dcs Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 FWIW, I think the Angry Catfish Po' Boy on the March specials list is a strong offering. I've had it 3 times this month and it was spicy pleasing each time. The last few times I've been to the Ballston store, however, they seemed to be running out of things. The last time it was ciabatta rolls - one of their main sandwich delivery devices - before noon on a weekend day. I did not take that as a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 SUPPLY MEETS DEMAND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD This was rich. I was outside in the rain/drizzle today on Wilson Blvd speaking with somebody as across the street, there went Steve, the owner of Earl's pushing a cart laden with sandwiches and other foods to some business in the neighborhood; some business with a late day meeting catered by Earls. I was too far away to get a good picture. One of the businesses in the area likes Earl's enough to get them to cater that late meeting...and neither rain nor drizzle, kept that owner from making that delivery. No umbrella, no rain hat...he was going to be a wet delivery man. But at least one business, and its attendees were going to get some danged good sandwiches. At least they were covered from the rain...not Steve the owner. LOL Meanwhile I'll simply add that one sandwich place in the general vicinity also provides a variety of sandwiches with fresh roasted turkey, roast beef, brisket and some other items. Earl's roasted tasty, moist turkey is FARRRRRRRRRRRRRR superior. Sorry I couldn't get a picture. It was precious. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 On the June specials menu: Jalapeno Pork (roasted pork loin, oven-roasted jalapenos and grilled red onion with tomato salsa on ciabatta). Recommended. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 FWIW, I think the Angry Catfish Po' Boy on the March specials list is a strong offering. That Angry Catfish Po' Boy was on the sandwich sign outdoors last night - it might only be running through Nov 30, so if you want it, I would recommend getting it soon. My young dining companion came over last night after being at college for three months . He was tired, hungry, frazzled from rush hour traffic, and needed something casual, quick, and good: Earl's Sandwiches to the rescue. We drove to the Ballston location, parked right in front, and only one group was in front of us, so the wait was negligible. The Tuesday-night special was a half-price Pork and Fries Sandwich with the purchase of any beer, so we essentially got two-for-one ($8.99), and I unselfishly rescued Matt from drinking alcohol by taking his beer, a bottle of Allagash White ($5.99, ouch) which, quite honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with - it has good flavor, and didn't come across as a mass-produced product at all - Allagash used to be a microbrew (and still may be, technically), but it's a definitely a mass-produced product at this point; the beer was perfectly fine, and I'd order it again if I saw it. The Pork and Fries Sandwich was served Primanti Bros.-style in that the fries were inside the sandwich. I don't care much for this type of pile-on, as it's usually just too much glop, especially with the other ingredients: roasted pork loin, chipotle mayonnaise, french fries, roasted red peppers, sweet pickle chips, and chopped onions on a large, sub-style grilled ciabatta roll. Well, although this wasn't a "dainty" sandwich, it managed to carry its weight deftly, and with some finesse - at no time did I feel like I was eating a grease-bomb. But that's Earl's Sandwiches, coming to the rescue - if this place was in downtown DC, it would be twice as popular as it is, and despite the openings of some worthy competitors, Earl's is still is at-or-near the top of the area's sandwich shops. More importantly, I got a clarinet concert when I got home. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Makes me smile, Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Earl's: More than a midday work day lunch option I had heard that weekends are among the busiest days for Earl's sandwiches. That was hard for me to believe. Back in the day I leased space to various sandwich chains, They'll populate downtowns with a significant amount of office space. Could be Downtown, Tysons, Bethesda, various parts of Arlington or in Reston. They were usually five and possibly half a day options with limited hours on a Saturday. Not Earl's. Its evidently reasonably and appropriately busy seven days a week....and danged if this last Saturday looked busier than I might see it on a weekday the same late lunch time hours. There were quite a few people feasting at Earl's/ Courthouse/Clarendon around 2 PM. On this day I grabbed a gumbo to go. Rich soup with ample spicing and sausage. A very hearty quality rendition. And on that Saturday there were evidently a fair number of customers who similarly chose Earl's for its above quality choices. Good for Earl's. It deservedly gets kudo's here and among many many others. Too bad other places don't pay attention. It would be nice to have choices like this spread around the region. