Prime Central is Prime Eating

For our first review, it seemed only fitting that our Friday bite would include a gem of Catonsville: Prime Central Sandwich  (1715 Edmondson Ave Ste 3, Catonsville, MD, 21228-4348, (410) 744-0093. 

The weather on Friday, along with the recent purchase of Beatles Rock Band, inspired us to get takeout and have our date in our cozy little apartment. One of our new found treasures has been the DELICIOUS sandwiches and ribs at Prime Central. We've tried their wings, which are quite tasty as they do not overcook them and the wing sauce is better than most. Their french fries with cheese reminds me of the sweet taste of carnival fries (only without the grease that seeps through the plate). Their ribs are quite excellent--I like them better than any of the local chain restaurants, for sure, and I'm hard-pressed to think of a place in Maryland that has better ribs than they. There's just enough sauce without feeling like the ribs are drenched to the point of not being able to taste the flavors of the meat anymore. I love that they don't overcook them (notice a pattern here?) because the juices are front-and-center as opposed to a stringy, chewy, mess that I have so often encountered in many self-proclaimed "rib joints." Ryan consistently orders "Da Bomb," which is a burger with pit ham and pit turkey with BBQ sauce. (He's one of those guys that finds a dish he likes and can't abandon it to try something new.)

This visit I tried their cheesesteak sandwich. Now, let me pause for a moment to let you know that I am a Pittsburgh native. Not Philly. For some reason, Philly seems to think they have the corner on good food and, particularly, cheesesteaks. It is my duty to inform you that they are incorrect and that this is probably some conspiracy in order to get people to visit their city because the Liberty Bell isn't enough to draw the average American tourist. All obligatory Philly jabs aside, there are very few places besides my old home town sandwich shops that have gotten the cheesesteak "right."  Prime Central got it right.  SO MUCH FLAVOR. I got mine with "everything" on it, and it was one of the best decisions I have made since I married my husband last October. Needless to say, I highly recommend this sandwich.

The restaurant is quite clean, and the service is friendly and personalized. They even remembered how Ryan likes his sandwich to be prepared without veggies. I love a place that remembers you.

There are a couple of sad points I have to make about this luscious little lure of Catonsville. Because it's tucked away next to the Tasty Zone on Edmondson Avenue, passersby don't seem to even know that it exists. This creates some major problems. First, this is a small, family-owned business. If they don't get patrons, they don't stay open. Secondly, when they don't get much business, they close early. This creates challenges for anyone who might drop by because you think they're supposed to be open until 7:30. Finally, without income and a steady stream of business, they can't expand their business or have an idea of how to order. Everything is fresh here, so if they don't anticipate business, and you happen to show up hungry for ribs, there's a chance that you may be ordering the last half wrack. (Or you might come in after the guy who ordered the last half wrack... eek!)

So what's my assessment? This isn't a five-star steakhouse, but they don't claim to be. As a sandwich joint with quality food, excellent prices, and friendly service, I would definitely give them five stars. I hope this review helps them get some publicity because it would be a very sad day if Prime Central closes its doors.

  


Hooray for Prime Central!



Wishing you a warm heart and a full tummy.