Editor’s Note:
Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”.
Food Quality: 5
Service: 4
Business Meeting: N/A
Value: 4
Overall Rating: 4.33 out of 5
There are certain people in your life you must have a trusting relationship with, and your hairstylist is one of them. So when I received a lunch recommendation during my last haircut, I knew I had to give Mosh Pit Eats a try.
It’s one of those places I’ve seen mentioned on social media but have never noticed when driving around town. Now, I know why. It’s tucked away in one of the most nondescript shopping centers in town off Old Evans Road behind Abilene Baptist Church, so if you aren’t looking for it, you probably won’t find it. And that’s actually a shame.
Mosh Pit Eats is the definition of a sandwich shop, with take-out service only. You can have a sandwich, wrap, or salad with the typical sides: chips, potato salad, or pasta salad. And the drinks are all from a can. I had another recommendation for pasta salad, which is not what I would usually choose over chips or even potato salad. Again, always trust your stylist, and if you can’t, get a new one.
I have dreams about this pasta salad. Most pasta salads look delicious at the onset but have a little something off with flavor or texture. Not today. The pasta was soft but not soggy. The cheese is perfectly prepared and ratioed. There was plenty of dressing, but it was not swimming, and they didn’t skimp on the olives and tomatoes. And just when I thought I’d had the full experience, there appeared several pieces of cured meat (I think pepperoni) which were a delightful surprise. Now, I know why they sell this stuff by the pound.
For the sandwich, I opted for Sister Rosetta Reuben. The marble rye was delicious and the pastrami was well portioned. They serve the sandwich with slaw instead of the traditional sauerkraut, which was tasty, but probably not my preference. My trusted hair and now sandwich advisor said she always eats the Cowboy from Hell, which features roast beef, jalapenos, and chipotle mayo. And it’s the reason she keeps going back.
All of the sandwiches are served cool or slightly warm, which leads us to the part of Mosh Pit Eats that seems different than most other local restaurants. I’m honestly not even sure they have a traditional kitchen in the back as much as it’s simply sandwich and salad assembly. Not that it diminishes the culinary experience, but it does explain why they offer a few less things than other sandwich stops.
So why is it called Mosh Pit Eats? Because if you walked in not expecting to eat, you’d think you’d have walked into a specialty heavy metal record store. The owners and staff (which I believe are the same) look the part and could have just as easily been dressed for a concert as for work. Plus, there is actual concert footage blasting from a television in the center of a wall decorated with rock memorabilia. Also, scattered along the wall are bags of specialty coffee and maybe even bread mixes.
But while this feels eclectic, it was exceptionally well done. The design was modern and all of the pieces fit into a nice experience, meaning that when you stepped beyond the doors of this pretty bland shopping center, you were transported to a world that seemed well beyond Augusta. And while you may not want to have a business meeting here, I’d definitely recommend it for a catered event or ordered conference room lunch.
All said and done, I am typically not a fan of such heavy music or limited cold sandwiches for lunch. However, Mosh Pit Eats may convert me. This was a delightful lunch experience that I will definitely have again, especially for the pasta salad. And a huge shout-out to Robyn at Trendz Salon who not only keeps me looking good but also eating good.