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Earl's: More than a midday work day lunch option I had heard that weekends are among the busiest days for Earl's sandwiches. That was hard for me to believe. Back in the day I leased space to various sandwich chains, They'll populate downtowns with a significant amount of office space. Could be Downtown, Tysons, Bethesda, various parts of Arlington or in Reston. They were usually five and possibly half a day options with limited hours on a Saturday. Not Earl's. Its evidently reasonably and appropriately busy seven days a week....and danged if this last Saturday looked busier than I might see it on a weekday the same late lunch time hours. There were quite a few people feasting at Earl's/ Courthouse/Clarendon around 2 PM. On this day I grabbed a gumbo to go. Rich soup with ample spicing and sausage. A very hearty quality rendition. And on that Saturday there were evidently a fair number of customers who similarly chose Earl's for its above quality choices. Good for Earl's. It deservedly gets kudo's here and among many many others. Too bad other places don't pay attention. It would be nice to have choices like this spread around the region. I went to the Ballston Earl's for lunch on Friday - I was with a friend, and we called in an order to-go for a couple Roast Beef and Cheddar sandwiches, and a large Turkey Chili - both were *exactly* as they always are (I'm honestly not a big fan of Earl's chili, but I wanted it because I was *freezing*, and knew it would warm me from the inside-out). This is a restaurant that shows terrific consistency from visit-to-visit, and the Ballston location is even better than Clarendon, mainly because it's larger and has the facilities to do better work. I love Earl's Sandwiches, and always have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Every so often when I stop at Earl's after the noon time rush, I get a strong dose of "food love". Walk into the Clarendon/Courthouse store at that time of day and Earl's could be preparing soup stock. Its made in an enormous commercial pot on the visible oven top. Water is boiling and the turkey bones with meat on them pop up and down. I find it mesmerizing and takes me to a happy zone. Thus it was today. Very encouraging...I know that Earl's will have more quality food tomorrow and the day after. Today I did take out with a large bowl of turkey chili. Still like it: reasonably spicy and very thick. Substantive chili. Here is to food love.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notquiteanonymous Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 After moving into DC proper about 4 years ago after many years in Arlington, this is one of the few food options that I truly miss -- that roast pork sandwich with garlic mayo [drooling...]. DC (I'm in Mt Vernon triangle) has great fine/finer dining options, but apart from Sundevich and I guess Rays Hell Burger Too (which has been incredibly empty every time I've been), this kind of option is what's missing in that area. Assume it's cost-prohibitive to open up a sandwich shop smack downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 On 6/7/2015 at 0:26 PM, dcs said: On the June specials menu: Jalapeno Pork (roasted pork loin, oven-roasted jalapenos and grilled red onion with tomato salsa on ciabatta). Recommended. I MUST get this today. How did I miss this on the specials list? Are the specials the same at all locations? I live by the one in courthouse. I'm usually all over their take on the Cuban and the roast pork and provolone (garlicky spinach goodness on top too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 1 hour ago, Tomcat said: I MUST get this today. How did I miss this on the specials list? Are the specials the same at all locations? I live by the one in courthouse. I'm usually all over their take on the Cuban and the roast pork and provolone (garlicky spinach goodness on top too). You are about a year too late for the Jalapeno Pork. The specials are the same in Ballston and Courthouse and can be found on their website, updated monthly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 1 minute ago, dcs said: You are about a year too late for the Jalapeno Pork. The specials are the same in Ballston and Courthouse and can be found on their website, updated monthly. What failure on my part lol. I should have looked closer at the year haha. Thanks for the link and damn you for breaking my heart. I'm still going today regardless! