Rinaldi's Country Deli (Cos Cob, CT) - The Bass

To top off senior project period, I went to my all time favorite deli, Rinaldi's. The thing was I had ordered something that I had never ordered before and I was blown away. I found a new favorite sandwich called the Bass.

The Bass was one of the most delicious things I ate all week. It consists of Cajun Chicken, Bacon, 
Roasted Peppers,  and Honey Mustard on a roll. This sandwich is just absolutely packed with flavor 
form the oozing honey mustard to the roasted red peppers, the flavors just fuse together to create an
awesome all around sandwich. I highly recommend getting this sandwich as it is delicious and filling at the same time.

*Rinaldi's Country Deli is about a three minute drive from GHS (approx. 1.2 miles) that can be made during an open or during a lunch wave.

Rinaldi's - The Bass ($6.50)

Presentation - ****

Quality - *****

Affordability - ****

Taste - *****

Overall 4.5 / 5 stars

Corbo's (Cos Cob, CT) - Dude Ranch

I went to the famous Corbo's Deli right on the Post Road. Throughout the year, Corbo's main attraction comes from hungry high school students who aren't looking to travel far to get something to eat, but want a quality meal. Being only a half a mile from GHS, Corbo's is the best bet.

Today I went with a hot sandwich and got the Dude Ranch. The Dude Ranch consists of cajun chicken cutlet, melted swiss, bacon, ranch dressing and the KC masterpiece. To be honest, I was disappointed with the display of the sandwich as it didn't seem to look very "packed". The sandwich almost looks like it was slapped together in a hurry and it tasted like it too. 

*Corbo's is give or take about a 10 min walk from GHS. If you're an underclassman and you are walking to Corbo's, I recommend calling in your order before hand so you can skip the line, pay and be on your way.

Corbo's - Dude Ranch ($6)

Presentation - ***

Quality - ***

Affordability - ****

Taste - ***

Overall 3.25 / 5 stars

Villa Nuova (Cos Cob, CT) - Chicken Cesar Salad

Villa Nuova quite honestly is one of my favorite eats in all of Greenwich. Villa Nuova prides itself on the highest quality Italian gourmet food. I don't know why but I was still in the salad mood, so I went ahead and ordered a Chicken Cesar Salad. 

I was a little unimpressed to say the least with the salad. Unlike the places I had been to including Chipotle, The Kneaded Bread Company and Leaf Line, where your salad was prepared right in front of you, Villa Nuova pulled the Chicken Cesar out of the refrigerator. I was also a little annoyed to find that the salad was not dressed and that I had to do it myself.

All in all, it was very under whelming. I recommend not buying salads at Villa Nuova. *The trip to Villa Nuova from Greenwich High School is an easy five minute drive that could be made during any lunch wave. (approx. 1.4 miles from GHS)

Villa Nuova - Chicken Cesar Salad ($10)

Presentation - **

Quality - **

Affordability - **

Taste - **

Overall 2 / 5 Stars

Rinaldi's Country Deli (Cos Cob, CT) - The Bruin

Rinaldi's Country Deli is by far my favorite deli. I am so lucky to live right down the street from Rinaldi's because it is just such a great place filled with very nice people. Rinaldi's is known for their special sandwiches such as The Bruin, The Navy Seal and the Number 12. Along with these specialty hot sandwiches, Rinaldi's also makes very delicious cold-cut sandwiches.

Today I went ahead and ordered to world famous "Bruin". This particular sandwich is of the most popular among GHS students. The reason being is due to it's pure awesome taste. The Bruin consists of chicken cutlet, bacon, mozzarella, topped in the famous and special BBQ sauce. It is then heated up, open face and served. It is of the most popular sandwiches on the menu and I highly recommend it. 

*Rinaldi's Country Deli is about a three minute drive from GHS (approx. 1.2 miles) that can be made during an open or during a lunch wave.

Rinaldi's - Bruin ($6.00)

Presentation - *****

Quality - ****

Affordability - *****

Taste - *****

Overall 4.75 / 5 stars

Corbo's Deli (Cos Cob, CT) - Chicken Cesar Wrap

I wanted to keep it healthy and also do a little bit of comparison. I went back to Corbo's and ordered a chicken cesar wrap. It is unusual to order something like this from Corbo's because wraps aren't their specialties. The other week I had went to Bruckner's and ordered the same thing and I just wanted to have a little fun and compare the two.

