Boars Head turkey on store-baked bread at Sal’s Original in Shrewsbury. (Photo by Jim Willis. Click to enlarge)
By JIM WILLIS
After running some errands in Shrewsbury to pick up some pens at Staples and frozen mahi mahi at Trader Joe’s (makes for great fish tacos), we noticed it was close enough to lunch time to swing by Sal’s Original for a sandwich.
Like many other Italian deli and markets in the area, Sal’s features long glass cases filled with meats and prepared foods. Platters piled high with staples of Italian-American cooking such as chicken parmigiana, sautéed broccoli rabe and lasagna rollatini vied for PieHole‘s attention. Steadfast, we maintained our focus on the sandwich menu.
The menu board featured sandwiches such as the Goomba (roast beef and provolone) the Pacino (Genoa salami and provolone) and the Milano (roast beef and fresh mozzarella) playing up the deli’s Italian-American roots. On the menu as the Meyer Lanksy, even the Jewish deli staple of pastrami on rye was appropriated for a wink to the mob.
We ordered a turkey sub with lettuce, tomato, mayo and oil and vinegar ($8.49). The deli meats are Boar’s Head and the bread at Sal’s is brought in par-baked from Staten Island and then finished in an oven on premises. This combo makes for a reliably good sandwich. The tomato, admittedly out of season, was pretty bland, and the lettuce didn’t appear to have been just-sliced. But there was ample turkey, and the bread had a fantastically thin and crisp exterior with a light but chewy crumb that didn’t get overly soggy from the oil and vinegar.
Sal’s Original turkey sub made for a tasty and satisfying lunch. Next time we’re looking for a turkey sub though, we will head back to Red Bank Sub Shop, where a similar sandwich (with better lettuce and tomato) can be had for $6.95.