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Last week I had a shrimp po-boy. The shrimp were good, liked the sauce. With the bread this was a lot of sandwich, so I picked out the shrimp towards the end. The tomato though was a bit green and had I been making a sandwich in my kitchen I wouldn't have added that tomato to my sandwich. But I see tomatoes like that at most sandwich places. I need to get over my urge to try new things and stick to things I know I like. I don't really love the sandwiches on thicker bread here because the sandwich fillings are pretty big too- ciabatta etc, I like sandwiches on their multigrain and soft roll better. Sandwiches with roast pork or turkey are definitely my favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 On 6/30/2016 at 2:08 PM, Tomcat said: What failure on my part lol. I should have looked closer at the year haha. Thanks for the link and damn you for breaking my heart. I'm still going today regardless! July's Specials: Prosciutto and Field Greens with roasted red peppers, sliced green apples, candied walnuts and white balsamic vinaigrette on ciabatta. $7.99 whole or $4.99 half Seoul Wrap Steak, kimchi, green Tobasco, potato crisps and field greens in a whole wheat tortilla. $7.99 Curried Shrimp Salad Jumbo shrimp pieces, green onion, green apple, basil and roasted red peppers in curried mango chutney on ciabatta. $7.99 Betsy's Choice Grilled mushrooms, melted brie, pesto and field greens on sourdough. $7.99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 4 minutes ago, dcs said: July's Specials: Prosciutto and Field Greens with roasted red peppers, sliced green apples, candied walnuts and white balsamic vinaigrette on ciabatta. $7.99 whole or $4.99 half Seoul Wrap Steak, kimchi, green Tobasco, potato crisps and field greens in a whole wheat tortilla. $7.99 Curried Shrimp Salad Jumbo shrimp pieces, green onion, green apple, basil and roasted red peppers in curried mango chutney on ciabatta. $7.99 Betsy's Choice Grilled mushrooms, melted brie, pesto and field greens on sourdough. $7.99 Ohh my! I'm going 3-1-2-4 Also, you're a saint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 On 6/30/2016 at 2:34 PM, ktmoomau said: Sandwiches with roast pork or turkey are definitely my favorite. I eat lunch there fairly regularly. As Kate referenced above the roast pork and turkey, two mainstays are also favorites of mine, though I definitely favor the turkey. I think of 3 places including Earl's that roast their own turkey for sandwiches and IMHO Earl's turkey is the best of the 3. and then there are all those places that have crappy processed deli turkey. Earl's is the wonderful exception and in my experience best of the group that roast their own. I've gone through much of the rest of the menu and enjoy much of it. Certainly an excellent choice for sandwiches AND their chili and their soups....ooooh that turkey gumbo is spicy good. But it is hot outside now....so hang on till the cold weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 On 8/28/2012 at 7:37 PM, DaveO said: Damn; I work around there...and don't make it there very often and haven't focused on these sandwiches that have received such acclaim. Now I'm game to give them a try. In fact I picked up a menu to try some of these sandwiches that you folks have been raving about!! On 8/30/2012 at 6:16 PM, DaveO said: I've been to Earl's recently. Its all because of the comments in this thread. Not sure why I've neglected it, as I've eaten there over the years, since I work so close...but simply haven't focused on it. On 12/26/2012 at 2:56 PM, DaveO said: And the day after I went w/ a large regular chili. that was okay...but that turkey chili. hm a thing of tasteworthy beauty. I'll be back for more!!!!!! On 4/16/2013 at 3:12 PM, DaveO said: Fresh turkey!!!! I never do that at home...okay maybe once a year after Thanksgiving or possibly if for some special event with a lot of guests wherein we would serve turkey. Other than that I'd never have it. What a treat!!!! On 9/6/2013 at 2:47 PM, DaveO said: Just had a turkey with cranberry relish. I'm always stunned by the turkey sandwiches. Fresh roasted delectable turkey. I never have that. Okay..maybe after Thanksgiving...but its not FRESH ROASTED THAT day like at Earl's. These turkey sandwiches are scrumptious. Well worth the visit. Their mere existence is a cause for "thanks" as is Thanksgiving. BTW: I was told once that Earl's sells sliced fresh turkey meat. I forget the price. I suspect dependent on the day they may or may not have it for sale. But an extraordinary sandwich delight. On 3/6/2014 at 5:16 PM, DaveO said: A processed cold cut turkey sandwich at an unnamed nearby sandwich place for lunch the other day sent me back to Earl's today for a Louie, one of the highlighted "specialty" sandwiches at Earls. The difference is like night and day. Earl's fresh roasted turkey that populates the Louie and some other turkey sandwiches is meaty, moist, thick, and brings on thoughts of the best of Thanksgiving. A processed turkey sandwich is processed. No matter the bread, the cheese, the mustard or mayo, the freshest of tomato or any other added extra...Earl's fresh roasted meats on its sandwiches are extraordinarily better than any cold cut on any bread in the area..or the region...or beyond. I'm glad Earl's is in the neighborhood!!! On 6/5/2014 at 3:08 PM, DaveO said: I had the Cuban Club at Earl's the other day. My goodness that was scrumptiously delectable. I had to stop eating midway through that very large sandwich and review the ingredients. It felt like sandwich heaven. On 6/4/2015 at 6:58 PM, DaveO said: Meanwhile I'll simply add that one sandwich place in the general vicinity also provides a variety of sandwiches with fresh roasted turkey, roast beef, brisket and some other items. Earl's roasted tasty, moist turkey is FARRRRRRRRRRRRRR superior. On 1/17/2016 at 11:17 AM, DaveO said: Not Earl's. Its evidently reasonably and appropriately busy seven days a week....and danged if this last Saturday looked busier than I might see it on a weekday the same late lunch time hours. On 3/7/2016 at 2:20 PM, DaveO said: Today I did take out with a large bowl of turkey chili. Still like it: reasonably spicy and very thick. Substantive chili. 