Per usual, the chicken cesar wrap was filled with thick bits of sliced grilled chicken, romaine lettuce and cesar dressing. The difference between Bruckner's and Corbo's is that Bruckner's marinated their chicken and there was more of it in the wrap. Also, Bruckner's had just the right amount of dressing whereas Corbo's had too little dressing. Bruckner's also serves their wraps in a green garden wrap as Corbo's serves their wraps in plain white. This I feel makes a huge difference.

After comparing, I still strongly recommend Bruckner's over Corbo's when it comes to the Chicken Cesar Wrap.

Corbo's - Chicken Cesar Wrap ($7)

Presentation - ***

Quality - ***

Affordability - ****

Taste - ***

Overall 3.25 / 5 stars

Leaf Line (Greenwich, CT) - Urban Cowboy Salad

Leaf Line is the new hoppin' lunch place on Greenwich Ave. Leaf Line specializes in making salads to fit your liking. It is a 'make your own' kind of deal as you go down the line and choose what toppings you want on your salad including the dressing. When I went around midday, there was a line out the door. The wait was very long but well worth it.

I went ahead and got one of the generic salads, the Urban Cowboy. The Urban Cowboy consisted of romaine lettuce with BBQ grilled chicken, crumbled bacon, grape tomatoes, corn, red onion, black beans, sunflower seeds and shredded cheddar cheese. Basically the Urban Cowboy can be described as a southwestern kind of salad. It is loaded with a bunch of different flavors. To top it off, I had it dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Leaf Line is right on top of the Ave, right next to Chipotle. It is an easy commute that can be made in about 30 mins roundtrip from GHS (including ordering, parking etc)

Leaf Line - Urban Cowboy ($11)

Presentation - ****

Quality - ****

Affordability - **

Taste - ****

Overall 3.5 / 5 stars

Rinaldi's Country Deli (Cos Cob, CT) - #16 Cajun Chicken Cutlet

Rinaldi's Country Deli is by far my favorite deli. I am so lucky to live right down the street from Rinaldi's because it is just such a great place filled with very nice people. Rinaldi's is known for their special sandwiches such as The Bruin, The Navy Seal and the Number 12. Along with these specialty hot sandwiches, Rinaldi's also makes very delicious cold-cut sandwiches.

I ordered a (#16) Cajun Chicken Cutlet on a roll. On the (#16) there lies cajun chicken cutlet, swiss cheese, and bleu cheese dressing. Very simple by my oh my is it tasty. The cajun chicken cutlet and bleu cheese dressing are what make the sandwich so good. The cajun chicken cutlet gives it a very zesty after spice kind of taste while the bleu cheese off sets it.

*Rinaldi's Country Deli is about a three minute drive from GHS (approx. 1.2 miles) that can be made during an open or during a lunch wave.

Rinaldi's - Cajun Chicken Cutlet ($6.00)

Presentation - ****

Quality - ****

Affordability - *****

Taste - *****

Overall 4.5 / 5 stars

Fire House Deli (Port Chester, NY) - Big Bertha Wrap

Fire House Deli is your typical New York Deli; hot sandwiches, wraps, cold sandwiches, you name it. They are notoriously known around town for their foot long subs which are just absolutely packed. Sometimes they're so packed that they cant even be closed. Fire House Deli has a warm feel to it as all the locals gather at the same time to delve into a delicious meal together.

I ordered the Big Bertha Wrap. The Big Bertha includes very perfectly made chicken cutlet bits, bacon, lettuce, tomato and ranch dressing all under one nice white wrap. The wrap is surprisingly big in size and super filling. After eating the Big Bertha Wrap, I was full until dinner around 8 pm.

Fire House Deli is a ways from GHS, but can easily be made during a lunch block open. 

