Rock n’ Jenny’s Italian Subs

Rock n’ Jenny’s Italian Subs

Location: Far far away unfortunately, but you should still check it out  1044 W Valley Pkwy  Escondido, Ca

Type of Food: Sandwiches

Price Range: $4.00-$10.00 per sub

Date Potential: Lunch Dates are ideal here

Now I know that for most of my previous blogs I have written about the local restaurants in the Riverside area. This one however, is for a restaurant called Rock and Jenny’s that I discovered while on a trip to San Diego. Now Rock and Jenny’s is located just north of San Diego in the city of Escondido, California. It is off the 15 freeway exit Valley Parkway.

Rock and Jenny’s is apparently one of the local favorites down that way and for good reason. Their subs are some of the most unique and tasty items that don’t come along very often.

Food:
Rock n’ Jenny’s features a collection of Italian sub sandwiches and also some pasta dishes. Now you may say what separates this sandwich shop from your local Subway? Well the answer is just about everything. To start off, their fresh baked sub rolls are flavorful and soft. The sandwich meat is sliced fresh and does not come “pre-packaged.” The most prominent thing that separates Rock and Jenny’s from the rest is their own Italian Dressing. This makes the sandwich! I kid you not, that you will have the hardest of times trying to find something that can compare to this dressing!

Atmosphere:
Rock n’ Jenny’s is only about as big as a Subway restaurant, but they also have seating available outside which would probably be your first choice considering the wonderful Escondido weather year round.

Price:
The prices range anywhere from $4-10 for a sandwich and chips and drink.

Date Potential:
This joint has a great lunch date potential, as you will surely impress whomever it is you are with. The atmosphere is loud and fun and will bring out plenty of good casual conversation.

Simple Simon’s

Simple Simon’s Bakery and Bistro

Location: 3639 Main St Riverside, CA 92501, Next to the Mission Inn
Type of Food: Sandwiches
Price Range: A bit more expensive than Subway, expect to pay about $10 per sandwich
Date Potential: Perfect for a Lunch date

Simple Simon’s is truly a hidden treasure in Riverside. This hard to find little bakery and bistro has some of the most unique sandwiches around.
Located in the plaza right next to the Mission Inn, makes for a great atmosphere and a perfect location for outside seating. Keep in mind though this perfect little sandwich shop is open for breakfast and lunch, but closes by three in the afternoon.
Everything on the menu is fresh and made from scratch. Some of the particular noteworthy sandwiches are the grilled chicken and vegetarian.
The grilled chicken sandwich has some of the most flavorful and juiciest chicken every. Covered with a pesto sauce and all the extras, this is a mouth-watering, got to have one right now kind of sandwich.
The vegetarian sandwich is one of the freshest around. They have every vegetable you can think of to add into this scrumptious sandwich and a just what the doctor ordered kind of dill spread to make you want more!
I can’t forget to mention the cookies. These cookies are gigantic! My favorite has been the raisin and oatmeal, although the others look just as good. Watch out though, the chocolate chip cookie, does contain nuts.
Be aware of the lunch rush though, this is not a grab-and-go sandwich shop, the line tends to be out the door. My advice if you are pressed for time, is to call and order ahead.
This sandwich shop has great date potential, although not ideal for an impressive first date. The perfect date here would be a lunch date, something a bit quick and not too serious.

The Counter

The Counter
“Custom Built Burgers”

Location: The Promenade Shops at Dos Lagos 2785 Cabot Drive Suite 110 Corona, Ca 92883
Type of Food: Good old American hamburgers, sort of!
Price Range: $8.00-$13.00 per burger
Date Potential: A lunch date here, might be fun
Website: www.thecounterburger.com

True to its name, The Counter, is a one-of-a kind hamburger restaurant that allows its guests to custom build their burgers. Guests are given a menu with five steps and are asked to mark down exactly what they want, starting with what kind of burger: beef, turkey, veggie, or grilled, chicken and the size: 1/3 lb., 2/3 lb., or 1 lb. You can also choose to have a burger in a bowl—build your burger without the bun. Next, you choose your cheese, and move on to select toppings and sauce. Finally, you choose the bun. I must say the choosing your toppings and sauces are not as easy as it sounds. The Counter offers 27 different toppings and 17 different sauces! I had a very difficult time even deciding if I wanted a hamburger or if I wanted to try the burger in a bowl.