3 hours ago, DaveO said: I eat lunch there fairly regularly. As Kate referenced above the roast pork and turkey, two mainstays are also favorites of mine, though I definitely favor the turkey. I think of 3 places including Earl's that roast their own turkey for sandwiches and IMHO Earl's turkey is the best of the 3. and then there are all those places that have crappy processed deli turkey. Earl's is the wonderful exception and in my experience best of the group that roast their own. If you live and work in Clarendon, you ought to try this place called "Earl's Sandwiches" - they roast their own turkey. You've got to guard against Earl's dribbling, but you don't have to worry about his stuffing - it's shake and bake all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 On 7/1/2016 at 7:28 PM, DonRocks said: If you live and work in Clarendon, you ought to try this place called "Earl's Sandwiches" - they roast their own turkey. You've got to guard against Earl's dribbling, but you don't have to worry about his stuffing - it's shake and bake all the way. So you think I post a lot about this place. Could be. I love places that serve excellent quality and do it without an abundance of froufrou. Its even better when the price reflects the lack of froufrou. The tomato crab bisque. Its one of the soup du jour that go on and off the menu. This is probably my all time favorite crab bisque. Bar none. Appropriately on the thick and creamy side and more so than most. Kudos for the texture. This features the strong strong sharp taste of tomato. Very rich. Might be too strong for some. For me its dreamy perfect. Add the powerful flavor of crab with ample pieces. Possibly they could add more...but its quite ample and both the crab meat and flavoring set off against the tomato flavoring. Such abundant rich flavors. A memorable winner. By the way. It all comes in a disposable plastic cup and eaten with a plastic spoon. Of course you could bring it home reheat a bit, place in your most expensive china with a very expensive table cloth and silverware that reflect the setting But you purchased this bowl sized portion for $5.99. Match that against any price you'll find. Ray's down the street, a sherried crab bisque that is well priced at $7.99. Had some elsewhere for $9....and some of the generous fine restaurants downtown will serve you crab bisque for around $15. Forget the settings. Earl's is remarkable and memorable for its richness in texture and flavors. $5.99/ plastic cup/plastic spoon/bowl sized serving. Find out when it goes on the menu. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 3 hours ago, DaveO said: So you think I post a lot about this place. Could be. I love places that serve excellent quality and do it without an abundance of froufrou. Its even better when the price reflects the lack of froufrou. Nothing wrong with posting a lot about a favorite - I wish people would do more of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 It's worth multiple postings! A favorite of my entire family too. The teen loves the roast beef and cheddar (also likes the grilled cheese a lot); I go back and forth between the Roasted Earl (fresh pork and roasted peppers), the Pork and Provolone (which includes garlicky spinach), and sometimes the Mona Lisa (grilled eggplant, roasted peppers, mushrooms, provolone and greens); my husband likes the turkey reuben, the roast beef and cheddar, and some of the others. The gumbo is great and I really liked the breakfast burrito. Have to try that tomato crab bisque now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Little update but a somewhat mixed message. Earl's Clarendon is still carrying tomato crab bisque this week. It normally goes fast. Today's cup was not the best version I've had...possibly missing on thickness and overall flavor...but still a very good soup. Still available this week. (Ballston otoh is featuring clam chowder) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopsing Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 This morning we wanted to try out the new Blumen Cafe in Clarendon, but found out the hard way it opened at 10am and we were standing in front of it at 9am. As we were mulling over a Plan B, I noticed that right next door Earl's Sandwiches was opening up. I remember a lot of favorable buzz about it from this forum, so asked if they had breakfast sandwiches. Yes they did so in we went. Well I have to say that I had one of the best egg, cheese, and sausage sandwiches I have had in a long time. Eggs fresh and delicate, ciabatta nice and not too chewy, but the star was the maple-syrup imbued sausage! It was large too so good thing we had ordered one to split. Now I feel more motivated to try one of their regular sandwiches. Now I am glad Blumen Cafe was closed. