McAlister's Deli

I had dinner at the Parmer Lane location of McAlister's Deli, my first visit in several months. My original impression was blah, but this time, I really enjoyed the meal.

They have a pretty extensive selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads. Their menu is notable for having a separate vegetarian section, highlighting all the items on their menu that either come veggie or can be prepared that way.

One of the soups that's always available is their vegetarian chili. It's mildly spicy, made with pinto beans, onions, and carrots. You can get it in a cup or in a bread bowl, but I don't think you actually get more chili in the bread bowl, you just get a lot of bread. The chili is also available on top of a baked potato, on top of tortilla chips, and on top of a salad. They really pimp out the chili.

On the salad side, you've got a garden salad, an Asian salad (garden + oranges + crispy noodles) and a Greek salad. I had the Greek salad tonight, and it was tasty, with ample feta cheese, a few olives, big wedges of tomato, slightly marinated bell peppers, and a lot of lettuce, all served with Greek dressing on the side.

For sandwiches, you've got the Veggie and the California Classic. Both are served on pita, and they vary in the types of cheese and a few of the veggies provided. There's also the cheese deli sandwich, featuring three cheeses on a sub roll. If you like potatoes, you can get one loaded up four different ways, including a spud with a bunch of diced vegetables and salsa.

One last note: they will push their iced tea very hard. They even have cards that let you get tea points good toward free tea in the future. I love me some tea, but I'm not a huge fan of their version; the unsweet variety always seems a bit too bitter, and its served in such large glasses that it's hard to add the pink packets to balance it out.