We Tried Subway's New Wraps And One Is A Clear Winner
In the 1990s, wraps were the food craze that gave breaded sandwiches a run for their carbohydrates and sparked endless "it's a wrap" puns. Subway finally jumped into the fray in 1999, after the fad had largely started to fade. A quarter of a century later, Subway's menu includes quite a few wrap options, and the company is adding four new ones to join its Subway Series lineup: Turkey, Bacon & Avocado, Homestyle Chicken Salad, Honey Mustard Chicken, and Cali Caprese. To show it means serious business with its wraps, it's also replacing its tortilla and toasted artisan flatbreads with a premium lavash-style flatbread, allowing the wraps to be loaded with more ingredients and protein.
In a press release, Paul Fabre, Subway's senior vice president of culinary and innovation, noted, "We spent over a year creating signature recipes with unique ingredients that bring out the best in our new lavash-style flatbread, and also fuel you up without weighing you down." Although I live in New York, I didn't have to take the subway to Subway to try these four new wraps, as they arrived at my door for me to wrap my hands around (pun intended). Are these new entries surrounded in lavash worth throwing a party for, or are they awash with disappointment? This chew and review is based on taste, texture, originality, uniqueness, and overall lovability.
Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.
What does Subway's Turkey, Bacon & Avocado wrap taste like?
Joining turkey, bacon, and avocado in the Subway Series' eponymous new wrap are Monterey cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and Peppercorn Ranch sauce. All this adds up to the new wrap with highest calorie count, coming in at 820. The turkey is milky white and blends in so much with the lavash that it's almost hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.
The lavash wrap has the yeasty smell that Subway's bread options famously do, and if you can somehow bypass that aroma, maybe you can capture a hint of the shredded lettuce that is contained within. While I could see a bit of browned bacon peeking out, when I took a bite of this wrap, I wasn't even sure my taste buds captured any morsels of actual bacon. The turkey is nothing all that special, like a less sopping wet version of what you'd find in an Oscar Mayer package from the grocery store. While the smashed avocado does add some much-needed flavor to break up this bland affair, it ultimately can't save it.
Turkey, Bacon & Avocado is #40 on the Subway Series menu, and for a nice, round number like 40, this wrap deserves a more cohesive combination of flavors. Perhaps a smoked or honey-glazed turkey would have helped, or crisper and more present strips of bacon would have done the trick. Again, the avocado is an inspired add, but in a smashed state, it makes for a messy affair I'd rather not trifle with.
What does Subway's Homestyle Chicken Salad wrap taste like?
In Major League Baseball, the number 42 is retired across all teams to honor the legend of Jackie Robinson. In the Subway Series, it's bestowed upon the new 670-calorie Homestyle Chicken wrap, which is accompanied by lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.
While the chicken in this salad is a little too pulled and stringy for my liking, it still has a toothsome, salty flavor to it that does evoke a bit of a homey feel. It has just the right amount of mayonnaise to make it creamy, without being grossly overbearing. Since the chicken salad stands on its own rather nicely, the remaining veggies feel unnecessary. The tomato alone appears to take up a third of the wrap's interior, and its squelchy nature kind of defeats its purpose for adding crisp texture.
Like I said, the chicken salad itself needs no real improvement, although chunked chicken pieces would have turned it into absolute perfection. However, if texture toppings are a must, then Subway could have countered with chopped walnuts or even diced apples.
What does Subway's Honey Mustard Chicken wrap taste like?
The girthiest wrap of the four new ones is #45, Honey Mustard Chicken. At 650 calories, the rotisserie-style chicken is decked out with Monterey cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and, of course, a honey mustard dressing. Not only does its size scream "Eat me," but its smell of cheddar cheese with a touch of honey adds to its come-hither nature.
The chicken pieces here, like with Homestyle Chicken Salad, are not as thick as they perhaps should be, but that's the lone drawback with this wrap. This one is exploding with flavor, and the rich and winning honey mustard dressing leads the way. It has a sweet and tangy taste that ties everything together rather nicely, punching up the chicken and cheese a notch and even making the veggies feel like a welcome addition.
I'm actually surprised #45 didn't get an adjective in its name to further make it stand out on the menu. How appealing would "Totally Money Honey Mustard Chicken" sound to you?
What does Subway's Cali Caprese wrap taste like?
If you're a vegetarian stuck at a work function with a catered lunch, your only non-meat option on the sandwich platter tray would probably look a lot like Cali Caprese, which is #49 on the Subway Series menu. It doesn't even resemble something that Subway would typically sell. This one is made up of BelGioioso fresh mozzarella, smashed avocado, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, MVP Parmesan Vinaigrette, and Roasted Garlic Aioli and clocks in at 680 calories.
Out of these four new wraps, the Cali Caprese easily has the most alluring smell to it. With the avocado's green pairing up with the two sauces slathered inside, it almost comes off as having the essence of pesto. How I wish that was the actual taste, which would have been a great partner to the lovely and firm mozzarella here, but neither the vinaigrette nor the garlic aioli makes much of a dent. They taste like unseasoned, watered-down versions of a green goddess dressing. The avocado tries to help make up for what the sauces lack, but its mushiness distracts the eater's mouth and makes a mess of their fingers.
How to buy the four new wraps
Staring April 11, #40 Turkey, Bacon & Avocado, #42 Homestyle Chicken Salad, #45 Honey Mustard Chicken, and #49 Cali Caprese become permanent nationwide additions to the Subway Series menu. The lavash-based wraps come in a single size and can be customized to have ingredients added to or removed from the ones that come standard with an order. Extra costs may apply for additional toppings. Each wrap can be turned into a meal, which includes a choice of beverage and a bag of chips or a cookie. Price and availability may vary by location. Additional fees may apply for delivery and orders placed through third parties.
The wraps can be ordered by name or number in-store at the register, or the drive-thru where available. They can also be ordered in advance for pickup or delivery via the Subway app and through its website. Catering may also be an option — inquire with your local Subway about availability.
The final verdict
While I didn't taste-test the new lavash breading with the other wrap options on Subway's menu, four tries was enough to say it's an interesting new path for the company's wrapped offerings. It's flour-like dusty to the touch, with a vigorous saltiness that can dominate the wrap's taste, if its innards don't have a say in the matter. The lavash wrap has a more authentic bakery look to it than the standard tortilla it's replacing. I'd be very interested in seeing it rolled up with more Mediterranean fare like gyro meat, or even a Greek salad with generous bits of feta.
Out of the four new wraps, #45 Honey Mustard Chicken is easily #1 in my heart. The chicken salad found in Homestyle Chicken Salad proved to be a standout on its own, so think twice about its toppings — and don't think hard about leaving off the tomato, on this or any sandwich. Cali Caprese has promise but might not have eaters taking a page out of the Beach Boys' songbook by exclaiming, "I wish they could all be California"... wraps. Turkey, Bacon & Avocado is non-offensive but not something I'm ready to wrap my hands around anytime soon. And with that, my hungry friends, it's a wrap. Sorry, I couldn't resist — and you probably won't be able to resist Honey Mustard Chicken. Try it now!