I finally decided to go with the burger in a bowl. I had grilled chicken on a bed of mixed baby greens, with a ton of toppings such as avocados, roasted corn and black bean salsa, Bermuda red onions, chili, and tomatoes, all topped off with a southwestern Caesar sauce. It was quite delicious and a perfect meal on a hot day.

The décor of the The Counter is very inviting. The open restaurant and patio seating is perfect for summer. The Counter has even thought of the kids and offers a game corner where the Wii can entertain the little ones. Although I would not recommend taking a date here for a romantic dinner, it is a perfect spot for a lunch date or a luncheon with the gals.

Coffee Depot

Coffee Depot

Location: Downtown Riverside, on the Corner of Mission Inn Avenue, across from Spaghetti Factory

Type of Food: Coffee Shop

Price: $1.00-$5.00

Date Potential: Perfect for so many occasions

To my fellow readers:

If your tried of that expensive Starbucks coffee that doesn’t really taste all that great anyways, READ ON…..

I am going to attempt to take a break from the usual types of restaurants I blog about to introduce you to one of my favorite coffee shops, The Coffee Depot.

The Coffee Depot has two locations serving the Riverside area, the Riverside Plaza and Downtown Riverside, but personally I prefer the downtown location for the ambiance and décor. If you have been looking for the perfect coffee break, a great place to study, a more intimate coffee date location, and/or the perfect place to meet up with the girls/guys, Coffee Depot is ideal choice.

The ambiance of the Coffee Depot is what should be expected of all coffee shops: big comfy couches and chairs, too many tables and chairs too choose from, indoor and outdoor seating, local artists and their creations featured on all the walls, acoustic coffee shop jams, and complete with a very helpful staff. On most Saturday nights, Coffee Depot hosts an open-mic night, where locals can come and feature their music in front of a crowd.

It isn’t just the décor and ambiance that keeps me driving all the way to downtown Riverside for a cup of joe, the coffee is of the highest quality. Might I recommend the “moondoggie.” This, oh so perfect, mocha is a scrumptious blend of hazelnut, Ghirardelli white and milk chocolate, topped off with a fabulously light whipped cream.

Coffee Depot also offers a ton of juice and tea options, if coffee isn’t at the top of your list.

Did I mention that Coffee Depot also offers breakfast and lunch? Breakfast features many different crepes and bagels and lunch has a huge deli menu. Although I rave about the coffee, I have yet to try their food, as I really don’t go there hungry.

The Coffee Depot has my highest recommendation in the category of coffee and I encourage all of my readers to just drop by and see what all the fuss is about.

Sub Shack

Sub Shack

Location: Pierce Street, Riverside, Ca, Across From the Arco Station

Type of Food: Submarine Sandwiches, Hamburgers, Salads

Price: Reasonable. $4-6 per sandwich

Date Potential: Suitable for a very casual lunch date

To avoid the long lime at Subway during lunch, one might consider a visit to Sub Shack. Upon arrival, you will notice the relaxed atmosphere and beach design. Eating lunch is pleasant as the shop typically remains uncrowded. The menu boasts items for sandwiches of all types and also hamburgers and some breakfast items. To accompany your mean, you have various options of french fries, chips, potato salad, macaroni salad, or a green salad.

The overall quality of the sandwiches are descent. You might notice that the bread, meat, and veggies are not as fresh as Subway, which isn’t saying much. The size of the sandwiches however seem much more substantial for the price. A half sandwich at Sub Shack will keep you from hunger much better than a half sandwich from Subway.

The edge that Sub Shack has in the sandwich making industry is its diversity. No other sandwich shops serve fries or burgers. This means that the restaurant will be more pleasing to a large number of people which some different tastes. If you like supporting small local business where it is often the same employees working round the clock, then this sandwich shop is for you.