Episode XXII: The Globe (AHN)

It’s Saturday in Athens!
My college roommate’s little brother is a PhD student at UGA. That was as good excuse as any for us to go visit him and take in a Georgia football game. Go Dawgs!  (Going to have to add Dawgs to spell check.)

I had done some Reuben research before the trip but I did not want to be “that guy” and insist we go somewhere. When they suggested The Globe, I said sure! I knew they had a Reuben and I was excited for Athens, GA to get on the Reuben Ranger map. Incidentally, my roommate was present  for Episode III back at Lir in Boston. That Reuben was a disaster. I was hoping Episode XXII would be much better.

CLASSIC REUBEN -
“Corned Beef with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and 1,000 Island on rye.”

Appearance – (4.2/5.0)

The game kicked off at 12:30, so after daylight drinking, stadium M&Ms, and popcorn, I was not that hungry. In order to give the Reuben all of my attention, I decided to forgo the fries and order the salad instead. Nice looking salad though. I think it frames the Reuben well. We do have toothpicks but they are clearly marked. There were also very visible signs of properly melted cheese.  Look at this side view.  I was pleased when this plate landed in front of me.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.1/5.0)

The corned beef was very tender and sliced thin. The cheese was great and abundant. There have been too many times where I have had to hunt for the cheese. It is just as much of a binding agent as the 1,000 Island. It would not seem that they would work well together but they do! I wish more places would consider adding more cheese to their Reuben. The sauerkraut could have had some more zing but you knew it was there.

Price – (4.3/5.0)

This cost $8.49. I think that is very good considering we were out on a game night in Athens. The place was packed and had a great vibe. We also had a table by the windows so it was good for people watching. The portion could have been bigger, but given that I was not starving it worked out ok.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.0/5.0)

I needed a good Reuben. Sometimes I start to worry that the blog is a sounding board to complain about sub-par Reubens. I was happy when I saw this sandwich and it gave me some good vibes. Once I tasted it I knew I was in for a good one.  The marbling on the rye did throw me a bit. It is not so much marble as concentric circles. It makes the center of the bread look lonely.

Taste – (9.0/10.0)

Yep, we are up in the 9s. It was a good execution of good ingredients.  There was not too much salt and the temperature at serving was also perfect, which I believe enhanced the flavor. I may have burned my mouth on the first bite but it was perfect after that. I can be a fast eater (remember that part about me being a former fat kid?).  So when I am with other people I try to be conscious of that, but it's hard to slow down when you have a hot delicious sandwich starting right at you.

Overall – (25.6/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes!  Dave has a few years left in Athens and you can bet I will be back to see him and hopefully get back to The Globe.