City Sandwich Company proves that looks can be deceiving. When I walked toward the shop, I actually thought the place was closed because of the bars on the windows, but the blinking open sign suggested otherwise. Sure enough, the place was open.

When I entered the sandwich shop, I was expecting to be very disappointed. The interior is very drab and there was only one patron there when I entered. I thought the food would parallel the interior, but thankfully I was wrong.

I ordered the number six, a cold, combination sub made with dry salami and cotto salami. All sandwiches include shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes, oil and vinegar dressing and provolone cheese. When I got the sandwich, it looked like there was way too much bread and not enough meat. Once again, I prepared myself for disappointment.

Luckily, this disappointment never came to fruition. The flavors of the salami shined, and the bread ensures that the powerful flavor of the salami doesn’t dominate the taste buds. The bread is soft and flavorful and worked well with the tanginess of the salami and vinegar. The provolone cheese is also very mild and counteracts the strong flavors of the salami.

City Sandwich Company ultimately puts too much shredded cabbage into their sandwiches, and mine was a bit messy. The shredded cabbage is better than shredded lettuce, though, and I appreciated the extra flavor it brought to the sandwich. I do wish the sandwich had more tomatoes in it. They were sliced very thinly, and I barely noticed they were there but the sandwich was still so flavorful that it didn’t really bother me.

The size of the sandwich is a bit small but for a little over $5. I was satisfied with what I got for the price. I would suggest buying chips or another side with the sandwich because it is not quite filling enough alone.

The shop also has a fountain drink machine with cherry coke, which is not available everywhere. For those who enjoy artisan sodas, the shop also sells several bottled sodas ranging from root beer to green apple.

They also had a pretzel caramel brownie for sale, among other baked goods if you have a sweet tooth, but for a pastry, I would recommend the doughnut shop right next door.

Overall, though, I was happy with my sandwich; it was flavorful and didn’t disappoint. I was also happy they offered my favorite soda when a lot of other establishments don’t. The cashier was nice, and my sandwich was ready moments after I finished my transaction. The employee making my sandwich referred to me by name and both employees were pleasant. It definitely seems like a friendly mom and pop shop that hungry BC students should visit, especially since it’s conveniently located a short drive away from the Panorama campus. Don’t be deterred by the bland interior or the bars on the window. For those looking for a good sandwich at a good price, City Sandwich Company is the way to go.

City Sandwich Company is located at 2697 Mount Vernon Ave.