One would think that finding gourmet sandwiches in a gas station would be a rare find. However, as the phenomenal restaurant reviewers/detectives we are, we found just that gas station. And no, it is not Bel Air Market on Ivy Road.
Fuel Co. is a gas station that offers unique, gourmet sandwiches and desserts and also has a bistro attached for dinner (and will be open for lunch beginning March 22). It is giving Bel Air a run for its money in the gas station/sandwich department.
Fuel Co. is located near the end of the Downtown Mall at 901 East Market Street across from Guadalajara. In contrast to Bel Air, Fuel Co. separates its eatery and its gas station. There are two designated places -- one to pay for gas and pick up essentials, and another to order sandwiches, salads, etc., with a nice dining area to sit and enjoy the meal. This separation relieves the congestion and crowdedness that is often found at Bel Air and other gas station delis.
Its sandwiches are written on a chalkboard behind a glass case where other entrees, pasta salads and desserts are displayed. There are both hot and cold sandwiches with a written warning that the hot sandwiches take five to seven minutes to prepare.
Allison decided to wait the short five to seven minutes and ordered the classic club sandwich ($6.95) with marinated chicken, bacon, avocado, tomato and herb mayo on white toasted bread. In order to pass the time, she also ordered the spinach salad ($4.95) with spinach leaves, tomato, feta cheese and minced bacon bits. The salad was larger than expected and served with a red walnut dressing that countered the bacon and feta cheese nicely.
The classic club sandwich was filled to capacity and a bit messy. The combination of the avocado with the chicken, bacon and herb mayo, however, was wonderful. The only minor flaw was the bread choice. French bread or a nice baguette would have been more appropriate and more able to absorb some of the sandwich's messiness. However, on the whole, the sandwich was excellent.
Daniel started with a cup of vegetable couscous ($2.95). The soup was a delicious mixture of seasoned vegetables and couscous. The vegetables were all fresh and crispy, and the broth was a normal vegetable/tomato-based broth with a slight kick at the end, served at just the right temperature.
Daniel also ordered a piece of lasagna that he spotted in the entrée display case. The lasagna ($5.29) was a nice-sized portion with several layers of pasta, light cheese and marinara sauce. His favorite part was the fact that the bottom and the edges were crispy and slightly burned, which served as a nice contrast to the soft filling.
Fuel Co. deems itself much more than a gas station with sandwiches, considering the gourmet and "exquisite" (as the menu states) desserts it offers. We could not pass up a dessert we saw being made when we first ordered our lunches. We ordered a delicious dessert called the chocolate pistachio dome for $5.
Since we saw it being assembled, we were confident in its freshness. This dessert is a small dome covered in almost-hardened dark chocolate glaze. The dome is encircled by very thin, light, jagged pieces of dark chocolate. Inside the dome is first a layer of chocolate mousse and then a crème brulee pistachio filling. Although it sounded unique, we finished it in record time. Each bite was a nice mixture of contrasting tastes -- all sweet but in different ways.
As stated before, Fuel Co. will be opening its bistro for lunch starting next Monday. While a lunch menu was not yet available, we were able to peruse a dinner menu that the bistro offers. Similar to the distinctive sandwich selections, the dinner menu also offered unique entrees. The bistro is also a separate room from the sandwich shop, with more formal dining arrangements.
Simply put, Fuel Co. is a gas station that offers a plethora of unique lunch options: hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soup, pasta, etc. There is also a separate gourmet coffee stand across from the sandwich counter. Furthermore, the service exceeded expectations. Our meal was even brought to our table, but perhaps because the lunch rush hour had not hit yet.
While it may be in competition for the best gas station/sandwich place two-in-one combo with Bel Air's "The Market," we deemed Fuel Co. to be more a favorite lunch spot for the Downtown Mall's businesses than a place that many University undergrads know about. The option to call-in or fax orders for delivery somewhat confirmed this idea.
Do not, however, let this stop you from trying this new lunchtime discovery. Fuel Co. is much more than a place to fuel up your car. We recommend trying this sandwich shop to fuel up your taste buds next time you're in the Downtown Mall area.
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