Subway Cafe

1000 Herr Street
Harrisburg, PA 17103
(717) 412-7128
Website

So, as I was saying, I was in Harrisburg for the day and hit a few local spots for lunch and dinner and in between.

The final stop in my culinary adventure was a little corner spot in the heart of the city, just a few blocks from the capital complex.

It is truly on the wrong side of the tracks, but I did not let that deter me. I mean, just look at those awnings and sweet neon signage! What an awesomely retro building. There was no way I wasn't going inside this time machine.

It's a really small mom-and-pop style Italian joint, with a bar that seats around 6 and a dining room with about 12 tables. There's a tiny window between the kitchen and dining room where you see little hands reaching up and placing plates full of hot, steamy foods. The special drink was the "oral fixation" and I had to skip it, but I couldn't help appreciating the artistic flair (see below).

Instead, I partook in their famous "fishbowl" of beer.

It's an enormous 32 oz. goblet of ice cold domestic for only $4.25 - yes, I said $4.25 - that's not a typo. Amazing.

With that deal, the Subway Cafe could only get better from there.

And it did. The side salad was pretty much your usual mix of iceberg and Romaine, but I want to note that the tomatoes were exceptionally ripe, considering these kinds of salads usually show up with pink-to-white tomatoes that are completely inedible. I could feel the love coming out of the kitchen.

The pepperoni pizza with extra cheese came out moments after and I had to put down my fork. Mouthwatering.

All of the pies are personal size, about 11 inches each, and it looks like they're cooked in something like a 10 inch pie pan. The edges sort of sit up, but it's not even close to a deep dish pie. In fact, it's the opposite.

The crust is cracker-style, thin and crispy. The cheese goes right on the dough, so it melds together in a chewy crunch, and is topped with a swirl of sweet and tangy sauce. I had to add the thin pepperoni slices, at everyone's recommendation. I mean, this stuff is heavenly.

Did I mention they run $6.50 a piece with toppings coming in at $1.40? I mean, it eats like a meal, but I eat for 2. Obviously, I was due for another menu item. The daily special board advertised lasagne with meat sauce or meatballs and I chose the former.

My god, this was some of the best lasagne I've ever had. The noodles were fresh and cooked just al dente. They were stacked together so the heavily-meated sauce actually sandwiched the noodles. There was very little ricotta, if any, and I realized how much I like an abundance of sweet, tangy sauce taking over.

It also came with a couple of slices of fresh baked Italian bread. When buttered, it made the perfect mop for any leftover meat sauce. Now, I have to let you know that the lasagne isn't officially on the menu, so I'll pray that when you go, it's up on the board so you can enjoy your own little pile of heaven.

Well, second pile of heaven, because any of the pizza pies will be your first. Buon appetito!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Two days after Philly Phoodie's visit, Subway Cafe was named PennLive's Pizza Party winner for 2013. The idea was to "crown a champion pizza that was a cut above those perfectly fine pies found at neighborhood pizzerias." Couldn't be happier about their title. READ MORE ABOUT IT HERE!

Neato Burrito

316 4th Street
New Cumberland, PA 17070
(717) 770-0390
Website

As part of the Chevy Cruze Diesel trip, there had to be some stops on the way to refuel. Not for the Cruze, because that gets like 40mpg, but for me, because I get around 1 bph (burrito per hour). Neato Burrito is a local chain (think Chipotle) that is known for its funky decor and riffs on Tex-Mex.

This is the second location (the original store in downtown Harrisburg recently moved, so I couldn't visit the flagship) and is located in an old firehouse in New Cumberland.

Curious onlookers.

I hear they have this great neon signage at almost every location.

I guess "eclectic" is the best way to describe this place. I do like the weird stuff on the walls, and the record-covered windows. It's almost like they shop at the Atomic Warehouse (see last post) for the decor.

It's relatively cheap, and there is nothing that stands out on the menu.

I assume this is perfect for those with social anxiety.

I figured a burrito bowl and a burrito would suffice.

This burrito was one of the largest I have ever seen. It was honestly the size of a football.

The jalapeno tortilla came stuffed with chicken, vegan beer chili, cowboy rice (smothered in BBQ sauce), lettuce, cucumber, onion, jalapenos, sour cream, guacamole, and their special salsa, which was basically a sour cream feta sauce. It was delicious. There was so much flavor packed in there, that it made every bite a new adventure.

The burrito bowl with beef (over chips) was disappointing.

Perhaps it was poor picking of toppings (outside of my suggestions, of course), but this particular version lacked flavor. Also, the chips were incredibly weak. In a matter of minutes they looked like boiled lasagna noodles. I think a major issue was skipping the BBQ sauce rice and feta cream sauce on this one.

They really made the burrito near to perfection, and pointed out the flaws in the bowl. I will definitely remember this for next time.

Harrisburg Road Trip | Chevy Cruze Diesel

So, when Chevy offered up a free Cruze diesel for a week, I couldn't say no. Turns out it was the very same car that Gizmo Guy over at Philly.com took for a test weeks before.

Fueled with a sense of patriotism, I took the diesel on a road trip to this fine state's capital city.

If you've never been to Harrisburg, maybe you should take a Saturday to make the 1.75 hour trip. There's some amazing architecture and probably one of the best state capitol buildings in the country. (I welcome challengers.)

I will say it runs smoothly, has plenty of interior space and is great on gas mileage. Too bad gasoline prices took a recent dip and diesel holds steady at close to $4...

If you make it to the 'burg, check out the Atomic Warehouse for retro housewares & furniture and vintage clothing and vinyl. It's got three levels stocked with merchandise - I heard the second floor is wholly dedicated to lampshades and is accessible by request only, apparently the floor manager/owner is very peculiar about granting access, so you better look the part.

Lots of clocks and ashtrays too...

If you're in the mood for a cheap draught and college ball or some pool, head over to the G-Man downtown. The Gingerbread Man is a local establishment (there are 3 in the Central PA area: add Carlisle and State College) whose aesthetic takes you to a different time.

Like the 80s. With interesting decor, it reminds you that smoking is still allowed in restaurants outside of Philadelphia.

Look for a couple more Harrisburg destinations in the coming days - I've got your lunch and dinner covered.