Fire House Deli - Big Bertha Wrap ($7.75)

Presentation - ****

Quality - ****

Affordability - ****

Taste - ****

Overall 4 / 5 stars

The Kneaded Bread Company (Port Chester, NY) - Chicken Salad

Being in a salad kind of mood, I ventured to Port Chester to one of the best salad spots in the Tri-State area. The Kneaded Bread company is a very gourmet place that prepares bread, pastries and salads daily. One of their specialties prepared daily are there 'Ring-Dings' and 'Fudge Brownies'.

Since I wanted to be healthy, I went with a 'Make Your Own Salad' deal. They have a main store which extends into an exquisite salad bar. To begin, I had romaine lettuce with roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, house-made tortillas, grilled chicken, bacon and avocado. I had my salad dressed with gourmet balsamic vinaigrette. 

The Kneaded Bread Company is well with the trip for any students who are pursing a healthy salad. The trip can easily be made back and forth between an open. 

The Kneaded Bread Company - Chicken Salad ($13.00)

Presentation - ****

Quality - *****

Affordability - *

Taste - *****

Overall 3.75 / 5 stars

Bruckner's (Greenwich, CT) - Chicken Cesar Wrap

Bruckner's is a very quaint spot just right off of Greenwich Ave (right below Meli-Melo). It's a very quick lunch place with only a few seats inside to eat. Bruckner's specializes in healthy gourmet sandwiches and soups.

The meal I went with was a very tasty chicken cesar wrap. Within the green garden wrap, there are multiple slices of chicken which seem to have a very zesty marinate to it. Along with the chicken there is romaine lettuce topped with creamy cesar. Bruckner's in my opinion makes the best chicken cesar wrap.

Bruckner's is right off of the ave which can easily be made during an open or during lunch block.

Bruckner's Chicken Cesar Wrap - $(8)

Presentation - ****

Quality - ****

Affordability - ***

Taste - ****

Overall 3.75 / 5 stars

Chipotle (Greenwich, CT) - Chicken Salad

Today I went to the world famous Chipotle on Greenwich Ave. Chipotle is by far one of the most hopping places in all of Greenwich no matter what time of day. When going into Chipotle about midday, the line may be long so I suggest to maybe go a little later.

I went pretty healthy and ordered a salad. The salad included fresh romaine lettuce, white rice, a little spicy chicken, mild salsa, seasonal corn, a hint of cheese and a scoop of freshly prepared guacamole. Although I have just eaten it, it still makes my mouth water. Along with the salad comes the dressing which is a unique spicy balsamic with a little zing to it.

All in all, I highly recommend delving into one of these salads as they are super fresh, healthy and very very very filling. Chipotle is yet to disappoint.

Chicken Salad with Guacamole - ($13.00)

Presentation - *****

Quality - *****

Affordability - *

Taste - *****

Overall 4 / 5 stars

Corbo's Deli (Cos Cob, CT) - Quesadilla Thursday

On this muggy Thursday afternoon, I decided to stay local again. I went to the famous Corbo's Deli right on the Post Road. Throughout the year, Corbo's main attraction comes from hungry high school students who aren't looking to travel far to get something to eat, but want a quality meal. Being only a half a mile from GHS, Corbo's is the best bet.

Every Thursday, Corbo's prepares the most delicious quesadillas one can imagine. They are perfectly filling and relatively cheap compared to a regular deli sandwich. The quesadilla is absolutely packed with flavor including cheese, grounded chicken and spices to give a nice zing to it.

The quesadilla are already pre-made, but taste as fresh as any quesadilla I've had from any Mexican restaurant. These specific quesadillas from Corbo's have a very zesty after spice to it (not too spicy but just the right amount).

*Corbo's is give or take about a 10 min walk from GHS. If you're an underclassman and you are walking to Corbo's, I recommend calling in your order before hand so you can skip the line, pay and be on your way.

Corbo's Trademark Quesadillas - ($5.50)

Presentation - ****

Quality - *****

Affordability - *****

Taste - *****

Overall 4.75 / 5 stars

Rinaldi's Country Deli (Cos Cob, CT) - Roast Beef on a roll

Since I have a game later  today, I decided to keep it light. After working out, I was feeling more of a cold cut sandwich rather than a hot sandwich. Hot sandwiches with chicken cutlet and such tend to make you feel full throughout the day. I avoided this just by ordering the classic roast beef sandwich.

