Friday Top 5: Slow-Fast Food

Slow-Fast food might not be the right name for it. Perhaps it would be better designated as Mid-fast food. What I'm talking about are places that take some time to make your food from scratch, instead of squeezing a soup mixture out of a giant bag into a Styrofoam bowl. These places are trying to bring taste and craft back into easy food, and though they can't compete with real restaurants for quality, they can take a step in that direction.

5) Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's really shouldn't be on this list, since it is faster than most fast food. As most people know, usually by the time that you are done paying for your sandwich, it is flying at you from across the room. Literally, they throw sandwiches around.

The concoctions are tasty, and though they are usually slathered with mayo (making them less than health food) they are of moderate-high quality. Pretty much the only thing that JJ has in common with the rest of the places on this list is that it is uber-trendy. They like you to think that they have a sense of humor up there in corporate, which they actually might, with signs like "free smells" plastered on their building.

4) Noodles & Co.

Noodles and Company has been a staple in the Slow-fast food buisness for quite awhile now, and has become something of a regularity in my life. The dishes are good, the atmosphere is laid back, and you can have some wine or beer with your food if you so desire.

If you haven't tried it, get the Pasta Fresca with feta cheese and tofu. It tastes like greatness. I'm still impressed with it every time. An excellent example of the median between McDonald's and your local Nice Sit-Down Place.

3) Quizno's

I was iffy about including two sandwich places on this list, but it's hard to deny the impact that Quizno's has had on the industry. The sandwiches are expensive, but they taste fantastic. I haven't had a chance to try their veggie sub since I've gone vegetarian, but their meat subs leave the eater wanting very little.

Even though you'll be left with a mess when you're done, you'll also be left with a happy face. Try the Turkey Bacon Guacamole on wheat, if you haven't.

2) Pei Wei

Pei Wei is to Asian food what Noodles and Co. is to Italian. It's pretty heavily americanized, but it tastes fantastic. The food is a pretty good deal, as long as you stay away from appetizers and whatnot, and the portions are more than ample.

The main reason that Pei Wei makes it this far up on the list is because they have a comparatively large selection of tofu dishes that really hit the spot, and that's important for veggies like me.

1) Chipotle

I hae a hard time imagining anything that could be better than a nice puffy Chipotle Burrito. To be honest, the first time that I had Chipotle I hated it, mainly because I was expecting some Taco-Bell-like sham. I have learned, however, the true nature of Chipotle, and it makes me well. The food is gargantuan and taste-tacular, and they aren't afraid to make it spicy. It's americanized, like the rest of the stuff on this list, but I'm American, so that makes it easily accessible.

If you want more reasons to support your local Chipotle branch, they are one of the leaders in organic and fair-trade foods, one of the only mass-market places in the country that is actually making a point to serve high-quality ingredients. Sure, Chipotle is owned by McDonald's but Jaguar is owned by Ford, and they are still able to make some nice cars.

Labels: top 5

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