It can be argued that the quintessential student format within which all foods must be able to fit is the format of the sandwich. Around the University of Washington campus are many different cafes, joints, restaurants, shacks, holes and delicatessens that profess to carry sandwiches to delight the taste buds and please the palette. Separating the wheat from the chaff and establishing a general idea of what places are the real deal and what places aren't even trying can take quite some time and a considerable amount of money. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of doing much of the work for you.

Of course, the constraints of space and time prevent me from visiting each and every establishment convenient to campus that can make a sandwich. Therefore, I have narrowed down my prospects to Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, The Café on the Ave and Sureshot Espresso.

Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's is what happens when college students open a sandwich joint. Started by college students in Charleston, Ill., in 1983, the place mixes a deli feel with surprisingly good music (no elaborate white noise here) and equally surprising sandwiches on the cheap. $4.95 will get you and 8-inch sub sandwich with fresh ingredients and enough meat to register taste-wise without overpowering the other ingredients. Adding a dollar basically doubles the meat and cheese as well as makes the choice of squarish seven-grain bread an option for those who want a more "market" feel to their sandwich.

Speed of service tends to vary based on hours and who is working, but it is always amiable and efficient; you'll receive a sandwich with a smile and a curt nod usually before you can finish filling your drink at the soda fountain. For the wretched street urchins among us, it is worthy of note that day-old bread is only $0.55 and is actually pretty good.

Cafe on the Ave

When the food finally arrived, I saw that it came with a smattering of tortilla chips and a shot glass of salsa. The tortilla chips were from a cellophane bag, and I swear unto the heavens that the salsa was original recipe Pace. This was disconcerting; my first bite into the sandwich was undertaken in a cursory and uninterested manner.

This was without a doubt the best panini I have ever had, sans any qualification. Blame my memory if you must, but the confection I had was a work of art, a culinary concerto of masterfully-prepared ingredients that played a tune my taste buds found to be heavenly. Not only were the individual ingredients prominent, but they also worked together to paint a picture on an echelon above what their individual selves could hope to achieve. The price may be steep, but then again food of this caliber is to be savoured infrequently anyway.

Sureshot

The sandwich I ordered arrived surprisingly quickly, and was hot to the touch. Served on a green and speckled black plate, the sandwich was a bit thinner than one may be expecting. What it lacked in thickness, it maked up with flavor. Consisting of just Italian meats, melted cheese and perfectly-crisped bread with uniform grill marks, the brutally honest twin triangles of panini did not fail to appease my taste buds.

Indeed, much of this place is more than what it may seem; according to the owners, the sandwich selection is limited as it is only because most other varieties would not be of the proper caliber to serve. Those who want a sandwich and a trippy atmosphere will feel right at home here.