1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Not just another cafe or sandwich shop
I've been twice in two days, if that says anything.
Newk's Express Cafe is not just another cafe or sandwich shop. They are part Panera, part McAllister's and part Gratziano's; and for my money, they are the hands down winner.
The interior of the building is immediately familiar and inviting to anyone that frequents Panera or McAllister's. It's a warm, friendly atmosphere with plenty of very helpful staff. It's modern design is comfortable and spacious, too.
I've had both the Shrimp Po Boy and the Spicy Shrimp Pizza, so far.
The po boy was good. With broiled shrimp and plenty of fresh veggies on a toasted roll, it made for a very satisfying sandwich. My only complaint is that they included cocktail sauce on the side. I would prefer tartar sauce or even mayonnaise, honestly. I got a "cup" of loaded potato soup with the po boy. It came in a very large bowl, and was quite tasty as well. By the end of this, it was feeling a little rich and creamy, but the over all taste and texture of the soup was top notch.
The spicy shrimp pizza was nothing short of perfect. Thin crust done right (think Gratziano's), tomatoes, shrimp, yellow & red bell peppers, spicy red pepper, cheese, cilantro, and oil; no tomato sauce! Hooray! The pizza, as it was presented to me, was nothing short of amazing. I was hooked after the first bite. However, a quick trip to their condiment table scored some Parmesan cheese and roasted garlic cloves. The addition of these two items turned an already tremendous pizza into something that has to be experienced for yourself. My son got the kid's cheese pizza. It was essentially a half cheese pizza. It was also done really well, with tomato sauce of course.
There are two things which I would like to see changed, though: 1) the limited number of sides dishes does leave a little to be desired. 2) they are a few dollars more than the competition: Panera and McAllisters. Other than these things, I expect to find myself frequenting Newk's for many years to come.
