Working at a university, I have a ringside seat for observing the eating habits of college students. They aren't good.

Of course, pizza reigns supreme, but the sandwich is a close second. I'm not talking about artful sandwiches sprinkled with field greens on whole-grain bread, but thick, slablike sandwiches packed with meats, cheeses and the occasional unthreatening vegetable.

For that, look no further than Snarf's.

Perfectly situated on a youth-heavy stretch of the Delmar Loop, Snarf's has a friendly staff with the relaxed, tattooed vibe you might find in Boulder, Colo., where the small chain originated. Snarf's is cooler than a sandwich shop should be but somehow just right, taking full advantage of original details like intricate pressed-tin ceilings and sharpening the dècor with bright colors, mismatched furniture and exposed ductwork.

Snarf's is best known for its toasted sandwiches, offered in lengths from the 5-inch "novice" to the 12-inch "pro" and made with crisped sub-style bread with a relatively tender texture.

Choose the Italian ($5.25, 5 inches) and enjoy a mother lode of zingy pepperoni layered with milder capicola, salami, mortadella and provolone under a fiery blanket of house-made giardiniera. The Cheese-Mushroom ($5.25, 5 inches) is packed with fresh, hot, flavorful mushrooms bound with Swiss, American and provolone cheese. It might have been quite enjoyable had the mushroom juices merely dampened and not soaked the bread.

The horrible, awful truth is that my favorite sandwich at Snarf's, the Hot Dog, Cheese, and Bacon ($5.25), was the worst for me or anyone, but it would soak up a student's night of beer drinking like no one's business. Think a large beef hot dog splayed on a bread bed, smothered in melted American cheese and layered with salty bacon.

It's everything wrong about how kids these days eat, but I loved it anyway. I guess I'm not as grown up as I thought.

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Snarf's Sandwich Shop

Where 6301 Delmar Boulevard • More info 314-725-4800; eatsnarfs.com • Hours 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 11 a.m.-midnight Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday