Giacomo's Italian Market

Located at 2109 New Garden Road, Giacomo’s Italian Market offers hot and cold Italian sandwiches and desserts. The restaurant is also a deli and offers homemade meats, cheeses, pastas, and sauces. Catering is available.

To those who grew up with quality Italian cold cuts – capicola, genoa salami, mortadella, and so on – Giacomo’s will feel like home. To those who didn’t, Giacomo’s will be a revelation. The sandwiches are phenomenal, widely surpassing not only most chains but many local sandwich shops as well.

As is true in many cases, the ingredients make the difference. The sandwiches come served on fresh, crusty Italian rolls. The cold cuts are top-notch – the Italian Stallion (genoa/capicola/provolone) and Paesano (marinated eggplant/salami/provolone) are standouts – but the hot sandwiches are not to be ignored. The homemade sausage and peppers is simply beyond compare.

Prices at Giacomo’s run high, but they are not unreasonable for the quality of the food. For $7, you are virtually guaranteed a satisfying sandwich. In addition, the staff are friendly and welcoming. No matter how busy Giacomo’s gets, you won’t run afoul of forgotten orders or snippy attitudes.

The only drawback here is that the establishment is quite small. There are fewer than ten tables in all. That, plus the foot traffic and the delicious display cases to distract you, can make dining in less than ideal.

Whether you are seeking the comforts of home or looking to set a new sandwich standard, Giacomo’s will not disappoint. Your only concern, aside from table space, should be how often you can afford to come back.

9.25/10

Thor: The Dark World

Eons ago, the Dark Elves led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) attempted to use a weapon called the Aethir to enshroud the universe in darkness. The Dark Elves were defeated and left for dead. In the present day, as the Convergence - an alignment of the Nine Realms - approaches, physicist Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) accidently discovers and absorbs the Aethir, awakening Malekith in the process. Now Thor (Chris Hemsworth), prince of Asgard, must save her and both their worlds, even if it means turning to his treacherous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for help.

The first Thor film was arguably the weakest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's pre-Avengers offerings. Though buoyed by a talented cast, the lackluster script and cartoonish special effects made it fare poorly compared to its cinematic brethren. This 2013 sequel, however, brings the franchise one step closer to parity.

That improvement is no mean feat given the strong continuity with the previous film. Acclaimed television director Alan Taylor (The Sopranos, Mad Men, Game of Thrones) replaces Kenneth Branagh as director, and Zachary Levi stands in for Joshua Dallas as the swashbuckling Fandral. Otherwise, the cast (Hemsworth, Portman, Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Idris Elba, et. al.) is comprised of carryovers with a few villainous additions (Eccleston and Adwale Agbaje as his chief enforcer).

The biggest change here is not in personnel but in tone. Whereas the first film was a fish-out-of-water story laden with melodramatic angst, this one is on surer footing as a more straightforward action film. That isn't to say that there aren't humorous moments (Kat Dannings is back as Jane's comic relief assistant, and Loki's sharp-tongued sarcasm is put to good effect here) but rather that the lack of pretentiousness makes it easier to enjoy. Given that these characters have had time to develop, we can now be content simply watching them do their thing in dazzling style and at a fluid pace. Of course, the downside of this narrower focus is a plot that is equal parts simplistic and ridiculous, but such may be inevitable given the source material.

As both a character and a film franchise, Thor will never be as iconic as Captain America or as witty as Iron Man, but The Dark World goes to show that when you are looking for a good, old-fashioned dust-up, you should never count out the god of thunder.

7.75/10

Banh Mi Saigon Sandwiches and Bakery

Located at 3808 High Point Road, Banh Mi Saigon Sandwiches and Bakery specializes in banh mi sandwiches and other Vietnamese fare. Bubble teas are also available, and the establishment is open seven days a week.

