Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Firehouse subs, fully involved
Larry Bly
Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.
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“Welcome to Firehouse,” was the first thing I heard when I walked into the Firehouse Subs at Towers Mall.
I was impressed: The staff was friendly, the place was full as early as 11:30 a.m., and the food was prepared quickly and efficiently.
I tried the Italian Sub -- Genoa salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone, Italian dressing and Italian seasonings fully loaded with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion with a dill spear on the side. In the Firehouse Subs lingo, fully loaded is "fully involved."
You'll find yourself getting used to a few of these peculiar fireman's terms as they use them liberally throughout their menus and other materials: "From the Hydrant" for instance usually means soda drinks. "Hook and Ladder" is a smoked turkey breast sub with honey ham and Monterey Jack cheese. "Engineer" is smoked turkey breast and Swiss with sautéed mushrooms. And a “Meatball” means a sandwich crammed with meatballs and cheese, silly.
Firehouse Subs is a franchise, started by two firemen who did a lot of cooking for their comrades and decided they knew what it took to make great subs and sandwiches that could satisfy healthy appetites. Their promotional material reads: "Make it big. Make it hot. Make it with mounds of the finest quality meats, cheeses, and vegetables. And most importantly, steam it."
They also claim to want the customer to "feel at home, linger and have a good time". I felt like I was in a restaurant, not at home. But then maybe I didn't linger long enough. However, their cleanliness and friendliness made up for it.
You’ll find some nice items for kids on the menu, which can be difficult to find sometimes: grilled cheese; smoked turkey breast; premium roast beef; an old fashioned PBJ, served on white bread or sub roll with American cheese, a kids' beverage and two cookies. All for $2.99. I’m tempted to go for the kid's meal next time.
And just because you're in a sub shop doesn't mean you can't eat healthy. Try the "Chief's Salad" (no this isn't a typo; it’s another play on the firemen’s vernacular): It's a blend of romaine and iceberg lettuce, topped with bell peppers, red onion, tomato, cukes, provolone, sliced egg and a meat of your choice. Other salads offered are honey ham salad, smoked turkey breast salad, grilled chicken breast salad, tuna salad and chicken salad. All salads are $4.99.
Specialty subs on the menu, in addition to the aforementioned ones, are the hero, steak and cheese, smoked turkey breast and roast beef, and corned beef and pastrami with provolone cheese. Also worth a try is the “club on a sub,” which is smoked turkey breast and honey ham topped with Monterey Jack and crispy bacon served "fully involved."
By the way, if you want your subs or sandwiches "spicy" hot, you can choose from a whole lineup of hot sauces, so pick your poison. Then get ready to put out the fire.
They keep it all pretty simple at Firehouse Subs. Medium (8-inch) subs cost $4.99 and large (12-inch) subs run $6.99. You also may choose from four clearly displayed “Hot shot combos,” which include a sub, drink and chips of your choice.
My subs were still red-hot after a short drive across town, and each of the four people I chose to treat on this particular day loved their subs.
Want more information? Check out the national franchise’s Web site. They offer nutritional information on their foods, and if you register, you can order online.
Firehouse Subs
Towers Mall Upper Level
2019 Colonial Ave.
Roanoke, Va.
540-345-3131
www.firehousesubs.com
