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Midtown Potbelly Does Offer Secret, Underground Sandwiches


By

Jen Chung

Published Oct 29, 2011

Modified Oct 30, 2011


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The Wrecking Ball, by Midtown Lunch

 


By

Jen Chung

Published Oct 29, 2011

Modified Oct 30, 2011


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Beloved Chicago sandwich chain Potbelly has been in NYC for a few months now and Midtown Lunch has finally cracked the code on the underground sandwiches. After an unsuccessful attempt at the Maiden Lane location, ML struck pay-dirt at the 44th Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues) joint.

Midtown Lunch's contributor Brian Hoffman looked online for the sandwich names and tried his luck:

I ordered “the Wrecking Ball” without flinching and to my surprise, the employee seemed to know what I was talking about. He had to check with a manager to find out exactly what was in it, but he made the sandwich no problem. For those curious, the Wrecking Ball is a combination of their Meatball sandwich (minus the marinara sauce) and their Wreck sandwich. I could have also ordered the Fire Ball (meatball sandwich topped with chili) or the Cheeseburger (meatball sandwich with ketchup, mustard, cheese, and pickles).

As they made my sandwich I asked them more about the availability of these secret sandwiches. I told them I heard the downtown store wouldn’t make them and the employee here assured me that they would eventually. Since all the Potbellys are brand new to New York, they’re still getting on the same page. It just so happens one of the managers at this location was transferred from Chicago, so the underground menu is something these employees learned about quickly.

He also raves about the Wrecking Ball, "The smoky, spicy meatballs were awesome and gave an extra meaty flavor and texture to the already overloaded Wreck sandwich (it contains salami, turkey, ham, roast beef, and swiss cheese). With so many ingredients, I was amazed that none overpowered the other." So now you know how to order an underground sammy at Potbelly—and that canceling that gym membership was a bad idea.

Tagged

potbelly

potbelly sandwich shop

secret sandwich

underground menu


Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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