• PHOTO BY HENRY BRUINGTON
• IT'S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY: There are many wiches to choose, but take time to savor the process.

There’s a new sandwich joint in town, and it can be a little overwhelming if you’ve never been to one before. Fortunately, all the employees of WhichWich Superior Sandwiches, are prepared to guide you as they did me. The only problem? The choices are endless.

It’s one of those places where you basically get to build your own sandwich. Sure we have a number of such sandwich shops here, but none of them offer the wide variety that Which Wich does. When you first enter, there is a large wall menu to your right, and three small round counters where you fill out your order.

The menu is categorized, and broken down into bag numbers. The categories are based on the meat, or non-meat, you choose, and you can build it from there by filling out the front of your brown bag with a red Sharpie. The bag you fill out is actually what your sandwich comes in, or you can opt for a Bowlwich, otherwise known as a salad, or a Lettucewich, if you’re not interested in the bread portion of the sandwich. You can make it a coldwich or a hotwich, add extra anything—at an additional cost of course—and top it all off with dressings, oils, spices, or a number of other addons, including their house chips. Yes, chips.

Next, you take your bag over to the counter and pay. And if you have a sweet tooth craving, fulfill that desire with a shake or some baked goods, or turn your fresh baked cookies into an ice cream sandwich. The shakes are pretty filling on their own though, and the Oreo shake is definitely a perfect sweet treat on a warm day. Just about everything is made fresh every morning, and the shakes are made when ordered.

Which Wich also offers a limited time special sandwich, as well as breakfast options, a kid’s special, and their permanent signature sandwich called the Wicked. The Wicked is made up of five meats and three cheeses and costs just a little more depending on the size of Wich you order.

A small, 7-inch, basic sandwich starts at $5.75 and goes up from there. And the Classics are a testament of the range in locations that Which Wich has reached. The Classics include a BLT, a Gyro, an Elvis Wich, the Monte Cristo, and an Egg Salad. But don’t confuse WhichWich? for a big corporation chain just yet. Which Wich Superior Sandwiches is part of a small franchise that are all locally ownedand operated.

Rahul Vinchhi, owner and manager, seems extremely happy in the development of his new business, and it reflects in the employees’ attitudes as well. Vinchhi had been traveling for work for seven years when a friend presented this opportunity to him. He was flown out to Dallas, where the corporate office is located, and he decided to give it a shot.

Our SLO location is the only Which Wich between Northridge and San Jose, its their goal is more than just serving better sandwiches. They strive to make “the world a better place,” Vinchhi says.

“We want to be a part of the community, and we want our vibes to go beyond the four walls of the community,” Vinchhi says as he points out the four pictures hanging to the left of the shop. These vibes represent their everyday goals and achievements to bring positive influence to the community and beyond.

Right now, there is a Salute to Service campaign going on through July 6. Simply decorate your Which Wich bag with red and blue sharpies, upload a picture of it, and for every decorated bag, one will be filled with goodies to be shipped out to the troops, but be sure to hashtag it with #FlagYourBag when you upload it.

So, “Which Wich will you choose?” Which Wich Superior Sandwiches is located downtown at 1035 Chorro St. and can be reached at 543-9424. Which Wich is open Sunday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more details about what’s going on in the Which Wich community, or to check out the menu in advance, visit them at whichwich.com, or find them at any other social media site.

Fast fact

Cal Sate Fullerton is offering an online course to help parents, students, and educators understand and address bullying—and yes, it is open to residents of other communities by virtue of the fact that it’s an online class. This course is one month long and begins July 14. For more details, visit extension.fullerton.edu/ProfessionalDevelopment/bullying, or call (657) 278-5836.

Intern Lareina Gamboa compiled this week’s Strokes. Send your business and nonprofit news to [email protected].