Subway's Steak and Cheese - Cubed Meat Hell

To start off, please don't get the idea that I am a big Subway restaurant fan. But I do have to admit that about once a year I would get a craving for their Steak and Cheese sandwich (which probably spurns from the college years, where a Subway was located one block away and great for a cheap meal on the run). It was salty and rich, and although I have no idea what juices it was marinating in, it somehow always hit the spot.

Yesterday I suddenly had one of those cravings, and since I was driving right by the one on Harlem in Oak Park, I decided to stop in and grab one to go. To my horror, when the "chef" went to make the sandwich, he pulled out some cubed grey beef with wilted red and green peppers sitting in a paper tray and dumped it on the bread. I asked when the change was made from the previous beef, and the owner could only say that it had changed, but people like it just as much. I am assuming these people have had their tongues unfortunately ripped out in some horrible accident, because this was the worst thing I have eaten in a long time. Processed tasting, gummy and just plain rotten, I had trouble actually eating it.

I actually emailed Subway's HQ, just to let them know about my dissatisfaction. There probably is some economic reason for such a change, but I have a feeling I won't be eating at Subway anymore. Has anyone else had this beef-changing experience?

Do you realize how close you were to Johnnies?

Johnnie's Beef
7500 W. North Ave.
Elmwood Park 60707-4140

Yes, yes, I know how close I was to Johnnies. But unfortunately I had to get home in a hurry, and Johnnies is far enough out of the way for me that it wasn't possible to go there at the time.

I figured I would get some ribbing about going to Subway, but don't tell me that no one has ever been there before.

borborigmy wrote:Yes, yes, I know how close I was to Johnnies. But unfortunately I had to get home in a hurry, and Johnnies is far enough out of the way for me that it wasn't possible to go there at the time.

I figured I would get some ribbing about going to Subway, but don't tell me that no one has ever been there before.

Actually, oddly-enough I had Subway today. It's a hate/hate/urgh...can't...stop...from...ordering once in a blue moon. It was that or Jimmy Johns this afternoon. And, well, my Italian BMT was terrible(when the execrable components are juxtaposed serendipitously they actually sing a song of mediocrity...i.e. okay-ish for a quick bite). So...my sandwich was terrible: stale bread(who knew Subway bread could go off?), the guy put fake American instead of the fake provolone I asked for, and...just bad all around.

And when I say I do Subway once in a blue moon, I mean it; it's at most twice a year that I subject myself to this. The place(s) is/are always packed.

Oh...btw: this is lunch in the Clark/Division armpit...no good fast food in the vicinity excepting possibly the new-ish Bombon which I haven't been to because for some idiotic reason they've chosen to go with an "American" menu(I can make my own roastbeast/avocado sandwich, thank you) at this location instead of the drool-making, tantalizing menus at the other outlets.

... and it was right next to Parky's too.

Parkys Hot Dogs
329 Harlem Ave, Forest Park
(708) 366-3090

I used to goto Subway but since I found LTH there are just too many places to visit now.

I suppose it could be worse.

Like I said, somehow I just had a craving (the once in a year type-thing). I even thought about Parky's as I saw it sitting there forlornly, but my mouth screamed steak sandwich, not hot dog. Boy did I learn my lesson.
I bet that even the Japanese place next door would have been a better bet (? Fuji Grill?)

Subway and Starbucks are the two closest places to my house to purchase food and, while I admit to the occasional muffin or egg salad sandwich at Starbucks, one Subway, once, ten years ago was more than enough for this fellow.

The next closest is Top Dog and I'd rather eat at Subway than Top Dog.

Enjoy,
Gary

borborigmy wrote:I bet that even the Japanese place next door would have been a better bet (? Fuji Grill?)

My only experience at the place you've named above left me wondering if I was out of the culinary loop on sushi since I was inexplicably pulling bones out of my mouth after each piece of nigiri. It happened so many times that night that I thought it was a new trend and I was just not hip enough to know about it. I'm sure it was because of a new or hastened chef, and probably (hopefully) wouldn't happen again, but needless to say, I won't be back.

I have never actually been to the Japanese place, I just mentioned it because I saw it next door to Subway, and assumed that perhaps it could have been a better place to go to. However, I did get the feeling that something evil lurked inside, and although I thought about trying it one day, I now see that seebee has done the job for me - thanks!

borborigmy wrote:I figured I would get some ribbing about going to Subway, but don't tell me that no one has ever been there before.

