I Don’t Want This Sandwich to End!
The title says it all – Capt’n Nemo’s (on Ashland just north of Addison) is pretty amazing. One of Lois’s friends (the same friend who referred us to the Golden House Pancake House) recommended we give this place a shot (she still hasn’t let us down). So one day, wondering what we were going to do about lunch before the Renegade Craft show, we stopped in to see what the fuss is all about.
We’re greeted by the sounds of Donna Summer playing overhead and a very polite man who offers us samples of the turkey chili. We try the chili. My heart melts. I look at Lois, and she’s savoring it as well, which is surprising because Lois isn’t really a huge chili fan. The turkey chili was out of this world. Creamy, chunky, with ground turkey, kidney, and pinto beans. Not too spicy, very tasty. Very.
We take a moment – a long moment – to take the whole menu in. The sandwich list (cold and hot) seems to go on forever and we just don’t know what to choose. Lois steps up to bat, and orders a half of the Super Cheese Sandwich, a warm 6-inch concoction of melty swiss, brick, provolone, muenster, and American with a little lettuce, onion and mayo thrown in for good measure. I order the cold beef and cheese (toasted bread and Swiss cheese), which is served with cold roast beef, onions, tomato, lettuce, and the capt’n’s secret sauce (which we don’t know anything about, at this point). So we order, and the sandwich maker starts to make the sandwiches, but stops midway to tear off some little bread samples and squirt some of the capt’n’s secret sauce (CSS) on them so we can let him know if we want it on our sandwiches. I went with it, thinking it can only add to the sandwich; Lois, however, skipped it, fearing it would overpower the cheesy-ness of her sandy. The sauce is pretty awesome, and Lois even agrees that it’s a beautiful blend of different vinegar, spices, and sugar. I broke down, and ordered a small cup of the turky chilie that the gentleman let me sample. It really was delicious, no joke.
After we place our order, we head over to the dining area and stand in awe. Tho booths seemed somewhat retro, with headboards featuring hand-painted with cartoon characters sporting Nemo’s products. One-eyed aliens, with forks and knives, goofy looking kids playing with their food (reminded me of the Goonies), The Blues Brothers getting their ears pinched by a stern looking nun. This place would be super fun if I were a little kid — or Lois, who was standing by the claw machine asking me if I had any quarters. She started to pout after I told her I had none for the third time.
The sandwiches were excellent — a little slice of deli heaven. Mine was very well balanced thanks to the toasted-ness of the bread and the cold meat, fresh toppings, and tangy, sweet sauce — which seemed to add even more flavor to the thick slices of beef and bread. Lois’s on the other hand….whoa, I finished the last few bites of her sandwich, and they really were not, messing around, compiling all these cheeses. And once they all melted together, they formed a United Nations of cheeses, where everyone was getting along and making the right decisions. It was glorious. I actually looked up at Lois, and said out loud (hence the title), ” I don”t want this sandwich to end!”
the united nations of cheese
This all adds up to a delicious lunch and a cool atmosphere for less than $15 — what more could you ask for?