Whether the result of its downmarket location (beside a High Point Road pool hall) or the public’s unfamiliarity with its primary product, Banh Mi Saigon is one of Greensboro’s best-kept secrets. And were there any risk of this review inspiring a shortage, a secret it would surely remain.

Banh mi is a Vietnamese catch-all for a variety of sandwiches served on baguettes. At Banh Mi Saigon, you can pile on everything from roast pork and ham to beef and meatloaf to vegetarian mock-meat and more. All are made to order and come layered with veggies (watch out for the hidden jalapeno) and amply spread with mayo. No matter which option you pursue, you’re in for a treat. The bread is fresh and the fillings sublimely flavorful. I ordinarily detest liver, but their pork and pate sandwich — #2 on the menu – was a weekly standby all summer long. The BBQ pork (#4) and the grilled meatloaf (whiteboard special) are quite habit-forming in their own right. Among the non-sandwich offerings, the fresh spring rolls are tasty once you bite into them (especially when dipped in the accompanying peanut sauce), but the waxy appearance of the wrap is somewhat off-putting.

Given the quality of the food, it would be easy to expect pricing that belies Banh Mi Saigon’ss location. Fortunately, however, the opposite holds true: prices here are an absolute steal. Most sandwiches and the spring rolls are a meager $3.50 each, a few sandwiches run $3.75, and even the vermicelli bowls don’t run past $8. Consider what $3.50 will buy you at a fast-food chain, and you will marvel at Banh Mi Saigon’s ability to stay in business.

Though there are a few tables and chairs, Banh Mi Saigon is best utilized for takeout. The counter staff are polite and relatively quick, but the barebones interior lacks the ambiance to make dine-in worthwhile.

If you are a world traveler, chances are you have had better banh mi than you are likely to find here. But if you are a Greensboroian on a budget looking for a quick and satisfying meal, this is as good as it gets.

8.75/10 

Taste of Ethiopia

Located at 106 N. Westgate Drive off of W. Market Street in Greensboro, Taste of Ethiopia offers authentic Ethiopian cuisine. The establishment specializes in vegetarian dishes, but lamb, beef, and chicken dishes are available as well as are beer and wine.

Despite Greensboro’s considerable culinary diversity, area residents in search of Ethiopian have had no recourse but to trek out to the Triangle until now. For that reason alone, Taste of Ethiopia is a welcome addition. But make no mistake: this new restaurant’s appeal extends far beyond novelty.

For the uninitiated, Ethiopian cuisine can be daunting. Instead of using silverware, diners are given rolls of spongy injera bread to sop up meats, vegetables, and sauces. Get beyond that, however, and you’re likely to encounter some similarities to certain types of Indian cooking: both are sauce and seasoning heavy and feature lentils prominently.

Having had – and enjoyed – Ethiopian once before, I found that a Taste of Ethiopia did not disappoint but did offer a few quirks and surprises. My companion and I split a $30 dinner combination for two that included lamb tibs (cubed, spiced, and sautéed), beef wot (cubed, sauced, and marinated), and doro wot (marinated and sautéed chicken legs) as well as several vegetable (lentils, peas, collards, etc.) offerings. All of the dishes were well-seasoned though not as spicy as expected. The lamb, beef, and yellow peas were standouts; the chicken was succulent, but not something I would order on its own. The accompanying injera was also served lukewarm, a strange decision until you realize that hungry patrons may not relish waiting for their edible silverware to cool.

A family-owned establishment, Taste of Ethiopia offers an atmosphere that is bright, clean, and (occasionally distracting music aside) quiet and a staff that is friendly, attentive, and unfailingly polite. Portions are generous for the pricetag: entrees run from $10.50 for vegetarian dishes up to $13 for lamb, and our combination dinner could have easily fed one more.

If there is one drawback to eating Ethiopian (here or elsewhere) it is that it can take some time to get through a meal. But if the craving for something different strikes you and your hunger does not overwhelm your patience, Taste of Ethiopia certainly merits your consideration.

8.25/10