handed me a ticket. I reached the end of the line and handed it to the cashier, along with my money, and I took a seat at a table. It was a quick five-minute wait to receive my meal.

As I unwrapped the foil, a warm roll of white bread with cheese oozing out greeted my eyes.

I dug into the sandwich and tasted a mixture of steak, onions, peppers, jalapenos and chipotle mayonnaise. The bread was warm and fluffy, complimenting the meat and sauce. The sandwich was filling and spicy. It also had a soft texture to it.

While I did find their sandwiches to be quite enjoyable, there is, of course, always room for improvement. It would be better for Jersey Mike’s to serve soup to go along with their subs for a more balanced meal. Breakfast sandwiches could also be an option for Jersey Mike’s to look into, because all of their current choices are on the more filling side.

In general, though, my experience was pleasing enough to make me want to visit this sandwich joint again. The sub was around 7 inches long, filled with freshly grilled steak and had a reasonable price, with a minimal waiting time.

I can certainly say the quality of Jersey Mike’s food is above sub-average.