I admit fully that I'm not as much of a zealot for high culinary standards as I ought to be, but Subway is Sparky's favorite restaurant (and will probably remain so until hot dog stands start offering toys...hint hint...) and it's walking distance from the house, so we eat there maybe twice a month. This is actually the 3rd incarnation of beef (4th if you count the original) for the hot sandwiches.

The first came out with the Chipotle Steak and Cheese, and was some kind of shredded pot roasty stuff - not awful, considering it's chilled and kept in little paper tubs. Then we had Carne Asada which WAS awful even by chain standards: some kind of pressed beef gibbles. Now we have a cubed beef/anihilated pepper/onion stuff you mention - not as bad as their Carne Asada, but I still can't elevate it to the level of not awful.

I should add my complaint to yours.

I'm an odd enough LTH'er that I can actually eat White Castle sober and mildly enjoy it . However, you would have to beat me senseless and drag my unconscious body to get me in a Subway. For some reason it just doesn't agree with me. I am a proud chow snob but rarely do I tell friends that they should just avoid a place altogether.... this is one of the few (cubed meat hell and all ). As this thread shows so clearly, we are blessed with nearly innumerable outstanding local options in Chicago and I will use whatever pull I have with my non-chowish acquaintances to steer them away from anything Jared pitches :twisted

Actually when I used to visit I used to enjoy. I would stop by on half price days and order it with everything. More like a salad on a bun.

... and you godda admit that Jared has some people turning away from the chain burger places which has to be better for them.

But... There are so many better places. Starship on Madison, Alpine on North, almost any Italian deli. Even most grocery stores will make a sub on demand.

I just can't bring myself to go there anymore, maybe if all of these other places close?

(Feeling the taste for steak and looking at a hot dog bun? I once tried making Tube Steak. I cut a cheap cut of beef into strips about the size of a hot dog, grilled them and out them on a hot dog bun. I needed to marinade or tenderize more because the bun couldn't take it. )

seebee wrote:

borborigmy wrote:I bet that even the Japanese place next door would have been a better bet (? Fuji Grill?)

My only experience at the place you've named above left me wondering if I was out of the culinary loop on sushi since I was inexplicably pulling bones out of my mouth after each piece of nigiri. It happened so many times that night that I thought it was a new trend and I was just not hip enough to know about it. I'm sure it was because of a new or hastened chef, and probably (hopefully) wouldn't happen again, but needless to say, I won't be back.

I haven't been to Fuji Grill in maybe 9 years, and I recall it being C-level sushi, acceptable, edible, and a good vehicle for soy/wasabi, and low-grade stuff, but I am shocked that there would be anything like a bone in their fish.

seebee wrote:I was inexplicably pulling bones out of my mouth after each piece of nigiri.

This is the most horrifying thing I've read all evening; My spouse and I were shocked... We've never heard of such a thing... Any particular type of fish you were eating?

IIRC, it was just the reg stuff. Toro, s(h)ake, hamachi. This was two years ago, and as I said probably (hopefully) wouldn't happen again. Sadly, I'm no stranger to bones in sushi. WAY back in the day when I used to tend bar in the state/division area, there was a tiny little sushi bar on S side of Division a few doors west of Empire chinese joint. Pretty sure Empire is still there, but the sushi bar has to be long gone, and as an aside, Empire is possibly the best lo mein in the city. Anyway, the sushi joint was a mom and pop joint that would NEVER and I mean NEVER have anyone in it. The couple running the place were in their 60's it seemed, and were very nice, but the fish they were churning out was mostly gray, and BARELY passable and usually had bones in the nigiri. They did make some killer udon dishes, and I would generally go before work (started my shift at 7pm) and get a few pieces of nigiri, a roll or two, and a nice bowl of udon to go.

Had to search for address, might as well post it. I used to LOVE this place's stir fried Lo Mein dishes, and Yat Gaw Mein soup. Tiny hole in the wall, best for carryout. I would get noodles only, and sometimes sesame chicken. The noodles were the stars here though. Haven't been in probably three years, but it was still the same lady barking orders to the cooks, and the lo mein was exactly the same. Chewy noodles (NOT RAMEN NOODLES, THANK YOU) Nice and dry, no gloppy corn starch gravy in sight. Sure, I wound up off track here, but if this place is still in business, maybe someone else can get turned on to a carryout gem for lo mein. I'm rarely in that area anymore, but I always think about stopping in if I am.

