Things We Take for Granted: Prego

Lee takes orders and reminds us to "pay later"

You may remember me from my post about sandwiches a few months back. After that post I was actually referred to as “the girl who hates sandwiches,” but that couldn’t be any further from the truth. I love my staples from home — Macaroni with red gravy and ricotta, pizza with extra cheese, cheesesteaks with extra cheese, hoagies with any kind of cheese — and I do my best to fill up on my favorite comfort foods when I’m visiting family in New Jersey, but there are times when I don’t get home as often as I should. So when I’m craving a hoagie, which is often, I head to Prego, located at 210 7th Street SE.

Prego’s menu features typical deli fair, including soups, salads, breakfast sandwiches, hot sandwiches and traditional deli sandwiches, but what brings me back to Prego time and time again is the “Genoa and Provolone.” The soft, but substantial roll is given a generous serving of creamy mayonnaise, packed with fresh cut salami and provolone then topped with crisp iceburg lettuce and perfectly sliced red ripe tomatoes. It is the closest thing to a hoagie that I have found in the city, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

Prego owner Choong Lee, who previously owned a deli in Chantilly, Va., bought the store from its original owners four years ago and has been working the front counter ever since.

“I owned a deli in Chantilly, Va.,” said Lee, “but it was more for Monday to Friday customers only because it was in an industrial area. Here I have many customers from the offices and the neighborhood all week long.”

In fact, the store is almost always busy, whether you stop in for a mid-week sandwich at lunch time or a mid-afternoon glass of sweet tea on a Saturday.

While my regular sandwich is all about the salami and cheese, I have, from time to time, tested a few of Prego’s other offerings. The chicken salad is delightful and is not overrun with pickles or relish. The meatball sub is tasty, though I should admit that nothing can ever compare to the meatballs my dad makes. Finally, the chicken parm, which may be considered soggy for some, remains the best chicken parm sandwich I’ve had outside of the Garden State.

So when you are in the mood for a good sandwich (read: not Subway) that is not over priced (read: Taylors), stop by Prego, order a sandwich however you’d like it, grab a bag of chips and add in a sweet tea for good measure. You’ll be glad you did.