This month's restaurant review features Heart Healthy Sandwiches, on California Street near Smiths in the location formerly housing Subway Sandwiches. After the untimely demise of Subway, followed shortly thereafter by Sammy's Deli, Socorro was in dire need of a sandwich shop. You know, somewhere that you could get something other than enchiladas, refried beans, or a greasy burger smothered in red or green. Thankfully, Heart Healthy Sandwiches stepped in to fill those shoes.

The fare at Heart Healthy is largely similar to the typical chain sandwich shop like the Subway that it replaced. It differs in a couple of respects, however. First, you'll notice the purple decor. Yes, purple. Maybe not the most appetizing color, but then again I suppose the paint was on sale. Other than the color, the differences are in the more creatively named sandwiches, such as my favorite (in name) the Club Stevo. Maybe that has something to do with my first name, so perhaps I'm biased. The sandwich that really deserves mentioning is the chicken salad - it's a tasty concoction including dark purple - there's that color again - grapes. Delicious. All in all, the sandwiches here are wonderful. All sandwiches come with a (choice of) a bag of chips and a complementary pickle slice. Options include soup or salad, also.

The main complaint about this place is that the prices are slightly high, in particular for the smaller (6 inch) sandwiches. However, given the cost of a hospital stay for a clogged artery, I think it's money well spent. Moreover, for those penny pinching diners there is another option which I highly recommend: ordering with a friend and getting the large (12 inch) sandwich and splitting it. The large sandwich is typically on the order of only a dollar or so more than the small, so this option makes the entire meal much more cost effective. However, keep in mind that you'll also need to share the small bag of chips and the pickle. I suppose it won't work if your friend wants to order something odd that doesn't particularly tickle your taste buds. The only other complaint we've heard about Hearty Healthy Sandwiches is that they, like most fast food joints, tend to over-package things for "to go" orders. They typically wrap the entire sandwich in lots of butcher paper, followed with a pickle in a zip lock bag, and finally a large plastic grocery-type bag houses it all. For the environmentally conscious consumer, we recommend bringing your own bag, cloth or other.

Conclusion? I'd say in its genre (not fine dining, but "faster" food) it's one of the best in town. It's hands down better than any of the true fast food establishments and certainly a lot healthier. For the fast food genre, it rates 4 out of 5 stars. If you haven't already tried it, you won't regret it!