Empire Restaurant
49 W Division St,
Chicago 60610

I too, while not too found of Subway, was always a sucker for the Steak and Cheese sandwich. I remember my college days, when it used to be on special for $1.99 for a 6-inch steak and cheese sandwich and I would sometimes go 4-5 times a week.

When Subway changed to the "new and improved" steak, I was not happy but could not think it would be much worse, but I was very wrong. The cubes of rubbery meat, just don't have the right consistency or flavor and no amount of toppings can help it. I also wrote to Subway HQ to complain about the seemingly senseless switch and was not ever graced with a canned email thanking me for my submission. Not that anything more was really expected.

I guess another craving, is no more...

I had a comment about my first Subway experience in over a decade-- I was shuttling kids somewhere on a tight timeline, it was unavoidable-- but as so often, James Lileks is living my life for me and writing about it first:

Lileks wrote:I don’t know why, but I always feel as though I’m irritating the Subway Sandwich Artists somehow – either by not specifying my bread preference up front, perhaps. They’re always grumpy. And it always seems odd that it takes two of them to complete the sandwich, but that is the Subway Way, I guess.

I had to make all these decisions about my sandwich, which I found intensely annoying. Don't you see I don't care? Don't you see that I'd much rather be eating at Superdawg across the street, but I need something dry that the kids won't spill all over themselves during this purely functional nutrient dump? Give me a board with numbers on it, let me order by number, give me my indistinguishable, unpersonalized sandwich, if I cared I wouldn't be here.

Reminds me of a response to the Onion survey: Burger King announced that it would begin buying pork and eggs from farms that do not cage or crate their animals. What do you think?



Priya Shenoy,
Produce Manager
"As a regular Burger King patron, I don't think I could make it any more clear that I don't give a flying fuck what I put into my body."

"As a regular Burger King patron, I don't think I could make it any more clear that I don't give a flying fuck what I put into my body."

That is hilarious.

I also wrote to Subway HQ to complain about the seemingly senseless switch and was not ever graced with a canned email thanking me for my submission.

I have yet to hear from them as well. I guess they also could not give a flying fuck.

In a slight sidenote, good old Jarod (the Subway spokesman) actually lived and ate at the Subway that I went to in college. In fact, a friend of mine worked there at the time and vaguely recalls a rotund gentleman coming to eat there almost every day (along with the sorority girls who would only order a veggie or turkey sandwich). Now Jarod is living off of his sandwiches - literally.

seebee wrote:IIRC, it was just the reg stuff. Toro, s(h)ake, hamachi. This was two years ago, and as I said probably (hopefully) wouldn't happen again. Sadly, I'm no stranger to bones in sushi. WAY back in the day when I used to tend bar in the state/division area, there was a tiny little sushi bar on S side of Division a few doors west of Empire chinese joint. Pretty sure Empire is still there, but the sushi bar has to be long gone, and as an aside, Empire is possibly the best lo mein in the city. Anyway, the sushi joint was a mom and pop joint that would NEVER and I mean NEVER have anyone in it. The couple running the place were in their 60's it seemed, and were very nice, but the fish they were churning out was mostly gray, and BARELY passable and usually had bones in the nigiri. They did make some killer udon dishes, and I would generally go before work (started my shift at 7pm) and get a few pieces of nigiri, a roll or two, and a nice bowl of udon to go.

Had to search for address, might as well post it. I used to LOVE this place's stir fried Lo Mein dishes, and Yat Gaw Mein soup. Tiny hole in the wall, best for carryout. I would get noodles only, and sometimes sesame chicken. The noodles were the stars here though. Haven't been in probably three years, but it was still the same lady barking orders to the cooks, and the lo mein was exactly the same. Chewy noodles (NOT RAMEN NOODLES, THANK YOU) Nice and dry, no gloppy corn starch gravy in sight. Sure, I wound up off track here, but if this place is still in business, maybe someone else can get turned on to a carryout gem for lo mein. I'm rarely in that area anymore, but I always think about stopping in if I am.

Empire Restaurant
49 W Division St,
Chicago 60610

That'd be New Japan Inn(long gone and lamented). The most welcoming and hospitable elderly couple ran things for 40-plus years. Not a place for sushi at all(tho' I had ordered it in the past; a plebian selection...no bones iirc). You went to NJI for the homestyle cookery. They made a killer Japanese curry.

You mention Empire...wow...that's a quintessential place you have to order carefully at...

Incredibly irascible mom n pop behind the counter.

