Imagine being on a police ride-along when suddenly a gunshot goes off. What would you do, save one of the two friends next to you, let’s call them Ross and Chandler, or rescue the best sandwich in the world?

Tough call, isn’t it? Well, if you were Joey Tribbiani, it wouldn’t be, because the best sandwich in the world definitely wins.

As I was writing this review about Jimmy John’s, 2135 Brackett Ave., I asked myself, would Joey Tribbiani die for this sandwich? And the conclusion – maybe.

I’ll start with my criticisms because when I’m given the choice between getting the good or bad news first, I always choose the bad, because everything deserves a happy ending.

Though the sandwiches are indeed tasty, my Subway-obsessed self enjoys the idea of choices. At Subway, you have the choice of bread, cheese, toppings, and having it toasted or microwaved. At Jimmy John’s, all the subs are decided for you, including the type of bread, meat, cheese, toppings and sauces used on the sub. I understand for them to be “gourmet” sandwiches, they need to be creations of the shop, but I think the option to create your own should be available, too, like at Cold Stone Creamery.

The second and last criticism (I swear) deals with the bread. It’s good, but not great. Last semester, The Spectator’s editor-in-chief was in love with Jimmy John’s bread and he’d always make the quote while chowing down, “God, this is good!” The bread would be better if it was warmed up, making it a little bit softer.

And now, after all of my ruthless condemning, here’s the good news. Jimmy John’s has great service. I was helped right away and the sandwich was made instantly. I ended up ordering the eight-inch Vito, which on the menu was called the original Italian sub. It had Genoa salami, provolone cheese, capicola (a type of Italian ham), onion, lettuce, tomato and was topped off with an Italian vinaigrette sauce. The sub tasted like pepperoni pizza, which I loved. The meats in this sub complemented each other well by providing a pleasant explosion of spices with every bite. The amount of sauce used on the sub wasn’t overused to the point where the sub was dripping, which does occasionally occur with Subway’s subs.

The Jimmy John’s menu has seven eight inch sub sandwiches at $4.25, 11 giant club sandwiches at $5.25, and six plain slims, which are any of the slim sub choices minus the veggies and sauce.

If eating low-carb is a concern of yours, a J.J. Unwich can be made with the same ingredients as the subs or clubs, but without the bread. And for those who aren’t concerned with the size of your waist, the J.J. Gargantuan at $7.25 might be just for you. This sub has tons of Genoa salami, sliced smoked ham, capicola, roast beef, turkey, provolone cheese, onions, mayo, lettuce, tomato and Italian dressing all on a French bread bun.

Jimmy John’s claims to have the world’s greatest gourmet sandwiches. I think if in the position to save a Jimmy John’s sandwich from a bullet, Joey Tribbiani would.

– Natalie Saeger