Schlotzsky’s – Portage
6005 S. Westnedge AvenueWasn’t planning on eating out today, but we had to run an errand when J got home from work, so it was just easier to do so. Neither of us really had a taste for anything and I didn’t want fast food.
I had mentioned it several times in the past, but I finally decided just to stop at Schlotzsky’s on Westnedge and Milham in Portage. I only had one other experience at the chain deli. It was December 2, 2002. Now, most people would think that because I remember the exact date that something horrible happened with that experience. Not so. It was my first day of work in Peoria.
I don’t really remember that trip. I was so nervous that I was starting a new career in a new city that lunch was the last thing on my mind.
What I do remember about that trip was that I didn’t hate it. I have a feeling I would remember something like that no matter what the circumstances, so I’ve been wanting to try it since we first passed it shortly after moving to Kalamazoo.
Schlotzsky’s shares a building and a parking lot with Little Caesars. The lot is an L-Shape with entrances off both Westnedge and Milham. There are also entrances to the building from either side.
The order counter is kind of hidden behind a wall. You can see it when you enter, but not entirely. The menu is very hard to read. It’s behind the counter and there’s an overhang that blocks the view of the topmost items.
Since J has never eaten at a Schlotzsky’s, and it has been a long time since I have, we needed a few minutes to look over the menu of sandwiches. To my surprise, there were four or five that sounded good. The only thing that scared me is that ingredients weren’t listed anywhere. While the bread and meat looked good, I had no idea if there were going to be any wild sauces on there that I didn’t want.
J ordered first and got the Ham and Cheese Original. The menu had options for small, medium, and large, but we were only offered small or medium. Again, we didn’t know what the sizes meant, but the cashier actually had a couple of the pieces of bread nearby so she could show us. J went with the medium, a drink, and a bag of chips. The sandwich is served on sourdough bread (you do have a choice of four, but sourdough is the default) with smoked ham, cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses layered with black olives, red onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard and Schlotszky’s signature dressing. She left off the olives, onions, and tomatoes and said it was surprisingly good. When I mentioned Schlotzsky’s for lunch, I don’t think she was super wild about it, but her opinion changed after she actually tried the food. The chips she grabbed were cracked black pepper chips which she also liked. All the chips are house brand and they have some pretty unique flavors.
I settled on one of the sandwiches in the Route 66 promotion. The sandwich is called the Tulsa Two-Step Angus Beef and Cheddar. It’s a sourdough bun with Angus roast beef, bacon, cheddar, red onions, and a hickory BBQ sauce. I got the combo which included a large drink and chips. The chips I grabbed were Jalapeno and they were delicious. There was just a hint of heat which was just enough. The sandwich was pretty good. There was a good stack of roast beef and just enough BBQ sauce to hold everything together, but not make the sandwich super messy.
Our bill was just a little over $16. That’s cheaper than some of their competitors and what I was hoping for when I picked the deli.
Ham and Cheese Original
Tulsa Two-Step Angus Beef and Cheddar on Sourdough
SW Michigan Dining 