Where to Lunch if: You are Feeling Particularly Carnivorous

E. - Dear, sweet Beantown Hoagie. You had me and my Philly-area roots at the word ‘Hoagie.’ “Challenge accepted,” you think, if you’re me. “let’s see how you stack up to my glittering childhood memories of the motherland’s own Wawa specialty sandwich.” Well. Once that gleaming Boar's Head logo has sunk its teeth into your hungry yearnings, and the subtle beckoning of your primal instincts has lured you through the doorway,

you'll already be gnawing on a mouthful of turkey before the jungle-drum underscore snaps out of your head and you remember you're in public and to stop before you swallow the toothpick. That's right: samples. Upon entry. And you know, you won't even want to nab one on the sly and run off for some fluffy-pants falafel pita; you'll be hooked. Not only does Boar's Head's marketing team do a stand-up job with both entertaining and seducing you visually, but the real-time flavors of their product surely mean that their meats come from only the happiest, most carefree animals to ever frolic in a field (*I have no way to verify if that is truly true). And if you think the menu stops at the classic Italian Hoagie (isn't that all you really need?) you will be mistaken as I was. The paninis are spot-on, sporting well-balanced additions from bacon to lush, generous avocado slices. The cheese proudly holds its own, just as cheese should, the bread is just the right degree of crispy and fluffy, masterfully controlling the sauces and spreads from reaching your grubby little fingers while never upstaging the all-star sammie fillings. (It is also great to salt with your tears of abandonment because someone had a meeting and left you to lunch solo...) Yep, any sandwich so far has been A) delicious and B) filling to the gills. Fast-moving lines, too. And if you’re looking for a side or dessert (ya really should be) the whole counter and wall is full of ‘em. Healthy, local, indulgent, specialty-flavored fill-in-the-blank... just don’t forget to snag your snack before you pay for the hoagie: $5.00 credit card minimum, friends. Oh, and they do actually have at least one vegetarian option on the menu, surely meeting the same level of quality and delectability. Not that it should really matter.

Menu: http://www.beantownhoagie.com/ordereze/Menu/Menus.aspx

A happy, satisfied salute to you, Beantown Hoagie.
E.