Off-Campus Lunch Favorites Square Off

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcDWE5k79II

Video by Daniel Popper & Ben Stryker

Daniel Popper & Ben Stryker
Editorial Director and Staff Cartoonist

Going off-campus has been a tradition for almost a decade. However, determining which of the countless delis to choose has always plagued upperclassmen seeking the perfect lunch. In order to settle this debate, we surveyed 200 students in order to nominate three sandwiches, one from each of students’ favorite lunch establishments: Tony’s Deli, Forest Street Deli and Chicken Joe’s. For Tony’s, the students nominated the High School Special: bacon, egg and cheese with cones on a roll. For Forest Street, the students selected the famous Chicken Salad Melt: chicken salad with bacon, melted Swiss cheese, tomato and honey mustard on a toasted Portuguese roll. Finally, students voted for the classic High School Special for Chicken Joe’s: ½ pound bag of chicken with fries. We graded the sandwich taking into account appearance, portion size and most importantly, taste.

Tony’s Deli: High School Special

Score: 8 /10

Tony’s Deli is a New Canaan grub staple, especially for high schoolers after a grueling morning practice or during a quiet Monday morning free. Out of all the sandwiches on the menu, the New Canaan Breakfast Special was voted the best of the assortment, and for good reason too. This sandwich, a Kaiser roll stacked high with eggs, bacon, cheese and cones, is the perfect remedy for those winter blues. Hot sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper are all acceptable toppings, ensuring you never eat the same exact sandwich twice. But what separates this sandwich from the rest are the cones. These fluffy golden treasures provide a consistency to the sandwich that cannot be beat. Factor in the size of this sandwich, and you have yourself a serious contender for best high school meal.

Forest Street Deli: Chicken Salad Melt

Score: 9/10

This succulent combination of tomato, bacon, homemade chicken salad and luscious honey mustard, topped off with melted swish cheese on a Portuguese roll, is literally heaven on bread. There is a truly great juxtaposition of salty, sweet and creamy flavors that come together to create a beautiful explosion of taste in your mouth. The most important part of any chicken salad melt, however, is the chicken salad itself. According to Forest Street Deli Owner Bob Watters, they start every day with boiling all white meat chicken breast, guaranteeing the chicken salad’s freshness and tenderness. Next, they add mayonnaise as well as a blend of secret herbs and spices that Mr. Watters does not disclose. Their dedication to keeping the chicken salad fresh and delicious explains why this sandwich is consistently amazing.

Chicken Joe’s: High School Special

Score:  8/10

Chicken Joe’s is the newest establishment on the list, but it has quickly made its impression on high schoolers. Trips to Garden Catering in Stamford are no longer required to pick up the legendary High School Special (HSS). The HSS, a piping-hot bag of a half pound of chicken and fries will surely fill you up for only $6. Its strong point has to be the size of the portion, which easily dwarfs the competition. This bad boy is so big they include a soda in the meal just so you can wash it down. Our only gripe is that the HSS doesn’t bring anything new to the table. It’s earned its place more by size, not by taste. You will never see a high schooler complain as they sink their teeth into a nugget, but it lacks the complexities of the Chicken Salad Melt. However, if you skipped breakfast, this is the meal to pick up!