Sandwich Wars: The Deli is the Superpower

I moved out of northern NJ in 1986. and have been looking for a decent bagel, slice of pizza and sub ever since. After decades of searching I found 'The Deli'. They actually call themselves the Deli and are located in several locations including DC, Fairfax, Herndon and Lansdowne VA. Here at The Deli you will find a sub worthy of any Italian American deli of NJ, NY or PA.

My favorite location is 19350 Diamond Lake Dr at Lansdowne Va. The owner is very friendly and generous. His shop is the SuperPower of Subs. You may call it a hoagie, submarine, hero, grinder, blimp, zeppelin, torpedo or a variety of other regionally derived names. But whatever you call it the best of the best is found at The Deli in of all places, Northern Va.

The sandwich pictured below is called the Madd Italian. It is packed with Mortadella, Salami, Pepperoni, Capicollo and Provolone. Topped with a delicious blend of lettuce, tomatoes, onion, sweet peppers oil, vinegar and Italian spices. 

You no longer need to go to NJ, NY or Philly for a true Italian Sub. The Deli will satisfy those who know what a sub is supposed to taste like. Not only can the Deli compete with the deli's of NJ, NY and PA, I am willing to bet many 'yankees' would admit The Deli is superior to many of their favorite northern deli's.

The 8 inch Madd Italian costs 9.95.  I rate it a 10.  Find 'The Deli' location near you and discover an authentic Italian American Sub.

Now that we found the sub we need to locate some bagels and pizza here in Northern Virginia. 

Earl's is the King of Sandwiches

I came here unsure of what to order. The sandwiches arr alkm appealing but honestly they are not your normal run if the mill sandwiches. I ordered the Pork and Fries sandwich. What can I say it was incredible.

They say the Pork and Fries is their best selling sandwich. I see why.  The pork is cooked perfectly. The ciabata bread is soft and delicious. The blend of chipotle mayo, roasted peppers, chopped onions and sweet pickles create an incredible blend of spicy and sweet. Then the topper real french fries within the sandwich.

This is  small shop on Wilson Blvd in Arlington VA that is a must visit for all foodies especially those that appreciate delicious and unique sandwiches.

The shop is small. The dining space is tight but this provides the feel of a genuine sandwich shop. The people are friendly and they not only make incredible sandwiches but they also like people.

Winging It at Manassas City Grill

Many years ago I worked at this place when it was called Pargo's. Those wings were phenomenal. But that was another millenium. City Grill ' s version look just as good. But in the Wingin world looks don't really matter.

As I bite into my first drummette I am very pleased with the crunch. The wings are medium size but very meaty. The blue cheese is my first disappointment. It is runny and appears to be mostly buttermilk with a few small crumbs of blue cheese. After getting over my blue cheese blues  I continue to work the wings. I find something missing. After another wing I realize what's missing.... Flavor. These wings have the look but lack that buffalo flavor.

I sprinkle on some salt and pepper but that doesn't quite do it. Justin my waiter comes by frequently to keep my soda filled and make sure I am good to go. I don't mention the flavorless wings instead order a side of sauce. I hope to find more flavor. I pour some sauce over my next wing it helps a little. Desperate for flavor I begin dipping the wing in the buttermilk excuse me the blue cheese then pouring the side of sauce on top. It helps and after some work i am able to finish my wings with some flavor.

I ordered my wings Buffalo hot. They offer mild and for an extra cost you can order BBQ and a few other flavors. I am all for charging enough to cover costs and making a profit but really how much more does 2 oz of bbq sauce cost over buffalo sauce.

Overall I am disappointed with City Grill wings mainly because they lack flavor, water down their blue cheese, and have the audacity to charge extra for bbq sauce. I did enjoy the crunch of the wings and their size and the amount of meat on each wing. The cost of 10.49 is only slightly on the high side of average.

If you do order the wings at City Grille in Mannasas ask for extra sauce on the side so you can mix it up with the blue cheese for some flavor.