Business
10 Subway Items You Can’t Get In America Part 1
Contrary to popular belief, Subway Restaurants were founded in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1965. Back then the restaurant was known as Pete’s Super Submarines, but they dropped that name in 1968. Since its inception, they’ve been offering fresh sandwiches to the public, but not all sandwich creations are available in America.
10. Beef Hot Dog (Lebanon)
Who doesn’t like hot dogs? They’re pretty popular among children and grown-ups too enjoy a good wiener on a fresh bun every now and again, especially at a good ball game, or perhaps just walking down the streets of New York, chomping down on a dog prepared by the expert hands of the many street vendors that flood the street. And beef hot dogs sure have become popular as well; with so many people not wanting to eat pork, these have provided the possibility for many more cultures to enjoy a good old hot dog every now and again. Chicken, turkey and tofu varieties are now available as well. And yes, there are many that have health concerns about hot dogs, but one every now and again won’t hurt you, and it’ll end up putting a smile on your face as well, so go ahead. But for Americans, there’s one place you cannot find hot dogs, and that’s at Subway restaurants. With their credo of healthy eating being promoted over and over again, a hot dog is the last thing you’d expect to see offered on their menu, but as it turns out, in Lebanon, you can find just that on the menu, and the wiener is served on a bed of crumbled potato chips and garnished with cheese and onions! Anyone up for a trip?
9. Crumbled Chicken (South Africa)
This one here sounds a tad more complicated than it actually is. There is no crumbled chicken on the sandwich per se. In fact, the chicken here is in the form of chicken tenders, and really there’s nothing all that special about that, is there? After all, chicken tender sandwiches are pretty much offered at many restaurants in North America, but they sure aren’t offered at Subway, and perhaps the combination of breads offered there and the fresh veggies would turn an otherwise boring sandwich into something rather delightful in the end. The sandwich in this form is actually available in South Africa and this menu item does pretty well in that part of the world. It seems like it would do well in the States and Canada as well, yet it hasn’t appeared at any of the restaurants in North America as of yet, but maybe if we collectively cross our fingers, the powers that be will add it on in the months and years to come. We can only hope.
8. Halloumi Sab (Saudi Arabia)
Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese found primarily in Cyprus, where it originated. It’s recipe and mode of creation is centuries old and has been practiced by many cultures, but was perfected by the people of Cyprus many years ago. It’s made from sheep’s or goat’s milk and is brined and unripened. Sometimes cow’s milk is also used. Its melting point is quite high, so it is favorable when used in frying and grilling, which makes it the perfect ingredient for … I don’t know, maybe a sandwich! Indeed, and the people at Subway Saudi Arabia seemed to have figured out just that. Interestingly enough, it only spread forth into the world late … in the year 2000 to be exact when it appeared in Turkey, Europe and now the rest of the Middle East as well. Interestingly enough, it goes quite well with fruit too. As for the subway sandwich offered in Saudi Arabia, it’s paired with the fresh veggies of your choice, and the taste of this fried cheese is enough to have you forgetting all about meat, with every tasty and succulent bite. The practice is quite common in Italy and Italian cuisine, and sandwiches like this are quite commonly found around the country. The only difference of course is the cheese, as in Italy, bocconcino cheese, mozzarella, and especially buffalo mozzarella are often grilled and paired with fresh tomato and basil to make a sandwich worth writing home about. With a little sprinkling of olive oil and you’re there. Now there’s an item that should make the Subway menu sometime soon, or at least we hope.
7. Chicken Curry (Spain)
The chicken curry dish that we’re used to hearing about originated in the Indian subcontinent, and has gained widespread admiration, being welcomed in many cuisines around the world. It’s extremely popular in the UK and has dominated in North America as well, and for quite a number of decades now. This dish is available in many restaurants, but in the Americas, this form of spicy chicken can’t be found at Subway restaurants. The same, however, can’t be said about the beautiful country of Spain. Now Spain has its own traditional cuisine, in which tapas reign supreme. But seeing that curry, in all its forms, spread as far as Europe even before it was available in the States and Canada, and regions in Central and South America too, Spain has been using it in their cuisine for quite some time. This is probably why this particular sandwich made an appearance on the Spanish Subway restaurant menus, and seems to be doing quite well in the region. Curry dishes are of course still considered an acquired taste over in North America and perhaps this is why the restaurant executives are reluctant to put it on the menu in America. Anyone remember the Lays potato chip curry flavor? Didn’t do quite well on the market, so maybe at the end of the day, they’ve got a point. But still, there are many adventurous foodies in the States and Canada, so if it were up to us, we’d give it a try.
6. Steak and Chorizo Melt (United Kingdom)
Now a steak sub is nothing, really to write home about. After all, they are one of the oldest recipes for subs and hoagies in the book. Anyone who’s been to the beautiful city of Philadelphia knows that. And what’s not to love? The griddled beef strips, onions, peppers … and who can forget the cheese? It’s all good and it’s why it’s still one of Subway’s strongest sandwiches to date. It does extremely well and seems like it will be a staple on the menu for years to come. But the epic gastronomical geniuses over at Subway UK only added to this epic sandwich. Now what’s better if not equal to succulent strips of beef? If you guessed sausage, you’d be right-e-oh dear friends. But they didn’t just add any old sausage that you can get at the grocery store for a cheap price. No way! They added one of the most savory sausages and probably the greatest tasting sausage known to man (right up there with Andouille sausage)—of course we’re talking about none other than Chorizo. Now those two tastes combined will have you jumping up and biking, walking, driving, heck, even crawling to the UK for a taste of this mighty sandwich combination. Chorizo sausage helms from Europe, specifically Spain and Portugal, but it is now featured in many European cuisines. The fermentation, drying and curing process has remained unchanged over the long years, and it is perhaps this that gives it its unforgettable taste, appreciated by many the world over. Adding this to recipes is definitely the perfect way to take a sandwich, or dish from one level to the extraordinary next one. Of course the addition of paprika doesn’t hurt these wieners one little bit.
