Sub Stop Cafe

SUB STOP CAFE
7249 NW 4th Blvd
(352) 332-1599

I went to the Sub Stop Cafe after mailing some things at the Postal Center next door (side note: if you ever need to mail anything without the long lines of the post office, check them out). Walking in, the place smelled delicious. It had a strange vibe to it though, as the wallpaper and wood accents made it seem more like a kitchen from the 70s than a sub place. The menu was pretty expansive and covered the whole wall with sections for both hot and cold subs. It was a good thing I had never been there before and didn't know what I wanted, because I waited about 2 minutes at the counter with only one person ahead of me before someone got to me. I ordered a 12 inch Philly cheesesteak ($8.09), and was asked if I wanted it on white or wheat, which is always a plus (I go for wheat whenever available); both were clearly freshly baked. I couldn't quite see over the counter, but steak, onions, and peppers were put into a large bowl and stuck in a microwave for about a minute and a half. I didn't see if the steak was precooked and presliced and just being reheated or what. The bread was put into an open toaster with the cheese on it. I noticed a tray of brownies and cookies by the register, wrapped in Saran wrap and clearly homemade. At 94 cents, I took a brownie. The food was brought out to me about two minutes later on a tray with a peppermint. The steak was slightly pink still, which is not how I like it, and it tasted like prepackaged Steak Ums - not terrible but not all that great. They did however have a great method for toasting the bread and cheese, as the cheese was nice and gooey and the bread wasn't burnt but had a nice crisp to it. The brownie, though...I'd go back just for the brownie. At a dollar including tax it might be the best brownie I've ever had. The cookies looked just as good and were the same price. It alone keeps the food quality from being a 5, and I also don't think I should hold the fact that I don't like pink steak against them, since that IS the norm for most people.

Food quality: 6/10 (18)
Service: 7.5/10 (18.75)
Ambiance: 7/10 (14)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (11.25)
Menu selection: 8/10 (8)

Composite score: 70

Wise's Drug Store

WISE'S DRUG STORE
239 W. University Ave.
352.372.4371

I went to Wise's with my friends Lyle and Kaicee. Wise's is a drug store that's been around since 1938. In keeping with the way drug stores used to be, Wise's has an authentic lunch counter and soda fountain off to the side of their store. You can sit at the counter or at any number of tables scattered around the area. You feel like you're in the scene from Back to the Future where Marty McFly asks the soda jerk for a Pepsi Free in 1955. The menu has what you'd expect - sandwiches, salads, and of course, milkshakes and malteds. I got a vanilla milkshake and a patty melt. At a little over 5 bucks, the patty melt was one of the most expensive things on the menu. The milkshake is served in the big metal cup with a small cup for you to pour it in. It was thick and delicious. The patty melt was very good, nothing spectacular but when you're at a place mainly for the experience the food isn't expected to be gourmet. I also got a bag of potato chips for 30 cents (!). Lyle got two chili dogs and the waitress was very accommodating in giving him everything he wanted on it. They came out overflowing with chili and the fork they brought was definitely necessary. Kaicee got a salad and an egg salad sandwich which she described as being "good." The food came quickly and the waitress was attentive.

Food quality: 7/10 (21)
Service: 9/10 (22.5)
Ambiance: 10/10 (20)
Pricing: 9/10 (13.5)
Menu selection: 8/10 (8)

Composite score: 85

Introduction to Gainesville food

Hi, I'm David, and it's about time I started this blog. I'm originally from Coral Springs, Florida, and I've been in Gainesville since the summer of 2005. In that time I've fallen in love with the vast number of locally owned, independent restaurants and I've made it a mission to eat at as many as possible. I have a wonderful cast of supporting characters that like to go around with me to these places.

For every entry, I will provide the following:

• Name and location of restaurant
• Type of food
• Summary of my experience, including my company, initial reactions, what I ordered, and the like
• Ratings from 1-10 in ambiance, service, menu selection, food quality, and pricing (the higher the score, the better the prices are)
• Composite score, computed using the above ratings and giving 30% weighting to food quality, 25% to service, 20% to ambiance, 15% to pricing, and 10% to menu selection

Since I have 3.5 years of eating under my belt (and they're all visible there), I have a ton of places to review. I'm going to do the ones I visit right when I visit them, and I'll fill in the blanks as we go along. Enjoy!