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No. 7 Sub, Whole Foods Gowanas

Caprese, Zucchini Parm, Broccoli Classic Sub, No 7 Sub

This post is in collaboration with Whole Foods.

Alright folks, this is Day #2 of my Whole Foods food tour covering their newest restaurants. For the full story, read about Day #1 at Whole Foods Bowery first.

Visiting Whole Foods Gowanas was like visiting a foreign land. It’s a full-sized grocery store complete with a parking lot. What the what?! Are we really still in New York? Once you get over that initial shock, head on over to No. 7 Sub for a jolly good time.

No 7 Sub, Whole Foods Gowanas Brooklyn

No. 7 Restaurant Group has several locations throughout the city featuring their unique sandwich creations and grain bowls. Broccoli is one of their specialties, which immediately makes me want to be BFFs with them since I am the broccoli monster after all. During my visit, I had a chance to chat with Jeff, the manager, and watch him put together sample versions of their veggie dishes. Jeff was wearing a No. 7 Sub hat, of course.

No 7 Sub, Whole Foods Gowanas Brooklyn

What a beautiful spread! No. 7 Sub is not a vegetarian restaurant, but there’s plenty for herbivores and many dishes can be made vegan simply by omitting the cheese toppings.

Let’s talk sandwiches… Instead of sampling full size subs (which would have put me into a food coma), I tasted crostini versions of their meatless subs. No. 7 Sub gets their Italian heroes bread from a bakery down the street from Whole Foods Gowanas. The bread has a great texture with a nice crust, not too heavy.

Caprese, Zucchini Parm, Broccoli Classic Sub, No 7 Sub

Left: Broccoli Classic with roasted broccoli, lychee muchim, feta cheese, fried shallots, and vegan mayo. Apparently this is one of their most popular items even among meat eaters. I’m a fan of all things broccoli, so this is basically made for me. The broccoli is quite meaty (if that makes sense), but it could stand to be a little more roasted for extra flavor. Light, sweet notes from the lychee, creaminess from the feta, a salty crunch from the shallots.

Center: This is your classic Caprese with fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil, arugula, and shallot vinaigrette. It almost seems wrong to get a caprese at a place that has other unique options, but it’s made with quality ingredients and still a good option nevertheless.

Caprese, Zucchini Parm, Broccoli Classic Sub, No 7 Sub

Right: Zucchini Parm with fresh mozzarella, sweet onion puree, pickled jalapenos, BBQ potato chips. The zucchini slices are thick so they retain their crispness after they’ve been breaded and fried. Tasty with an interesting mix of textures, but the pickled jalapeno was too much for me!

If a sub is not your thing, try the warm grain bowl with any of the sandwich fillings. It’s a healthy, gluten-free mixture of quinoa, amaranth, and brown rice. If I’m remembering correctly, it’s cooked in shallot vinaigrette for extra flavor.

General Tso's Seitan Grain Bowl, No 7 Sub

This adorable little sampler you see here is the General Tso’s Seitan grain bowl. Marinated seitan, avocado, and fried shallots are a winning combination in my book. Even the grains on their own were delicious. If I find myself back at No. 7, I’d get a full sized order of this.

Don’t forget the sides… The sweet potato fries are tasty and addictive, but if you’re in need for something lighter, get the refreshing cucumber salad. Jeff mentioned that they’re adding veggie dogs to the menu at their DUMBO location, and this salad will be used as a relish for the dogs. Sign me up for that, please.

Cucumber Salad, No 7 Sub

No. 7 Sub also had a brussels sprouts special that might just be some of the best brussels sprouts I’ve had all year. Cooked until they have lovely golden edges and rich flavor, the brussels sprouts come in a tangy sauce. For some folks, this might be too tangy to eat alone, but imagine how tasty this would be with the grain bowl.

Brussels Sprouts Special, No 7 Sub

Note: This post is in collaboration with Whole Foods. I was invited as a guest to this establishment and received a complimentary meal. This was not in exchange for a positive review and all opinions expressed here are my own.

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5 Comments

  • Reply
    annie lee
    at

    haha those tiny samples are so cute! they all look really good. especially the one with pickled jalapenos!

    • Reply
      wazwu
      at

      Haha, the jalapenos were too spicy for me! XD

  • Reply
    Mitzie Mee
    at

    I saw those crostinis on your instagram and they looked so good, I first thought they were homemade:)

    • Reply
      wazwu
      at

      The crostinis definitely do have a cute, authentic homemade feel that I really like!

  • Reply
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