It’s game time. The Chipotle versus Lime Challenge; the battle of Papa John’s and Ratsie’s; the brawl between Potbelly’s, Jimmy John’s and Subway; and who takes the prize for the best sushi.
With only so many types of food available in the College Park area, it is no surprise that many eateries compete with the hearts and taste buds of college students.
South of the border lovers experienced a brief period of upset when their favorite California Tortilla closed last year. Despite the Chipotle across the street, queso lovers like Chrissy Carras felt that the Mexican chain lacked the delicious queso that California Tortilla offered.
“That’s why I love Lime,” said Carras, “Their queso is amazing.”
Lime, which now offers queso, an array of complimentary sauces, four types of guacamole and frozen margaritas and sangria seems to take the lead.
“I don’t know what they put in chipotle, but it’s addicting,” said Greg Gilston, who considers himself loyal to the Chipotle chain.
Gilston enjoys the class burrito bowl at Chiptole, which he claims, “takes the cake” in the Chipotle versus Lime challenge.
Round 2: let the battle of the best slice begin. A College Park classic, Ratsie’s takes on a chain favorite, Papa John’s.
Alex Gusky, a vegetarian, says that pizza is something that she can always eat either for dinner or a late night snack.
“Papa John’s has the best cheesy bread,” said Gusky, who also claims to love the chain’s very own garlic sauce.
“Although I will admit, Ratsie’s has the best fried ravioli I’ve ever tasted,” she said.
The long line at Ratsie’s often deters hungry customers during late night hours, while the option of only pies and not slices at Papa John’s can also be a downer.
Round 3: the battle of the best sandwich. As a lunchtime favorite, sandwiches are often the most highly criticized menu item.
Jessica Herman, an advocate for Jimmy John’s, said that she loves it for the bread and speedy delivery.
“I also really like the lettuce wraps, if I’m not feeling carbs,” said Herman. Jimmy John’s offers their class “unwich,” which is any traditional sandwich wrapped in lettuce instead of the bread.
“They have THE best whole wheat bread,” said Casey Rosen, who also added that Jimmy John’s is convenient because they deliver to McKeldin and are open late.
“[But] I really do like the chicken salad at Potbelly’s,” said Rosen, “And I’m really picky about that.”
Jacob Salzberg is a kosher sandwich eater.
“I like subway because they have a lot of veggies,” said Salzberg, “And they have a lot of sauces which is good because without meat the sandwiches are pretty bland.”
Round 4: sushi, Chinese, Japanese, you name it; College Park has it all. While some prefer the late night box from Shanghai, others prefer a bubble tea at Wasabi.
Alyssa Bonventure, a “pescetarian,” enjoys the salmon and shrimp entrees at Hanami.
“Sometimes I just really crave good fish,” said Bonventure, “And I can never turn down a bowl of rice.”
Rosen prefers the sushi at Kiyoko. “I like that they have a maki combo,” said Rosen, which is three simple rolls for around $13. Customers can choose from simple rolls like spicy tuna, spicy salmon, shrimp tempura and California rolls.
“The ‘Terraphin’ roll is amazing,” said Rosen. The “Terrphin” roll is a special hand roll made with a baked California roll topped with spicy shrimp and lobster.
So, there you have. Who wins? It’s personal, of course, but these food-savvy folks sure offer some insight for those wondering where to eat their next meal.