This sandwich is more of my "go-to" sandwich. It always tastes great, it fills your stomach up to the perfect amount and it is indeed a healthy alternative compared to other hot sandwiches. The sandwich I ordered was pretty simple, it included: roast beef, lettuce, tomatoes, american cheese on a roll with a little mayo. I wasn't a big fan of mayonnaise growing up but as my pallet matured, I began to like it a lot.

Rinaldi's makes great cold cut sandwiches in my opinion and ceases to disappoint. The cold cuts are always cold (theres no worse feeling biting into a cold cut sandwich and the "cold cuts" are room temperature) and they always seem to pack as much stuff into the roll as possible. The service is usually quick throughout the day but I recommend that you do not go around 2:45 pm in the afternoon as a huge wave of Central Middle School students run to Rinaldi's after school creating a huge line.

*Rinaldi's Country Deli is about a three minute drive from GHS (approx. 1.2 miles) that can be made during an open or during a lunch wave.

Roast Beef, Lettuce, Tomato, American Cheese w/ Mayo on a roll - $6.50

Presentation - ****

Quality - *****

Affordability - *****

Taste - *****

Overall 4.75 / 5 stars

Alpen Pantry (Old Greenwich, CT) - Stilton on Russian Black Bread

On this beautiful Tuesday afternoon, I decided to go to the mean streets of Old Greenwich. Right off of the world famous Sound Beach Avenue, lies a relatively unknown deli. Alpen Pantry is not your typical Greenwich deli; it consists of only cold cut sandwiches famously served on their exquisite black bread.  

Today I went with what I usually order from Alpen Pantry and got a Stilton on black bread.  The Stilton consists of  ham, swiss, turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, and the tasty blue cheese dressing served on the Russian black bread. This sandwich is absolutely fantastic. What really makes the sandwich "pop" is the creamy taste of the blue cheese dressing which line both sides of the bread. The Stilton is absolutely packed with fresh, gourmet cold cuts which serve as a healthy alternative.

*Alpen Pantry is located in the heart of Old Greenwich, right off of Sound Beach Ave. It is about a 13 minute drive (approx. 3.6 miles from GHS) that can be easily made during an open.

Stilton on Russian Black Bread - $8

Presentation - ****

Quality - *****

Affordability - ****

Taste - *****

Overall - 4.5 / 5 stars

Villa Nuova (Greenwich, CT) - Marco Polo w/ Chicken Cutlet

Hello and welcome to the "Cardinal Eats" blog! On this beautiful Monday afternoon and first day of senior internship/project period, I ventured to the streets of downtown Cos Cob in order to fulfill an empty stomach. The first stop on the expedition of "Cardinal Eats" was made at the one and only, Villa Nuova. Villa Nuova quite honestly is one of my favorite eats in all of Greenwich. Villa Nuova prides itself on the highest quality Italian gourmet food. 

Today, I spoiled myself with what I believe is to be the best sandwich in all of Greenwich, the 'Marco Polo'. The 'Marco Polo' consists of prosciutto, fresh mozzarella (made daily), tomatoes, and pesto all under a perfectly pressed panini. Usually when I order the 'Marco Polo', I pay the extra $2 to have chicken cutlet included. 

One word to describe this sandwich would be heavenly. Although a little more expensive than your run of the mill deli sandwich, the 'Marco Polo' is a taste of absolute joy. When biting into the sandwich you are greeted with the immediate taste of pesto which lines the roof of your pallet. Digging further into the sandwich, you can taste the delicious prosciutto atop the fresh mozzarella. The mouth watering continues as you bite into the perfectly prepared chicken cutlet and organic tomatoes. All in all, the sandwich is absolutely loaded with perfection. 

*The trip to Villa Nuova from Greenwich High School is an easy five minute drive that could be made during any lunch wave. (approx. 1.4 miles from GHS)

Marco Polo w/ Chicken Cutlet ($11.75) 

Presentation - ****

Quality - *****

Affordability - ***

Taste - *****

Overall - 4.25 / 5 stars