5. Cold Smoked Raw Ham and Mascarpone (Japan)
Now one would think that this particular sandwich would be available in Italy of all places, as the ingredients sure do lean in that direction, as far as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you might say. But as it turns out, it’s the remarkable Subway team in Japan that decided to add this one to the menu first, and the public there are eternally grateful it seems. This one definitely gives new meaning and breathes new life into the old standard sandwich known as ham and cheese, doesn’t it? The smoked raw ham is an interesting addition, and ham can be found in many varieties, specifically the cured sorts we find here in North America, but the smoked flavor definitely adds to this sandwich and in a big way, complimenting the classic rich taste of the mascarpone cheese. The cheese is definitely something you’d see in Italy, but the ham there would probably be prosciutto. Now there, you’d have a winner to take the number one spot on any list, we’re sure. But the executives in Japan sure hit a home run for its clientele with this one here. Again, the ham is a bit puzzling, as ham really isn’t a staple of Japanese cuisine, but perhaps the executives at Subway Japan figured that it would attract lots and lots of American tourists. Perhaps they weren’t at all wrong on that one.
4. Shrimp Melt (Japan)
Now here’s a sandwich that seems to be a little more in the neighborhood of Japanese cuisine, as seafood, in all its glory is vastly found in many traditional Japanese dishes. After all, what should we expect from the nation that perfected what is known today as sushi? The terminology used here is quite interesting, though, as it borrows from traditional American diner cuisine, as what is one of the most potent and readily available dishes n diners across North America. If you guessed the tuna melt, we’d have to congratulate you. The tuna melt screams Americana like no other menu item, as it sends that ‘’breaking of the rules’’ mentality American cuisine was based on, as fish, in classical French and Italian cuisines wasn’t usually paired with cheese. Well, the success of this menu item in the States proved that theory wrong, and it’s quite remarkable to see other world cuisines jumping on the old fish and cheese bandwagon. Now, we’d also like to mention that not all fish goes well with cheese, for some pretty obvious reasons, as both items have a tendency to release certain odors that don’t always please the senses when heated, so tread carefully when pairing these two ingredients, please. But the sauteed shrimp in this Subway sandwich offered in japan certainly looks quite scrumptious.
3. Shrimp and Avocado (Japan)
Staying with the whole shrimp thing for just a few seconds longer, Japan also offers this little tasty sandwich. And while the Shrimp melt definitely lends to a warmer and cheesier experience, this one here is actually quite healthy, as it pairs the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and in avocados, but it’s the perfect warm weather meal, excellent for picnics and a simple walk down the beautifully crowded streets of Tokyo, Japan. Imagine chomping down on some fresh shrimp and avocado on a fresh roll, as you walk past the people and the bright city lights of that beautiful foreign city. If we’ve enticed you, contact your local travel agent today, and just tell them we sent you. The area is rich in fresh veggies, and they only add to the crisp texture of the grilled shrimp and creamy avocado. This is ‘eating fresh’ at its best, and is totally healthy to boot.
2. Peri-Peri Chicken (South Africa)
Peri-Peri has a few variants, as it is also widely known as Piri-Piri (perhaps the most popular form), and in other parts of the world is known as Pili-Pili. Of course depending on cultural connotations and spelling, we’re all pretty much talking about the same thing. And just what is Piri-Piri? Glad you asked. It’s actually a chili pepper that grows in the wild and is cultivated, and interestingly enough, it first originated in South Africa. It later spread to parts of Portugal and its many territories. It was the Portuguese that put the pepper and subsequent spice formed to epic good use in their world-famous Piri-Piri chicken, which garners quite a bit of attention for their national cuisine. One would think that it is interesting, however, that it would be South Africa to feature this sandwich on their menu, but after giving it some thought, not really, seeing that the pepper originated on South African fields in the first place. The sandwich promises loads and loads of spice and for those that love a little kick with their chicken, we’d say it’s the perfect menu option. The smoky flavor of the Peri-Peri will take you to levels of enjoyment not found with recipes containing the standard chili peppers and cayenne peppers found in the states. Trust us on that one.
1. Fiesta Mexicana (Poland)
Now the last place you’d expect to find a Tex-Mex meal would be in the land of Polka music and beef goulash, but low and behold, the people at the Poland Subway have actually introduced a Fiesta Mexicana sandwich on their menu, and what more, it’s actually a hit in the area. For North American’s we’ve got taco Bell when we’re in the mood for some good old Mexican cuisine served up in three minutes or less (if service is good), and are pretty much content with that, but to have a second fast food option would be pretty awesome. Of course many North American fast food chains had Tex-Mex on the menu, and these menu items all went the way of the rotary telephone, and with much less fanfare at that, so we more than understand the fear for American execs to go ahead and serve this one here to the masses, but still, Tex-Mex at Subway … a Fiesta Mexicana Sub at Subway. Kind of has a nice ring to it, eh? We sure think so, and if enough buzz is generated, maybe we too can enjoy one of these bad boys. Of course we’re being optimistic, as we’re pretty well known to see the glass as being half full, pretty much most of the time, but we do realize it isn’t all that likely that we’ll be seeing this bad boy on the menu any time soon. Too bad.