Jimmy John's - Subs for Foodies

My friend was raving about Jimmy John's from the time we touched down in Texas. Where is the nearest one? On and on. I am glad we found one....right down the road from our hotel as chance would have it.

Now Jimmy John's boasts to be the World Greatest Gourmet Sandwiches. I don't know if they are the best, but I haven't had any better. They have a variety of choices with all real fixings. I don't know about you, but I am dubious of meat that looks synthetic or that has to be dunked in juice in order to taste good. Jimmy John's is straight up, real good stuff!

By now you probably realize that, if there is one, I tend to go for the specialities of a restaurant. The standout on the Jimmy John's menu is "The J.J. Gargantuan" it and this sandwich was invented by Jimmy John's brother Huey. With lots of genoa salami, sliced smoked ham, capicola, roast beef, turkey & provolone, jammed into one of our homemade French buns then smothered with onions, mayo, lettuce, tomato, & our homemade Italian dressing.

The sandwich really did satisfy, and I felt like I was eating my first real sub in a long time. I would give it two thumbs up if I didn't need them to hold up my sandwich.

Jimmy John's:

Address -

Locations across the contiguous United States

Website - www.jimmyjohns.com (you can order online)

Reservations - none needed

Overall Recommendation: this ain't no Subway or Quiznos, these are real subs for a real appetite!

Freebirds World Burrito - It's a Monster

I first ate at Freebirds World Burrito about 15 years ago. Over the years the picture of this magnificent beast of a burrito has grown, like a legend, in my mind. The only thing is that this time my mind was not playing tricks on me.

The burritos come in 4 sizes: Hybird, Freebird, Monster, and Super Monster. There are 3 proteins to choose from: Slow Roasted Carnitas, Fire Grilled Steak, Fire Grilled Chicken (your choice of white or dark meat).....or you can have a fresh veggie filling.

When I am faced with a decision about which size to get, and two of the names have Monster in them, I feel obligated, on a purely masculine level, to get at least the smaller of the two monsters. I went with the Monster simply because I might not have been strong enough to even hold up the Super Monster. To be healthy (ha!) I went with the spinach tortilla and chicken (dark meat please).

The flavor of the fire grilled chicken really stands out amongst the traditional rice, cheeses, sour cream, etc. In many chain burrito stores (Qdoba, Chipotle to name a couple) you get decent flavors from fresh fixings, but there is something about the grill on the Freebirds burrito that is special. It is like that lady in the red dress, when the rest are wearing black.

In an earlier post I mentioned that I have a real weakness for good food that is served in a warm tortilla. Freebirds is the best I have had. If you have the opportunity, don't pass it up. I would eat at one every day if there were one in Anchorage, although I would have to go with a smaller option I don't want to lose my figure :)

Freebirds World Burrito:

Address -

43 locations in Texas

1 in Oklahoma

2 in California

Website - www.freebirds.com (you can order online)

Reservations - none needed

Overall Recommendation: bring your appetite and thirst for well seasoned fixings!

Joe's Crab Schack - A Good Case of Crabs

My advice? Definitely wear the bib!

Joe's Crab Schack is chain restaurant that got it's start in Houston, Texas in 1981. Lucky for me that is where I got my first taste of this seafood extravaganza. The restaurant features friendly servers who tie your bib on for you and sing birthday songs for guests celebrating. It is entertaining watching them all dance to "Cotton Eyed Joe", although I am sure they are less than thrilled with the routine by the end of the night.

Joe's features, what I would call, gulf style seafood. The featured meals are crab, shrimp, crawfish, clams, etc. are place in a steampot and steam cooked. There are several different seasonings that are used in multiple preparations and choices. Each one sounds equally delicious and I was pleased with my meal.

My friend and I started with pound of crawfish and the classic sampler. The crawfish were delicious and spicy. I admit to being very bad at getting the meat of the crawfish out to eat it, but what I could get out...dynamite! The classic sampler did not disappoint either. Calamari, crab dip, and most of all "Great Balls of Fire". All were good, but the great balls of fire really stood out. Fried balls of jalepeno, shrimp, and crab, all blended with cheese. It is the perfect combination of flavors taking your taste buds on a roller coaster ride of deliciousness. DO IT!

Whenever I am eating at a place for the first time, I always try the house special. In Joe's case, it is Joe's Classic Steampot. Dungeness crab, Snow crab, boiled shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and potatoes all brought to the table in a steampot and smelling scrumptious. The crab meat was delicious, but like most crab meals, it is a lot of work for that great flavor. The sausage, corn and potatoes definitely help fill your belly in this festive meal. My friend had the Samuel Adams Steampot and was very satisfied as well.

If you are watching your sodium cholesterol intake, beware! Otherwise, enjoy!

Joe's Crab Shack:

Address - check website for a location near you

Website - www.joescrabshack.com

Phone - 877 599-9330

Reservations - no reservations needed

Overall Recommendation: gulf style seafood in a fun atmosphere, everyone should go once for the experience.