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I had a very good breakfast sandwich from there before (something with eggs, probably was the breakfast burrito), but haven't tried the sausage. I'll do that next time! We still get sandwiches from there regularly for lunch or sometimes dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 On 1/1/2017 at 1:56 PM, hopsing said: This morning we wanted to try out the new Blumen Cafe in Clarendon, but found out the hard way it opened at 10am and we were standing in front of it at 9am. As we were mulling over a Plan B, I noticed that right next door Earl's Sandwiches was opening up. I remember a lot of favorable buzz about it from this forum, so asked if they had breakfast sandwiches. Yes they did so in we went. Well I have to say that I had one of the best egg, cheese, and sausage sandwiches I have had in a long time. Eggs fresh and delicate, ciabatta nice and not too chewy, but the star was the maple-syrup imbued sausage! It was large too so good thing we had ordered one to split. Now I feel more motivated to try one of their regular sandwiches. Now I am glad Blumen Cafe was closed. Based on your recommendation I had the maple-syrup imbued sausage sandwich for the first time. The aroma was killer and it tasted damn good. I think every time I've had a breakfast sandwich there its been a winner plus they are large and filling. From a breakfast perspective, too bad they don't open earlier...and the coffee is mediocre at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I just need to learn to stick to those sandwiches I like and learn not to stray, but I am not an order the same thing type of person. I have been trying to figure out what it is... I can't exactly put my finger on it. I don't like their lettuce- it is either too big for the sandwich or falls off. I think they make bad bread choices for some items. For instance- today I had the chicken sandwich with garlic mayo, roasted red peppers and I asked for field greens. I was expecting roasted chicken like their roasted turkey, but it was more like tenderloin or a breast piece. I couldn't taste the garlic in the mayo- everything was too slippery and fell out of the ciabatta. I think had this sandwich been on a hoagie roll or on seven grain bread, it would have been better as a hoagie or panini. Also, if they would put all the toppings either on the top or the bottom at least only one side of the bread would be hard to handle, instead this was slippery on both sides. Hubby had the cuban club- it just didn't work as a club sandwich. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 So I think the breakfast burrito needs bacon. But I forgot about that when I ordered it, I will try to remember this for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 On 2/16/2017 at 4:18 PM, ktmoomau said: So I think the breakfast burrito needs bacon. But I forgot about that when I ordered it, I will try to remember this for the future. My first thought when I read this was "sausage." That means absolutely nothing, but it was my first thought. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 20 hours ago, DonRocks said: My first thought when I read this was "sausage." That means absolutely nothing, but it was my first thought. I don't know if they have sausage. I know they have bacon on other sandwiches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 The other day I brought a sandwich from Earl’s back to my office. A co worker took in the aroma, eyeballed it and asked what it was and where did it come from. Earl’s was the reply. Her eyes sparkled and with a smile she declared she loved Earl’s and that they have THE BEST CUBAN sandwich. She has by the way devoured them in Miami. I didn’t disagree, purism ignored. It is a tremendous tasty take on the original. I’ll probably have one next week. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 I had the Southwestern Breakfast Burrito (available all day) for dinner the other night and it was delicious. Eggs, home fries, provolone cheese, red peppers, onions (I substituted mushrooms), and chipotle ketchup. Will definitely get that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibbee Nayee Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 19 hours ago, DaveO said: The other day I brought a sandwich from Earl’s back to my office. A co worker took in the aroma, eyeballed it and asked what it was and where did it come from. Earl’s was the reply. Her eyes sparkled and with a smile she declared she loved Earl’s and that they have THE BEST CUBAN sandwich. She has by the way devoured them in Miami. I didn’t disagree, purism ignored. It is a tremendous tasty take on