5002 Plainfield Avenue NEA few weeks ago, a couple of co-workers walked back in to the office with rather large subs with the familiar Jersey Giant logo plastered on them. Besides being jealous, I realized neither of them had been to Lansing or Kalamazoo, so I was a little confused how they had gotten Jersey Giant. One of them told me they were driving down Plainfield Avenue and noticed a sign for JGS on the facade of a gas station and did a U-Turn to get some deliciousness.
This past week, I was heading back to Grand Rapids from the Rockford area via East Beltline. As we came up to the intersection with Plainfield, I thought a detour wouldn’t put us too far behind schedule. Even though the co-worker I was with was eating Jimmy Johns, I was gonna grab me some Jersey Giant.
The lone Grand Rapids Jersey Giant location is in Plainfield Township on Plainfield Avenue just to the west of the intersection with East Beltline near Coit Avenue. It’s in a gas station that does have any name branding on it, but it’s very clear that there’s a Jersey Giant inside with all the the logos plastered on the outside of the building.
The sub shop takes up the back corner of the gas station and it’s little more than a counter with a meat slicer behind it. The employee was sitting in a chair reading a magazine when I walked up, but he popped up right away and started pulling the veggie trays out of the cooler to get things started.
I ordered what I usually do, the #6 known as “The BOSS!” The sandwich maker pulled out a huge loaf of white bread and stared slicing the ham, capacola, salami, cheese, prostini and pepperoni that make up the huge sandwich. Once done, he started with the lettuce, Jersey Juice, and oregano that I requested. My favorite part of Jersey Giant sandwiches is the giardiniera and I didn’t see it out anywhere, so I had to ask. The man making the sandwich said they had it and went in to the walk in cooler that is shared with the gas station to get the best part of the sandwich.
Once the sandwich was complete, the sandwich was sliced four times and wrapped up in white butcher paper. The cost was a little over $10 which was paid for right there at the Jersey Giant counter, so I was on my way once getting handed the large torpedo of a sandwich.
Dinner time was still a little ways away once I got in the car, but once it finally rolled around, I ripped into that paper and ate the whole sandwich in one sitting. I think I skipped lunch that day…at least I’m hoping I did after eating an entire JG sub. So happy the had the giardiniera because, as I assumed, that is what made this sandwich just pop.
I love Jersey Giant Sub and while this isn’t really close to my work, I do end up on that side of town every so often. It will be hard to pass up anytime I’m in that area.
The BOSS!
