Susan says…
When we aren’t sure what we feel like eating for lunch, I sometimes whip out my book of discounts. I still call it the Dine-A-Mate book even though the name is now “Entertainment ’09” I call audiobooks “books on tape”. I am old school like that. My daughter, who greatly enjoys making fun of my oldness anytime I slip and say “book-on-tape”, was flabbergasted when I acquired an actual book on cassette tape via a winning eBay bid.
But on to the task at hand: a review of lunch at Mr. Wilson’s.
It was mighty difficult for me to walk past Sitar on a lunch buffet day to enter the doors of Mr. Wilson’s. I probably asked Misty several times: “are you sure you don’t want tikka masala???”
The place is roomy and clean. So clean, in fact, that there are no fish in the aquarium (see photo above) and hardly any items in the glass-front cases we walked by to place our orders.
The dry-erase specials board greeted us immediately, announcing the daily special and low-carb wraps. I quickly went past “chicken salad” knowing I would never order that much mayonnaise unless it was included in spinach-artichoke dip (my favorite is a tie between Chili’s and Applebee’s – what about you?)
I decided to investigate the low-carb option and inquired at the counter what the carb count is on these babies. Turns out, they were out of them. Could you, Mr. Wilson, perhaps hold the dry-erase marker in your hand – cap off – and make a horizontal mark through the phrase “low-carb wraps” when you realize you’re out? I thought you could! Thanks!
Since I was already at the counter, I chose a sandwich from the pannini section of the menu board which qualified for coupon usage. After we sat down, I noticed the hamburger and grilled chicken options on the specials board and had a mild case of food regret. Oh well, during a parting conversation with an employee I learned the hamburgers are frozen, pre-made patties so I wasn’t disappointed I didn’t try the burger after all.
My, oh my! What do we have here??? None other than an offensive pickly pickle transferring it’s pickly pickle juice onto my pressed pannini bread. Egads!
As you can see, the southwest turkey pannini, priced at $5.99, is comprised of turkey (duh), pepper jack cheese, tomato, red onion, and mayo. The mayo was 86’d faster than you could say “gag me with a dirty spoon”. (Yep, I too love the eighties.) I asked to add green pepper and lettuce, which was no problem, and no extra charge. You receive chips with the panninis but since I am trying to only eat non-healthy things that really light my fire, I passed.
I was missing the red onion and the lettuce but thankfully the mayo was also missing as I had requested. I could have taken it back, but it wasn’t that important to me to make a fuss. Now, had they slathered the mayo….different story altogether. The quantity of tomato was a bit anemic and the cheese covers about half the bread. I am very particular about having all the ingredients distributed evenly throughout the item. When I approach the end of a plate of chicken and broccoli, I have to pair up all the bites of chicken and all the bites of broccoli that remain and then divide them both into manageable little piles so I have a bit of both in every mouthful. (I really have to – it’s a force stronger than I can resist.) As you can imagine, I was forced to do some reallocation on my lunch.
There was nothing wrong with this sandwich. It tasted good. The problem: there were only enough components to adequately dress half the bread. So I scooched all the goods from the second half of the sandwich onto the half I was examining. Rearranged in this way, the bread:stuff ratio was pleasing. The price? Not so much. I feel $5.99 is too much for this sandwich and a bag of chips when I consider the other local sandwich shops.
Since we had a BOGO coupon, my pannini really only cost me 3 bucks, which I felt was fair. I get so much more at Deli Fresh for $3. Chips aren’t included there, but that’s a super heavyweight sandwich and this one is in the featherweight category.
Suggestions: throw another half of a tomato slice on there and more cheese. Make sure customers know what all the choices are. The menu board did not indicate that chips came with our sandwich. The specials board is another whole menu with a great price on a burger or chicken sandwich combo (including drink) for $5.69.
Sorry, Mr. Wilson – I have to go with TWO FORKS based on this experience.
Mr. Wilson’s 710 Lee Street East Charleston, WV 304-342-8384
Fork You... 
Looks like a poorly constructed sandwich which is typical WV style. WTF is so hard about making a decent sandwich, especially when you’ve got a place that specializes in sandwiches? Pitiful.
Have to say that’s not my typical Mr. Wilson’s portion experience. I’ve gone sandwich and blue plate and always felt I got enough food.
I don’t know that I’d order a panini at a place on Lee Street in Charleston, WV called Mr. Wilson’s. Mr. Guiseppe’s, maybe. Of course, if they put it on their menu…At least it looked like they got the grill marks on it!
The roast turkey blue plate is my top spot there. And some tasty soups (though I defer to Blue Moon on homemade soups downtown).
Paninis and pressed sandwiches of all sorts are exceedingly common downtown… you would have a hard time not ordering one on lee street in charleston.
Mr. Wilsons wraps are fine but the panini I had there was pretty poor. Actually, the only panini I’ve really liked so far in CRW is the Rustic Tuscan at Capitol Roasters. The best thing about it? No mayo.
Mayonnaise and all it’s sister sauces are anathema to good food. Mayo is quite possibly the worst thing on the planet, and I’m including anthrax spores and plutonium-238. I mean, it was developed to cover up the taste of rancid meat for gods sake. It despoils all it touches, artichoke dip included. Awful, awful stuff.
Rob- Are you flirting with Susan? That anti-mayo talk makes her HOT! 😉
Mayo is perhaps one of the few foods given to us directly from the gods.
Lusciously whipped barnyard fresh organic eggs, a delicious all natural vegetable oil of you choice, sparkling crispy lemons imported direct from Florida, a dash of fine powdered mustard and salt. . . I can think of nothing finer to compliment ANY dish.
