A franchise of Which Wich Superior Sandwiches recently opened in North Little Rock, with a sandwich for everyone and every occasion. And the name is pretty catchy, too.
The shop is in a strip mall at corner of McCain Boulevard and Fairway Avenue (others are in Russellville, Searcy and Bentonville).
Our first visit was a bit interesting, mainly because we were not familiar with the ordering system. We eventually got it figured out, with a little help from a friendly employee.
Upon entering, you’ll notice the menu hanging on the right-hand wall, and a variety of brown bags separated by styles of sandwich. Categories are Turkey, Ham & Pork, Beef, Chicken, Seafood, Vegetarian, Italian, Comforts, Classics and Breakfast. After you peruse the menu and decide on your sandwich, grab the bag that’s labeled with the name of your sandwich’s category. There are red pens with which to fill out your order.
Start with the name of the sandwich. Do you want double meat or bacon for an extra charge? Do you want white, wheat or a bread bowl? Or a lettuce wrap? Croutons, iceberg lettuce or spinach? Toasted or not? Then choose your size (7-inch for $5.50, 10.5-inch for $8 and a Super 14-inch version for $10.50).
The next category is “Work your Wich!” Here you’ll customize your sandwich. They offer a variety of cheeses, spreads, mustards, mayonnaises, dressings, vegetables, and oils and spices. There’s such a variety that it’s easy to be overwhelmed. I’d recommend checking out the menu online - you can order there too - to avoid confusion, especially if it’s busy.
Once you’ve gotten your brown bag filled out, there are also forms for shakes and cookies. They require less work.
When you’re done move to the main counter. The person manning the register will enter your order, you’ll pay, then find a seat.
The kitchen anchors the back right section of the restaurant. They hang your order bag on a wire over the sandwich preparation area and slide it down as they put your sandwich together. It’s a straightforward system that works pretty well.
The dining area is filled with stainless-steel-topped tables, and chairs that could be daunting if you are not a diminutive person. The chairs resemble the old ice cream parlor style with metal legs and wooden seats, but they just don’t look or feel very sturdy.
When your order is done, they’ll call your name and you pick it up at the far end of the counter, near the beverage area in the back of the restaurant.
Menu examples include Thank You Turkey (made with stuffing and cranberries), shrimp po’-boy, Monte Cristo, muffuletta, The Cuban and the Elvis Wich (peanut butter, honey and banana).
There’s also a vegetarian section with hummus, black bean patty, and a Caprese made with tomato, mozzarella and pesto. And, they offer five breakfast sandwiches served all day and a Kidswich section for the little folks.
Our group of four finally filled out our bags and handed them to the man at the counter. I started with the muffuletta, which is made with salami, ham and olive salad; my son went with the shrimp po’boy with slaw; mother decided on the barbecued pork and slaw, which is also topped with sauce and pickles; a friend tried the tuna salad sandwich, to which he added black olives. We also ordered one of each cookie flavor: oatmeal, chocolate chip and peanut butter.
Three ordered hand-dipped shakes and I went with a malt. The flavors are chocolate, pineapple, banana, Oreo, vanilla and strawberry, and they cost $3 to $5, depending on size. My chocolate malt was delicious, and had plenty of malt flavoring.The only drawback we found was that the paper cups are uninsulated, so the shakes get runny rather quickly.
The sandwiches don’t all come up at once, and you really have to listen for your name to be called.
My muffuletta was delicious. The toasted bread had a nice, firm bite and the green olive salad added a zesty kick.
The po’boy had a good amount of small shrimp that were breaded and fried. The slaw was delicious. It had nice thick shreds of cabbage and a mayonnaise-based dressing and tasted homemade.
The pork had a nice smoky flavor, but I figure they get the meat precooked and smoked.There’s no hint of a smokehouse in the building. The slaw added a nice bite overall, and the little bit of sweetness went well with the pork.
The tuna was OK. It was basically mayonnaise and fish, but the black olives kicked it up a notch.
The cookies were large enough for the four of us to share, but were not remarkable or overwhelming. Other choices are a brownie or Which Krispie for $1.50 each.
On a second trip, I ordered two 10.5-inch sandwiches to go. I love a good French dip, so I ordered that with extra meat, which costs a lofty $3 more. The beef was thinly sliced, tender and flavorful, and the savory au jus added even more moistness to the meat but $11 seems a bit much for one sandwich.
I was intrigued by The Cuban, which I’d seen made on TV cooking shows, so I figured it was time to try one. It’s made with ham, pork and pickle, and the pickle brought out the flavor of the meat. It was as delicious as the French dip.
One of the things I like about Which Wich is that the sandwiches travel well and reheat nicely. We had leftovers from our first trip and a few minutes in the oven was enough to re-crisp the bread and awaken the flavors of the meat.
Which Wich Superior Sandwiches
Address: 2607 A McCain Blvd., North Little Rock
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m. -6 p.m. Sunday
Cuisine: Sandwiches
Credit cards: AE, D, MC, V
Alcoholic beverages: No
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Carryout: Yes (501) 771-9424
whichwich.com
Weekend, Pages 31 on 07/25/2013