The Great Outdoors

I'd like to take the time to be a little silly and talk about my favorite food and my favorite restaurant to get such food. Two weeks ago during our drive to Richmond, we went through a drive-thru at one of The Great Outdoors sub shops in Dallas to pick up a "farewell Texas" lunch. Having grown up in the Dallas area, I firmly believe The Great Outdoors is one of the best things about the city, and I carry many memories of enjoying their subs throughout my youth.

As long as I can remember, submarine sandwiches have been my favorite food. I even lost my first tooth chomping into one. I grew up loving subs (my dad has a talent for making great sandwiches, which I believe fed this passion), and in terms of restaurants that make subs, The Great Outdoors quickly became my favorite sub shop when I was a young kid in Dallas. After leaving Dallas to attend school in San Antonio, I sincerely missed having a Great Outdoors nearby and always tried to get one of their subs during my visits home. Years later I even once had a dream that a Great Outdoors franchise opened in San Antonio, and it was a very happy dream for me...they gave me a free sub AND a free t-shirt!

I don't know if I can quite put my finger on what makes their subs so good...perhaps it's a combination of things: fresh baked bread, freshly cut meats and cheeses, and "the works" combination of fresh veggies with oil and red wine vinegar. For our farewell Texas lunch, we shared a #20 - Avocado and Muenster on Wheat. It was glorious, and it made for a great lunch on the road. I know we'll try our hardest to stop by a Great Outdoors shop on our future trips to Texas, and I encourage you to do yourself a favor the next time you're in Dallas and get one of their great subs. www.greatoutdoorssubs.com.