Editor’s Note: Our columnist is not a trained or paid professional, nor does he get complimentary meals from the restaurants visited. He and his party arrive unannounced and do not reveal that they will be doing a review. Comments or questions may be sent to Sam Geati, greengeezer9@comcast.net.
This week I’m pleased to tell you about a sub shop that knocked the socks off my lunch guests and me. Bubs Subs is located in Algonquin, in front of Home Depot on Randall Road, just south of Algonquin Road.
I am a sub fan. I have trouble driving past any sub shop without stopping in for a quick lunch. Recently, I called upon a few of my tennis buddies to help me rate this new establishment. Considering the number of subs we have consumed in our lifetimes, we have some serious thoughts on the subject.
We liked the immediate greeting we received from owner Dom Pulli and his staff. It was reminiscent of younger days when I would walk into a Chicago beef sandwich shop. It didn’t take long for me to figure out why I have flashbacks; it was the aroma of fresh bread baking. Dom buys his bread dough from one of Chicago’s finest Italian bakeries, Gonnella’s. The bread is an essential ingredient for producing the best subs anywhere.
The hardest part once inside Bubs Subs is deciding what to order. I ended up splitting two different subs with Roger so we could experience several of the numerous subs on the menu. We ordered the Godfather ($9) and the El Nino ($8). All subs come with a drink and chips.
The Godfather included Mortadella, spicy Italian Capicola, Genoa salami, and Provolone cheese. After adding my favorite condiments, plus homemade Giardiniera, olive oil, etc., it was toasted just perfectly. That first bite said it all – Perfection!
The El Nino consisted of Italian beef topped with pepper jack cheese, homemade chipotle mayo, Tapatio hot sauce, and homemade hot Giardiniera — another winner created by Dom.
The other guys hit homers, too. Nelson ordered the Paisan, a traditional sub with Genoa salami, pepperoni, and Provolone cheese, priced at $8. He, too, praised the ingredients and the bread. Boyd went for the Club Bub, which consisted of oven-roasted turkey, Krakus ham, and crispy bacon topped with Wisconsin American cheese, priced at $7.50.
There is a variety of breads available, all awesome. The subs are huge, so customers might split one and still be satisfied. Don Pulli takes great pride in the ingredients he buys or makes himself. No doubt, the four of us are looking forward to our next lunch outing at Bubs Subs. Get out there and get one for yourself. Don’t be surprised if you get hooked too.
BUBS SUBS – 260 S. Randall Rd., Algonquin, IL 60102. Open Mon.-Sat.: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sun.: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 847-458-2620
Dining out Extra
The N. 33 Men’s Club recently went to Mimi’s Café for breakfast. Mimi’s is located in Algonquin at 2561 N. County Line Rd. We arrived at 8 a.m. sharp, per our reservation. They were not quite ready for us, so it was a few minutes before we were seated and a server was able to take our orders. Since we were a large group, I used a form to collect opinions from the attendees. Here are the average scores from the group based upon a number rating of 1-5, with 5 being the highest rating:
Food: 4.
Service: 4.
Value: 4.
Ambiance: 5.
All but one responder said he would return or recommend it to friends.