the original. I’ll probably have one next week. If I recall correctly, it has pulled pork, rather than sliced roast pork. Please check it out and tell me I'm wrong. I've been on a search for the perfect Cuban sandwich in the DC area for many years, and I have only landed on two candidates -- occasionally at Blue Iguana in Fair Lakes, under its previous ownership, and as a lunch special at Acadiana downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 14 minutes ago, Kibbee Nayee said: If I recall correctly, it has pulled pork, rather than sliced roast pork. Please check it out and tell me I'm wrong. I've been on a search for the perfect Cuban sandwich in the DC area for many years, and I have only landed on two candidates -- occasionally at Blue Iguana in Fair Lakes, under its previous ownership, and as a lunch special at Acadiana downtown. They use roasted pork per their description and recipe It is NOT a traditional Cuban. It’s a delicious variation: a terrific tasty hearty sandwich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arlingtonkabob Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 I love how there is a thread for this place. I've been going here for a couple years now and never have been disappointed. It's rare to find a place that takes pride in serving quality food, not just sodium drenched deli meat between two slices of artisan bread and call it gourmet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 This month on their revolving Fab Four menu they have gone entirely avocado. Today I discovered the monthly specials for the first time this month and went with The sriracha salmon version in an avocado shell. Tasty, spicy-nice combo. Earl’s specials always involve more than the run of the mill- always something a little unique. Continuing to do a good job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 I had the special with eggs, potatoes, cheese, avocado, crystal sauce in a whole wheat wrap yesterday. Excellent combo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 4 minutes ago, Genevieve said: I had the special with eggs, potatoes, cheese, avocado, crystal sauce in a whole wheat wrap yesterday. Excellent combo. Did they nuke the wrap? This sounds like something that could stand from being microwaved for 20-30 seconds (I certainly can't assume they'd grill this, although that would make the best product). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 I believe they made the filling on the grill and put it in the wrap - not sure if the wrap itself was heated (I did takeout so I ate it a few minutes later). The filling was nice and warm. I just don't remember if the outer wrap was also warm. It wasn't out-of-the-fridge cold, but could have been either warm or room temp. My only minor issue with the sandwich is that the avocado was mostly in the top part that I ate (the center of the wrap, sliced in two), and I would have liked it all the way through. No biggie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 30 minutes ago, DonRocks said: Did they nuke the wrap? This sounds like something that could stand from being microwaved for 20-30 seconds (I certainly can't assume they'd grill this, although that would make the best product). I go there a fair amt. I don’t believe they nuke anything. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 7 minutes ago, DaveO said: I go there a fair amt. I don’t believe they nuke anything. I don't think so either - I've asked Steve several times to chime in here - the first time probably ten-years ago - but he seems content where he is. and I can't say I blame him. I have some suggestions that could help them (their chili needs some work), but hell, it's a local sandwich shop, and it's one of DC's very best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 On 4/9/2018 at 7:31 PM, DaveO said: I go there a fair amt. I don’t believe they nuke anything. On 4/9/2018 at 7:37 PM, DonRocks said: I don't think so either - I've asked Steve several times to chime in here - the first time probably ten-years ago - but he seems content where he is. and I can't say I blame him. I have some suggestions that could help them (their chili needs some work), but hell, it's a local sandwich shop, and it's one of DC's very best. In fact I was there for the 4th time this month and ordered the chili as I saw you had mentioned it. I suppose I'm there more than I realized. In any case neither version of the chili have been on their menu very much this past winter. Beef chili was there today and I got a large. Enjoyed it. My taste buds are a bit numb with a runny nose, but the heat was there along with a very respectable amount of appropriately minced beef within a hearty sauce. It was quite good imho. On a side note, there is no way in hell I have a recollection for particular recipes, dishes, composition, and taste except for a very few rare experiences. I was at Red Hen a few weeks ago and partook in 4 dishes all good. Only the sausage/rigatoni stuck with me. And thus its been for ages and ages...... Earl's is a local sandwich shop. They do an