Two Alarm Taste!

Reviewer: Chris

Original Review Date: 02/05/2009

Rating: +2/+3(Goooood)

I had my usual choice when I go to a sub/sandwich shop--a turkey and bacon variation, depending on the menu. I decided on the #6: a club with turkey, ham, cheese and bacon. The sandwich came with plenty of carne, thinly sliced as it should be. The sub was hot and flavorful (I think due in large part to the melted cheese). No vinegar/oil here. Their shtick is the steamed sandwich--hot but not toasted, steamed but not soggy (actually, the sandwiches are both toasted and steamed--bread is toasted, innards are steamed, then Toasted + Steamed are assembled just before delivery to your table). There is a line of 6 or so little steamer boxes behind the counter which in addition to heating your sandwich create quite a hazy interior.

They call your name and bring your sub to you, which is nice (kind of a pain to get off your ass and walk to the counter and pick up your food, a fact that both Culver's and Schlotzsky's have figured out). One minor annoyance: you will receive a hearty "Welcome to Firehouse!" chorus as you walk in (reminiscent of Mooyah). Can do without that (and without listening to it throughout my meal as new patrons enter). In fact, I did do without the greeting--I was not offered one upon my entry*. So the greeting is a double-edged sword. Annoying on one hand, and then if you do not receive the greeting, it can lead to issues of self-doubt that you might need to address with your therapist--why didn't I receive a greeting like everyone else? It's like being the last kid picked for teams. You start feeling like Charlie Brown. So either way, the greeting is a bad policy.

Now about the theme--the menu is sprinkled with firefighter-themed names for the foodstuffs. Eg, the "Hook & Ladder" sandwich (turkey and ham--not sure which is the hook and which is the ladder), "Engine Company Sub", "Engineer Sub". Subs are offered "Fully Involved", which must be some kind of firefighting term. "Fully Involved" means "with veggies and stuff". It's the First Responder's way of saying "Mike's Way". Surprisingly, there is no "Backdraft" sub, or "The Figure 5 in Gold" sub. This theme extends to their online presence--the email newsletter is called "Copy That!". The URL for finding Firehouse locations is http://www.firehousesubs.com/scanner/scanner.cfm. Etc. etc. etc. You get the picture.

Anyway, they succeed in spite of the goofy theme. I would go back. Another reason to never eat at Subway.

* Oddly enough, I was not offered a greeting at Mooyah either. I heard the servers shouting "welcome to Mooyah!" at subsequent patrons, which also had me feeling a bit left out.