CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

In the summer I wrote about my trip to Kuhlwein’s in Hilliard in search of their spectacular sub sandwich I had heard so much about. I vowed I would head back to try it sometime and I did have a chance to do so last week. Looking at their deli counter, I was convinced I had missed out again but I was happy to discover that they had plenty of ingredients in the back room to make one for me. As part of the occasional Sub Dude series I feel a duty to find the best sub in town. So far I think Susie’s Sub Shop and Neighbors Deli are in the lead but Kuhlwein’s is in the running for top 5.

So let’s break down a few of the basics of a good sub first. As important as what is in between the bun is the bun itself. Good bread is the foundation for a great sandwich. For a hot sub, the key is to toast the bread just enough that it is crunchy but not too hard. If cheese is a component, I prefer that is cooked just enough to burn a bit on the edge of the bun so you can taste the burnt cheese and still enjoy the gooey melted mass in the middle.

Kuhlwein’s meets these criteria when they craft a sub. So what else do they do well? The ingredients are (mostly) fresh. The only disappointing part of the sub is the lettuce. Kuhlwein’s gets the most out of their product by shredding it finely to extend the life of the lettuce. This adds bulk to the sub but no flavor. I would say this is neither a plus or a minus just a break even.

The meats are freshly cut and each sub is made to order. Perhaps most importantly, the sub makers practice an art that I learned long ago at my first job. When making a sub, you want to heat the bun, meat and cheese, but let some of the ingredients stay cold – such as the sauces, tomato, onion, and etc. Kuhlwein’s does a fine job of balancing the yin and yang of hot and cold on their sub. I also like the combination of mayonnaise and house dressing on the sub. Another addition is a very non traditional sprinkling of black olives.

And Kuhlwein’s is still one of a handful of places that carry Jami’s Cheesecakes – which is always a welcome dessert option.