exceptional job for what they do and are. If I lived or worked a distance away I wouldn't make special trips. Were I jonesin' for a special sandwich I might travel an extra distance for the Cuban Club. Were I now local but a Pittsburgh native, I'd satisfy my craving for a pork and fries at Earl's rather than making the 4-5 hour drive to Primanti's. There are very few sandwich shops that get close to Earl's for overall quality all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 I have nothing to do with Pittsburgh, but usually get the Pork and Fries when I find myself in Ballston. The Pork and Fries is really good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 Just announced on their Facebook page Earl’s will be closing the Ballston location in 2 weeks Last day in Ballston June 14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 Last day in Ballston today. Too bad for Ballston. For whatever reasons this expansion did not work out. I think a kabob place is taking over the lease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 18 minutes ago, DaveO said: Last day in Ballston today. Too bad for Ballston. For whatever reasons this expansion did not work out. I think a kabob place is taking over the lease. Most of the office buildings are on the other side of Fairfax Drive from Earl's. I think that little bit of inconvenience can easily, and perhaps subconsciously, alter where the beleaguered office worker chooses to pick up a sandwich for lunch; that and a thriving food truck market on N. Stuart Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 51 minutes ago, dcs said: Most of the office buildings are on the other side of Fairfax Drive from Earl's. I think that little bit of inconvenience can easily, and perhaps subconsciously, alter where the beleaguered office worker chooses to pick up a sandwich for lunch; that and a thriving food truck market on N. Stuart Street. That is my intuitive guess also. When I was leasing space on behalf of retail tenants I'd go to an area such as Ballston and check walk around traffic patterns during the lunch hours. I have NOT done that in Ballston in "forever". My gut tells me you are correct. "that little bit of inconvenience" can make a big difference for a lunch place......plus food trucks. They pull a lot of $ out of the brick and mortars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 Also, they could have taken over the lease from the space that went in before- drawing a blank on what it was, a burger place?- and that sub-lease could have been up? There are a lot of sandwich choices, and it is a tight market. And I will admit to really liking a couple of the classic sandwiches, but really not liking a large part of the menu. My hubby will miss the closure much more. I wanted to like this space much more than I did. I actually really liked the courthouse location and would go after court, and I think since I didn't go as often, I was happy re-ordering the couple things I knew I liked. I don't know why that is, I really wanted to REALLY like everything I tried, I just didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 I went to the Clarendon location yesterday and had a Bay Of Pigs ($8.29). Honestly, I'd switched my (considerable) loyalty to the Ballston location in recent years, but this sandwich was every bit as good as what I've been getting in Ballston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 This is a bit of a bummer, because the Ballston location is in the path of some of my errands, and the original isn’t I’ll still make the effort to get over there occasionally, though. Ballston was always pretty crowded in the noon hour, but generally quiet other times. Still surprising, there are a lot of places with less business that seem to hang on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 22 minutes ago, Harbinger said: This is a bit of a bummer, because the Ballston location is in the path of some of my errands, and the original isn’t I’ll still make the effort to get over there occasionally, though. Ballston was always pretty crowded in the noon hour, but generally quiet other times. Still surprising, there are a lot of places with less business that seem to hang on. Same, and parking was generally pretty easy there, too. The seating situation was also *much* more pleasant. My guess (and it's just a guess) is that it was making money, but not enough to justify the trouble of having a second location - the original location probably has *much* less-expensive rent, is making higher profit as a result. Having only one location makes a person's life a lot easier. Earl's isn't perfect, but it's in the top stratum of DC sandwich shops along with a few others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 hm. Just ran into this video from 7 years ago. They still do things the same way: The sandwiches are still excellent. Glad I'm nearby: And the video gives you a hint on how to source your own great sandwiches for a large group: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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