Taylor Gourmet: The Door is WIDE Open

It is very fitting that Taylor Gourmet Deli (1116 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002) is our first review on the Capitol Hill Food Review Association of the USA. It was one of our first, and most delicious finds.

Taylor was opened by two guys from Philly who were tired of the sub-par (no pun intended... ok, it was a little intended) sandwich scene in Washington. Instead of just blogging about their anger, they decided to open up their own place, and do it right, and boy are we glad they did.

Taylor is on a strip of H Street in North East DC that is often described as "up and coming," but if you are heading to check out Taylor for the first time, you'd probably think that they were the only ones to get that memo. Don't let the surroundings scare you away though, this place is the real deal.

People say that bread makes a sandwich, and they have certainly taken this to heart at Taylor. Taylor brings bread in from the famous Sarcone's Bakery in Philadelphia every day. We were skeptical at first that they would be able to continue this, and maintain the freshest bread, but after dozens of visits, we have never been disappointed by the bread.

The bread a crusty, yet easy to bite into, with a sesame seeds adding a slight crunch. It has always been incredibly fresh. The bread is a wonderful base for the top quality ingredients that fill the "hoagies."

We have yet to find a miss on the menu of just fewer than 2 dozen subs. If you really want to be blown away on your first visit though, you've got to try one of the hoagies with a chicken cutlet. The chicken is pounded thin, and coated in a light breading made from the crumbs of the day old bread from Sarcones. The seasoning is perfect, and they are panfried, not deepfried, fresh to order. Even when we have ordered delivery the cutlet's still have had a crispy bite to them.

The toppings range from the classic, Taylor's take on chicken parm (Ben Frankin Parkway), topped with homemade marinara and sharp Italian provolone, to the creative, with arugula, pesto, and brie (Island Ave.). My person favorite is the Vine Street Expressway, a decadent combination of prosciutto, pesto, and sharp provolone that always forces me to finish it no matter how many times I say I am saving the other half for dinner. Another winner is the Broad Street combining sauteed broccoli rabe with Taylors signature Italian provolone for a classic philly sub.

The cold hoagies are just as good. The 9th Street Italian is everything you'd expect from a Italian combo, but with better, fresher ingredients. One may wonder why you would order turkey at a place like Taylor, but you'd be missing a delicious (and healthier) option if you dismissed it. Fresh roasted in house, the turkey is paired with everything from sundried tomatoes and provolone (Sansom Street) to Imported Herb Roasted Ham, Genoa Salami, roasted peppers, and provolone to create the mouthwatering "Philly Landfill."

I could write more about every detail of every sandwich, but rest assured, there are no bad options here (at least none that we have tried). With all the work they put into their sandwiches, you would again think you could write off the "fritto," a portion of the menu offering three choices: Fried Ravioli, Fried Mozzarella Sticks, and Aranacini (an Italian street food of fried risotto balls stuffed with cheese). Our personal favorite of these are the Aranacini, a slightly spicy, creamy, crispy ball of heaven that you feel like you could eat all day. Just don't think about the calories. Both the mozzarella sticks and the ravioli are home made, and mouth watering as well.

Subs at Taylor use top quality ingredients, and you do pay for it. A 6 incher will run you anywhere from 6.50-7.30 and a 12 inch 8.50-9.50. The fritto are all 4.50.

Taylor has already recieved praise from many publications much bigger and more established than ours, including local celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn who called Taylor "the best sandwich in DC right now."

For what it's worth, we agree. Isadore open or shut? It is unanimously agreed: door is WIDE OPEN!

Taylor Gourmet Deli
1116 H Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-684-7001
http://www.taylorgourmet.com
Hours:
Mon-Wed : 11:30AM -9:00PM
Thus-Sat: 11:30AM – 3:30AM
Sun: 11:30AM-8:00PM
Delivery is available to a pretty wide range of neighborhoods, for a $2 fee.