Don’t Be Mad, But I Was Pleasantly Surprised By Toasties
I have passed by Toasties (on 49th btw 6+7) a hundred times over the years (usually going to and from Sapporo) and never had any desire to go in. The sea of button-down shirts always seemed too daunting for just a sandwich at a place I assumed to be just another generic deli-type spot. A few months ago, I began to consider the fact that if this place is always so jammed, maybe there’s something to it. And you know what? I was pleasantly surprised by huge sandwiches in combinations I haven’t seen elsewhere.
Toasties really is well-ordered chaos. You need to know that there are three lines: First walk back to the sandwiches and wait to order — this takes about 2 minutes, tops, no matter how long the line is. Then, take your ticket and walk 10 feet over to the next register to pay. There is typically no line to pay. Then you wait under 5 minutes in what looks like an impossibly large crowd for them to call your number. How do they do it? I counted 10-15 people behind the counter at any given time constructing sandwiches during the lunch rush! I have never been inside the establishment for over 10 minutes, ever. Now that’s efficiency!
The sandwiches here are very large, twice as long as a Metro card, rivaling the size and weight of a burrito. I always find hot sandwiches more satisfying than cold ones, so I’ve gravitated away from the cold stuff. That said, be careful, because the insides can scorch your tongue.
The sandwich I’ve enjoyed most so far is the Emily Waits (grilled honey maple turkey with melted muenster cheese, spinach, tomato and apple butter sauce), which I had in a wrap. I know most ML’ers prefer the heft of a roll, but I find that I get more of the good stuff (the filling) in wrap form. I was not disappointed here — the wrap was stuffed with turkey that showed signs of caramelization from the flattop. No skimping on ingredients here! The apple butter sauce added a sweet element of mess to what would otherwise be a pretty easily eaten sandwich, so be wary of drips while eating in your finest office clothes.
Deviating from my traditional wrap, I ordered Eggplant Parm on a whole wheat roll. I was actually surprised that the roll was so soft, not at all crusty on the outside. I enjoyed the bread, but if you’re one to prefer a roll with some texture to it, you might want to opt for a hero instead. My one gripe was that the eggplant breading could have used a little seasoning, but otherwise it was a nice, safe eggplant parm.
The only sandwich that I wouldn’t recommend so far is the E-Z, another turkey-based wrap with mushrooms that a colleague tried last week. With its 50 shades of brown, it tasted as monochromatic as it looked. Pass.
So, I never thought I would say this, but I’ll definitely be returning to Toasties to check out their extensive menu of sandwich combos. Up next, I’m considering the Thanksgiving, since any celebration centered around food is my kind of holiday, and the sandwich is exactly how it sounds. Or, perhaps I’ll just continue happily enjoying the Emily Waits. Either way, if the like at Sapporo is too long for your hunger pains and you need something fast and filling, Toasties might be a surprisingly viable option.
The + (What someone who likes this place would say)
- I need a good warm sandwich spot, and Potbelly is so overplayed at this point.
- These huge sammies keep me full til dinner!
- I’m digging all the different sandwich combos that I can’t get elsewhere.
- I need a reliable spot for one of those days, I can be in and out in under 10 minutes flat.
The – (What someone who doesn’t like this place would say)
- Toasties? Really?!
- Isn’t this a generic deli? And a chain, no less? Pass.
- Sandwiches are boring — where’s my street meat?
- Sapporo is literally right there — ramen, please!
Toasties, multiple locations
Posted by Rachel Goldner at 11:30 am, June 29th, 2012 under Toasties.
23 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
That actually looks pretty good… I’m all for the elevation of the generic deli to at least include some unique options in terms of tastiness and decent hot sandwiches.