With days turning cooler and fallen leaves fading, comfort food beckons. Hearty sandwiches satisfy that urge for a little something more, not necessarily seconds but a big hefty first. From hoagies to subs, these sandwiches from Plymouth restaurants will leave you satisfied.
Club HOT hoagie
Davanni’s
Hoagies are built into Davanni’s name right behind legendary pizza. The club hoagie is everything a hot sandwich should be, generously appropriate for the season with a trio of meats. “Any sandwich where you’ve got good hearty bread and a toasted sandwich – it’s perfection for fall,” Jacqui Crocker, marketing director says. Turkey, Canadian bacon, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese broil over garlic-butter-covered-bread. Tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, onions and a secret dressing provide a cool finish. For more heat, ask for banana peppers. Enjoy it with a refreshing Minnesota craft beer. Whole $7.55, half $4.55.
House smoked barbecue pork
Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill
Take refuge from the gales of November with a smoked barbecue pork sandwich. “When you walk into Grizzly’s on a chilly late fall day, you’re instantly warmed by the fire and smell of our rotisserie oven and the meats we smoke. It’s hard not to want something from our spit,” general manager Bailee Duke says. Apple cabbage slaw tops the smoked barbecue pork sandwich with the right note of autumn crispness. Wash it down with a nice frothy beer. “We have 28 beers on tap that are always rotating; there’s always a great beer to pair with our smoked meats,” says Duke. $10.
Grilled cheese
Lucky 13’s Pub
Hungry for something tasty and timeless? Make it a grilled cheese, please. Throw in an assortment of cheeses, a spread of guacamole and a few tomato slices for added fun. The ultimate comfort food of youth gets a few updates enhancing the adult appeal. “It’s four cheeses, so it’s cheesy and a little messy but super delicious,” manager Megan Stansberry says. Besides being a glory of cheesy goo, the sandwich is functional. It’s “the perfect thing to dunk into warm soup,” Stansberry says. And the house-made tomato basil is the ideal soup. On Thursdays, tomato is the soup of the day. Sandwich $11.49, half sandwich and soup $12.49.
Turkey bacon ranch
Firehouse Subs
Among specialty subs, the turkey bacon ranch is an ongoing favorite. The sandwich started out as a limited time feature, but its popularity demanded a permanent place on the menu. “All of the flavors work together,” Ronald Harris, area representative says. A cascade of premium sliced turkey, melted cheese and dressing could only be topped by bacon. A steam treatment draws out savory flavors. Fresh onion, lettuce and tomato add crunch to the meaty melt. Small $3.99, medium $6.79, large $9.29.
Mike's Italian meatball
Sunshine Factory Bar & Grill
Mike’s Italian Meatball is a spaghetti and sandwich mash-up. “The meatball sandwich is truly a Sunshine Factory creation...named after a second generation customer named Mike. He’s from the East Coast with an Italian background, and we felt it was a good connection,” says April Hanson, general manager/partner. “It’s good comfort food and plenty of it. The sandwich is served hot and it’s very filling.” Red sauce and melted provolone covered meatballs burst from within a ciabatta hoagie bun. “One of the best kept secrets about our meatball sandwich is that we add our private recipe garlic sausage to the mix. Gives it incredible flavor,” Hanson says. Taste the freshness of house made sausage and sauce. $10.75.
Mediterranean sandwich
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
This sandwich brims with hummus, feta cheese, artichoke hearts, crisp cucumbers and roasted red peppers. Multigrain bread maintains the healthy theme. “For those who enjoy the Mediterranean salad but are looking for something more hearty on a cool fall day, the toasty warm Mediterranean sandwich is the way to go,” says Bryan Stevenson, director of operations support and culinary. It’s also the only Potbelly sandwich with feta. “The mix of flavors makes the Mediterranean sandwich a favorite, but what customers really love about the sandwich is that the feta cheese is added before it is put through the oven for toasting.” $5.55.
Food Noets: Thanksgiving Helpers
Running out of time or simply want to relax this year? Here’s what Plymouth area grocery stores offer premade for Thanksgiving. No one needs to know!
Lunds & Byerlys
Thanksgiving dinners feature a fully-cooked turkey plus all the fixings, including mashed potatoes, sage dressing, poultry gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, tea buns and pumpkin pie. $79.99 (cooked turkey breast) serves 3-5, $139.99 (cooked whole turkey) Serves 8-10 and includes a pecan pie.
Still want more for your meal? Additional sides of cranberry orange relish, glazed yams and Thanksgiving dinner staples are available. Place orders by November 15 online and in-store.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods has a Thanksgiving spread suitable for all plates, even vegans. “Whether you’re hosting for the first time, or simply want to check some items off your to-do list, we’ve created the perfect meal options to take care of all your Thanksgiving needs,” Allison Phelps, public relations coordinator says. The dinners showcase smoked turkey, turkey breast, roasted turkey, prime rib, ham and vegan dishes with all the trimmings for 4, 8 or 12 people. Variations are as plentiful as the bounty. Fresh, healthy, sustainable and organic drive the menu with some vegetarian and vegan choices – all available to go.
Traditional and innovative sides cover the gamut of savory to sweet. How about gravy; cranberry-orange sauce; dinner rolls; herb stuffing; vegan lentil-mushroom stuffing; creamed spinach and kale; green beans with crispy garlic and parsley; maple roasted Brussels sprouts; mashed potatoes; cheesy rutabaga-potato mash; roasted fingerling potatoes with crispy garlic and parsley; vegan maple mashed sweet potatoes; cornbread stuffing with cranberries; creamy mac and cheese; cranberry walnut bread; pumpkin pecan bread; Gruyère and spinach stuffed mushrooms; butternut squash, goat cheese and almond galette; or wild mushroom strudel?
A big meal demands a big finish. Pie is almost a must on Thanksgiving. Choose from apple, cherry, blueberry, cranberry-apple, pumpkin or pecan. Or for something different, try a fresh fruit tart, bûche de Noël or mini pastry platter.
