Chain restaurants. My least favorite adjective for my most favorite noun; the two they invoke images of mass produced, poor quality, unhealthy and bland food. However, despite my skepticism and reluctance, I was pleasantly surprised this week when I ate at Lenny’s. For those new to New York, Lenny’s is a classic American sandwich chain restaurant in New York that currently has 15 locations around the city. One night, I was craving a sandwich and decided to try Lenny’s which has been recommend to me by several friends. In addition to wanting a sandwich, I wanted a festive sandwich, something related to Thanksgiving. After thoroughly reading the vast menu, I realized I had come to the right place and ordered the H1, which is the Thanksgiving Special Sandwich. In addition to serving this awesome Thanksgiving sandwich, Lenny’s also serves a variety of sandwiches, soups and salads.

Stacked between two slices of hero roll bread were slices of oven-roasted turkey, traditional bread based stuffing, cranberry sauce and turkey gravy. My first thought was, “Wow, what more can a girl ask for in a sandwich?” I giddily took my first bite and was brought back to my family’s Thanksgiving table, happily eating all of my favorite dishes. The oven-roasted turkey was moist and not heavily seasoned; it melded perfectly with the rest of the sandwich ingredients. The stuffing was good and flavorful but slightly on the salty side. However, the cranberry sauce softened the taste of the salt from the stuffing perfectly and created a nice salty-sweet balance. To call it cranberry sauce, however, would be a bit of a misnomer. Much to my delight, the “cranberry sauce” had a texture that likened to the jellied cranberry sold in cans around Thanksgiving. It is one of my favorite Thanksgiving indulgences and I was so excited to try it on a sandwich. The turkey gravy was nicely seasoned and had the ideal consistency; not too runny that it spilled out of the sandwich but not too thick that it resembled gooey mush. My only criticism is that the gravy soaked into the bread and made the bread slightly soggy. However, the hero roll itself was fluffy on the inside with a nice crust on the outside.

The portions are very generous in size. The sandwiches are stacked high with an array of meats, cheeses and garnishings.  Also, the prices are affordable for students. Sandwiches are priced based on what kind of bread you get: sliced bread and roll sandwiches are $7.50, wraps and ciabatta bread are $7.99 and heroes are $8.75.  You can order classic sandwiches from their menu or create your own. The namesake, “Lenny’s” sandwich, is comprised of hot pastrami and corned beef with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing. There is also the vegetarian sandwich that includes alfalfa sprouts and avocado. Even those on a diet can grab a sandwich at Lenny’s! The “diet style” is comprised of alpine Swiss, alpine cheddar cheese, green-leaf lettuce, tomato, onions, carrots, cucumbers, shredded red cabbage and alfalfa sprouts on a seven-grain whole wheat bread.

After tasting the food at Lenny’s, I realized that this was no ordinary chain sandwich shop. Both the food produced and ingredients used were above average. While researching, Lenny’s I discovered that this sandwich chain prides itself on creating high-quality sandwiches with custom details to show they care about their products. For example, in an article featured on The New York Sun’s website, I learned that it is a Lenny’s rule that sandwich makers cannot put roast beef next to turkey on a sandwich because it will turn the turkey red. Also, when designing sandwiches, Lenny’s takes into account every detail, such as what type of lettuce would better hold the dressing. These little details are what have helped make Lenny’s into a New York staple. They have many fans among New Yorkers and in 2006, The New York Daily News named Lenny’s Thanksgiving Special Sandwich (known as the H1 on the current menu) as the Sandwich of the Week.  So, be sure to stop into Lenny’s if you are craving a sandwich, especially the H1 Thanksgiving Special, which is sure to put you and your belly in a festive mood.