The best way to ruin an egg is to use it to make mayonnaise.
Mayo offends all five senses: I hate the way it looks, smells, tastes, sounds, and feels. I dislike A.J. Mayo because of his name. The Mayo Clinic may be the finest hospital in the world but I’ll never go there. Even though I’m a huge beer geek I’m not a fan of Belgian beers – widely acknowledged as being the finest in the world – and it’s probably because they put mayo on their fries.
Mayo. Feh.
Oh, and Sag, ever had it on a peanut butter sandwich? My aunt gave me one thirty-five years ago and I still have occasional bouts of nausea thinking about it.
It’s O.J. Mayo, not A.J. Would you take points off your hate for him because his first name/initials are a tasty citrus beverage?
Peanut butter? I’ll try it. I love it on toast with sardines.
Hey, I have a freakish food-balance thing, too! It’s part of why I take giant bites.
I AM 50% OWNER OF MR. WILSON’S CAFE’ OF 710 LEE STREET EAST,CHARLESTON,WV.
YOU WAS CURRENTLY IN MY RESTAURANT & DID A REVIEW. SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS TOLD TO YOU WAS WRONG!!!!
THE MAN THAT YOU TALK TO DOES NOT WORK FOR US,AND HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS MADE IN OUR KITCHEN. NOT TO MENTION WE DO NOT ALLOW PICTURES TO BE TAKEN IN OUR RESTAURANT!!!!! AS FAR AS MY SANDWICHES I’VE NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT ABOUT THEM BEING TO SMALL….. AND ABOUT MY PASTRY CASES,IF YOU COME IN AT 1:00PM YOU WILL NOT FIND TO MUCH. REMEMBER WE CLOSE AT 2:00PM. EVERYTHING IS MADE DAILY.
Mr. Wilson, why no pictures taken in your restaurant??? Do you have something to hide? “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Ever heard that phrase? And they don’t lie. If you read the review, Susan said she liked her sandwich and gave some helpful tips from a consumer’s point of view. Why so defensive? Nothing all that bad was said in the review. This is some constructive criticism you should take and run with.
There was no sign stating that photography is not allowed. If there had been, I would have taken a picture of it.
Mr. Wilson, please tell us if the hamburgers are fresh-pattied and not frozen, because if they are, I would be all over that hamburger special. For $5.69 you get a burger, chips and a drink. The sandwich I ordered was $5.99 with just the chips. Clearly the burger is a better deal. But I don’t want it if it’s a frozen patty.
The Blue Plate special seemed like a lot of food for a reasonable price, too but I would never order home cookin’. I just don’t enjoy that type of food.
I really like grilled sammies and would have really liked your “pannini” had there been more stuff between the bread, or a smaller price tag.
Management has every right to either consider what we (and the commenters) say or ignore it. It’s just our opinions.
I think that Mr. Wilsons foood is the best around here. Why would you want to trash them. The prices are good and so Is the food. Would You rather eat at Mr Wilsons or thr Stair Of Indina Where they have roaches coming out of there place. And You not eating home made food whats wrong with you? You dont know what you are missing at Mr Wilsons not getting the blue Plate Espacially On Tuesdays Lasagna Day That is the best that you will ever taste. Just cause you are very picky and have nothing else better to do than to trah good food Its your lose. So back off and learn what good food really is.
YOU (LAWBOT) WAS NEVER GOING TO EAT AT MR. WILSON’S RESTAURANT BECAUSE DENNIS SAID YOU WAS TALKING TO PERSON WHO DOES NOT EAT IN THEIR. WE IS ALSO UPSET BECAUSE ONLY PICTURES ALLOWED TO BE TAKEN IN RESTAURANT IS PICTURES WE TAKE IN BASEMENT!!!!1!1 YOU WAS NOT IN BASEMENT!! ALSO: PATSTRIES!
OMG! The last two posts are so horribly written that they are very difficult to read. And Kristie, do you own the other half of the place? You and Mr. Wilson need to re-read the review. “OPINIONS ARE LIKE AS*HOLES…” You restaurant owners need some thicker skin.
LAWBOT ,
WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???????????
KRISTIE IS NOT THE OTHER OWNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am still waiting on an answer about the hamburgers. Are they frozen??
The individual I spoke to said “we this” and “we that” in reference to the restaurant after initiating the conversation with us as we were leaving. So either he was indeed an employee, or an imposter. Could he have been a delivery person?
Misty was with me – that’s her sandwich in the two photos at the end of the post – so I do have a witness that the dude certainly made us believe he was an employee.
And what’s in the basement?
I am confused by the “all caps” comments.
I will please refer the proprietor of Mr. Wilson’s to this post: https://forkyou.wordpress.com/2008/09/29/the-21st-century-comment-card/
You should use this medium to you advantage instead of attacking it. Invite Susan back for a second meal. Suggest one of your best menu items for her to try (no mayo or pickle please).
Get on twitter and start your own blog to market what makes it special.
If the food is good people will pay your price.
Mr. Wilson
I’ll get mine to go and take it out side, then I’ll Photograph it.
Actually… I’ll photograph it in your restaurant just for shits and giggles, so you can harass the city police who obviously have more important things to do than answer asinine calls about “This patron is taking pictures of my food”.
But of course making a sandwich that is worthy of a picture just makes too much sense.
I eat at Mr. Wilson’s all of the time and the food is always GOOD!!! After looking at the pictures Susan it seems as though you forgot to look on the other side of the bread. The rest of the tomato was there.
I never see a disgruntled person leave there because the food is excellent and the people are not just restaurant owners, they become friends to their customers.
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