A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

**8/10 It looks like Zaps is closed, a sign posted on the door says its closed for renovations but the website has been taken down and there have been reports that the phone is disconnected.

I saw this place on Chronicle and decided to try it out. I must admit that I probably have driven by this place many times and never noticed it. The shops and restaurants on Brighton Ave change often so I rarely pay them any mind. Zaps is a small store on Brighton Ave., right near the intersection of Harvard and Brighton. There are a few seats inside, but we got take out.

You may ask, what are zaps? The website says, “A “ZAP” (shorthand for “zapiekanka”) is a 16 inch open-faced sandwich of Polish origin. It is toasted to perfection in our custom made oven, which results in an irresistibly crunchy outside and a deliciously chewy inside. This combination is sure to blow your taste buds away. Try something new!”

Me, I’d say-think french bread pizza with a twist.

I was skeptical about this place. Fast food, cheap eats, in Allston…but was actually pleasantly surprised. Yes, they are cheap, you can get a combo for $7, but they were also quite tasty. I had the Hawaiian and was wondering how ham, cheese, pineapple and mushrooms were going to go together, but yum! You don’t even really taste the mushrooms (and you can order them without). The bread was really good, it was nice and crusty on the outside after it was run through a custom toaster (that is like the one at Quiznos). They said that they went to 40 bakeries before they found the right bread to use! The kicker for me is that when you get fast food, it’s usually people who are being paid minimum wage behind the counter who really would rather be somewhere else, the service at Zaps is great, the people there are really friendly.

Zaps

141 Brighton Avenue, in Allston, is open daily, 11:30 am–10 pm. Call 617.254.9277.

www.zapsboston.com

Tags: closed, restaurant