Miami Subs Cheesesteak "The Experience"
by Liv | Published on March 21st, 2008, 4:04 pm | Food
Let's just preface this one with saying that this review is over 4 years in the making. I drove for days on end when we moved from Bullhead City, AZ back to Greensboro, NC- five odd years ago expecting to roll up on High Point road and order one of my favorite delectable treats that I remembered eating as teen in Greensboro: Miami Subs & Grill's "The Works" Cheesesteak.After 3200 Miles though, the joke was on me when the place was boarded up, and homeless people slept by the door. Six Months after that, I finally got a chance to eat one when I stopped by Fort Bragg on a business trip. But this was all before Greensboring. Since then I've mourned the loss of Miami Sub's and subsequently blamed the curse of High Point road that seems to have plagued this restauraunt.
Today, though I decided to change that. I took the digital camera, because I anticipated a simple review on Miami Subs. What made me go was finding out there was one only about 30 miles from my house. Now I know Raleigh isn't 30 miles, and what made me still go, even after seeing Google indicate via satellite the directions they were giving me was nothing but a field, I don't know.
According to Google, there should be one here. After 45 minutes of driving, we discovered stuff like this was the only thing there:
Was this all one cruel joke? Did Google hate me? We contemplated turning back, but decided since we had nothing else to do, lets keep going. In fact, eventually we hit Highway 55 with no sign of 54 in sight. Google Maps had clearly screwed up. Now in Cary, NC I told the kids I'd go ahead and get them McDonald's. Defeated and sad, I turned off the road we were on to unexpectedly see a sign for HIGHWAY 54. No freaking way I thought!!!!
So I told the kids.... Just a minute....
But we were in the 10000 block and the address was 2000 something. So I kept driving, and driving, and driving.... eventually we passed NC State. Eventually we passed the 1900 Block.... and I was like "What the Hell?" Where the heck is this place? I kept driving, and finally after my son nearly reached from behind and strangled me with a plastic bag, I pulled into Bojangles.
A Ghetto Bojangles that is. A black woman with no teeth came up and mumbled something about "homeless", "..99 cent menu" and "hungry"... to which I said "I have no change, I use Visa."... She barely even listened before running away. The whole time I was wondering how she would eat it with no teeth? Oddly as we pulled away the lady screamed at us and threw a napkin at me.... It was quite weird, and by far this was the worst Bojangles I've ever been too.... Heck they didn't even have a value menu! I'm not kidding you!
So the kids are fed, and I'm looking for the belt-line to catch and head back towards Greensboro. I see the sign for the 440, get in the lane for the freeway and pull up to the stoplight. It was then, just over the overpass I see it. The most beautiful sight I've ever seen... There, on the hill, after 68 miles:
Oh hell no. I turned the steering wheel full right and sped up into the Miami Subs parking lot. We weren't on 54, and in fact, I had no clue where we were, but there it was an "open" and welcoming Miami Subs and Grill. Just like I remembered it. No homeless people in sight, and a lovely English speaking black man who clearly knew his cheesesteaks.
I ordered my "Full Cheesesteak with the works", and waited patiently as my little Miami man brought my sandwich to the window. A sense of accomplishment came over me as I knew unlike the Iraq war, my "Mission" was "accomplished". As we pulled out of the parking lot I looked at the street sign which read: "New Bern Ave". Where are we? Still no clue.
Okay, on the 440, and as we head home I see this:
Yes, that's right... Highway Freaking 54!!!! Then 20 minutes later:
and another 10 minutes after that:
Highway 54 was EVERYWHERE!!!! But as to which one actually had this mythical Miami Subs, I have no freakin clue.
After 3-4 hours of driving and nearly 120 miles.... Finally I made it home. Finally a Miami Cheese Steak all to myself, with it's luscious cheese, mayonnaise, vinegar, steak, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
The taste is awesome. I had forgotten how great these things are! Everything was fresh, from the bread to the vegetables, and even though I just blew a weeks worth of dieting on this, it was all worth it. This is the first cheesesteak I've ever had, and still to this day.... I think the best. Though I love Geno's and Pat's in Philadelphia, this thing is a totally different animal. It's the what Krispy Kreme is to doughnuts, a whirlwind of fresh warm bread, old world seasonings, and enough food for your money you don't feel like you've ate fast food. It's a welcome idea, as well as a missed tradition that I hope some day comes back to the boro'.
Next time you're driving by New Bern Avenue on the 440 in Raleigh, get off on the exit and stop at Miami Subs. I guarantee you won't be dissatisfied.