I've never done the lo mein. It seems they mainly cater to the chicken wings and pork fried rice crowd. Having said all that...I like their black bean chicken. Um...that's about it. I wouldn't recommend Empire to anyone unless I was there to guide them through the culinary landmines.

I'm actually surprised it's survived the rejuvenation of that block.

Anyway, New Japan Inn(I posted on it here long ago)...quite a fun experience...walking in off that sordid corner to find oneself in a reproduction of a Japanese teahouse(?) replete with welcome quiet, great service, and untranslated menu scrolls tacked to the bamboo walls. I miss it.

'used to see the little old lady shopping at the farmer's market just outside the restaurant's door...so you can't say the vegetables weren't fresh...

NJI closed about two years ago. Empire soldiers on. Hint: only order their hot n sour soup as part of an average lunch special...if you order it off the regular menu they dump so much cornstarch into the portion that it's veritable hot n sour aspic: that's the kinda joint Empire is...

There's a Subway in the building where I work, and I, admittedly, go there maybe once a week - but only for the tuna sandwich; it fixes one of the best tuna subs I've had anywhere . . . the giardinare is some of the best I've ever had in Chicago. As for the rest of the fare . . . I take a pass (no mystery meat for me!)..

In a slight sidenote, good old Jarod (the Subway spokesman) actually lived and ate at the Subway that I went to in college. In fact, a friend of mine worked there at the time and vaguely recalls a rotund gentleman coming to eat there almost every day (along with the sorority girls who would only order a veggie or turkey sandwich). Now Jarod is living off of his sandwiches - literally.

On a sidenote, I despise Jarod. If he and Joan Cusack had a baby, not only would it be a horrible freak of nature, but as the baby grew older the level of obnoxiousness could not be topped by any human being, with the exception of maybe Gilbert Godfried.

Its your own fault if you are actually getting the steak sando from Subway, especially after seeing the cubed steak they use. I actually stay away from any steak or chicken that Subway offers. You just need to keep it simple if you find yourself having to eat at Subway instead of the countless other delis in the gretaer Chicago area. However, a turkey or tuna sando from there is at least serviceable.

Christopher Gordon wrote:That'd be New Japan Inn(long gone and lamented)....

You mention Empire...wow...that's a quintessential place you have to order carefully at...

Incredibly irascible mom n pop behind the counter....

I've never done the lo mein. It seems they mainly cater to the chicken wings and pork fried rice crowd. Having said all that...I like their black bean chicken. Um...that's about it. I wouldn't recommend Empire to anyone unless I was there to guide them through the culinary landmines.

NJI - BINGO!!!! Thanks!
As for Empire, yes, total landmines all over the place, but I still stand by their lo mein if it's still the way they used to make it. Still evokes the Pavlovian response for me, and I used to order it veggie style!

Stagger wrote:I'm an odd enough LTH'er that I can actually eat White Castle sober and mildly enjoy it . However, you would have to beat me senseless and drag my unconscious body to get me in a Subway.

I think you'd be surprised. I'm fairly certain there's a few LTHers that like White Castle. (I like it once every two or three months. My digestive system doesn't like it as much.) I agree with you on Subway. That and Taco Bell are perhaps my two most hated chains. If I must do chain subs, it's Jimmy John's for me, although I understand that's an unpopular opinion here, as well.

OK, so it sounds like a lot of people want to put Subway as their “most hated” chain. But what if I ask something that may be considered blasphemous on this forum (akin to asking something like “who is your favorite murderer”), and I am embarrassed to ask it, but just to see the answers I will ask it anyway:

What is your favorite fast food chain (and to make you feel better, let us pretend that there is absolutely nothing else available and yet you haven’t eaten in 12 hours)?

Popeye's and Culver's, at least of major chains in the Chicago area.

Skinny turkey on wheat, no mayo, with hot peppers at Potbelly's.

Another vote for Popeye's.

Standard Fast Food?
Fish Sammich at (of all places.. drum roll please....)

ARBY'S!!
DAMN good fish sammich. - New spicy sauce is pretty good too.

2nd place for me is a double whopper at the old Burger King.
Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, pickle, and real mayo. Hold the Ketchup, please!

I wouldn't consider Pottbelly to be in the same class as Wendy's / Arby's / Taco Hell / Mcfood / KFC/ Poopee's kinda places, but I am a pottbelly's fan - at least until they switch ALL of their meats to the fake subway meat jello stuff.