My Love for LJS

The basis of this food blog is the love of fresh, new, and exciting foods and restaurants in the Triangle area.  And yet, with no apologies, I can never let go of my love for the fast seafood at Long John Silver's, a restaurant whose name alone strikes fear in the hearts of most everyone I know.

There's no rational explanation for my intense desire to find and eat LJS whenever I have the chance, so I won't attempt to make one.  Even as a huge fan, I'd be hard pressed to dispute the common argument that every single item on their menu tastes the exact same, whether it be fish, shrimp, or chicken (I wouldn't group their hush puppies or mozzarella sticks in the same category as they are breaded, rather than battered like the aforementioned group).  There is obviously nothing "fresh" about their offerings, the most desired trait for any seafood consumer.  Even their chicken "planks" (which, up until this EXACT moment, I never realized were probably named that to keep with the pirate theme) couldn't look more processed shape; there is absolutely nothing natural about a perfect rectangle of chicken "meat".

Two chicken planks with three battered shrimp

I won't argue that what follows makes sense, but it's what I love about Long John Silver's and what makes me plan whole trips around eating there (friends can attest that I sculpt my entire eating schedule on the drive from Raleigh to Pittsburgh around stopping at the LJS in West Virginia, and just yesterday, I drove about five miles out of the way to hit up an up-until-now unknown LJS in the Knightdale area).

First and foremost, I love anything fried.  I eat mozzarella sticks for breakfast whenever possible (including my appetizer-for-breakfast fried trio of mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and chicken fingers at IHOP in Hilton Head) and absolutely live for crunchy texture and oily taste in any fried item.  Second, I love shrimp and chicken fingers; as a kid (and now adult) growing up, I've based my fast-eating on these two staples (even adding them to my own recipe arsenal) and seek them out religiously when I can, even considering myself somewhat of an expert.  Third and most of all, I think the flavor of LJS batter is the best thing in the world.  I always hope I get pieces of ONLY breading when I get my food there, and I'm most always rewarded (the batter has such an awesome, distinct taste that when I took a bite of their chicken last night without it, I had a realization that I was eating chicken, rather than "generic LJS food", which was terrible).

I understand and sympathize with those who are against fast-food seafood and are forced to eat it or even smell it when I make them to visit LJS with me.  There are a million reasons the place is bad; un-fresh food, weird smells, and unhealthy options.  But for me, there are three reasons it's still the one fast-food restaurant that stops me in my tracks and draws me in every time.

Which Wich in Brier Creek

Jessica and I tried the new sandwich shop Which Wich (http://www.whichwich.com/) in Brier Creek this past weekend.  Which Wich is a chain that exists a few other places in Raleigh (Lake Boone Trail and North Hills) and other places throughout the country.  I suppose its competition are places like Subway, Jersey Mikes, and Quiznos, although Which Wich has far more variety in their sandwich options, and a simpler ordering system.

Entering the shop, you can pick up a brown paper bag that you "fill out" to order your sandwich.  They feature over fifty sandwiches with too many customization options to count (selecting bread, cheese, extra meats, three different types of onions, etc.) and three sizes.  Options range from the standard deli choices to a variety of chicken, Italian, vegetarian, and even seafood selections.

For our visit, I went with their Grinder, which is comprised of pepperoni, salami, and capicola to which I added provolone cheese and had toasted.  I'll get the one minor complaint out of the way... there was little to any cheese on the sub, so next time I suppose I'll order "extra" to see whether that's how they serve it or whether it was a bad day (the place was still new and working out plenty of kinks).  I actually tried to add crispy onion strings for no real reason, which they didn't have, so they gave me two free chocolate chip cookies (one for me, one for Jessica), which were "toasted" and delicious.

The Grinder

Anyway, those minor inconveniences barely registered to me as the meats packed so much flavor I was blown away.  Each bite was filled with the Italian flavors I hoped for when I made the order; the spice of the meats and the deep flavor really surpassed any realistic expectation I had, having dined at the other chain sandwich shops during my lifetime.  As I said earlier, the lack of cheese was almost unnoticeable with the great cuts of meat, but I can only imagine the EXTRA pleasure of a melted, creamy provolone added on top of the already terrific sandwich.

Both Jessica and I instantly put Which Wich ahead of the more traditional sandwich chains in the area.  I am already itching to go back to try one of the many other choices I turned down on my first visit (meatball, chicken marinara, and cheese steak being three).  While you may have a favorite chain for sandwiches and quick meals, I can't recommend enough finding the Which Wich closest to you and sampling what is simply the best variety of ingredients, preparations, and flavors I've found.