EDIBLE: Boardwalk Sub Shop realizes a dream for three brothers.

Observant types look at the stylish new Boardwalk Sub Shop sign and do a double take.

Not at the elephant, though that would make sense. No pachyderms adorn any food venues in the area. This one honors the bizarre Atlantic City lodge shaped like the world’s largest land mammal (which now hosts tours and a gift shop). Its name: Lucy the Elephant.

It’s not the fact that Lucy is standing on a very long sub sandwich either.

They stop at the words “Since 1960.” After all, Boardwalk Sub is not even officially open yet in the reborn spot at 470 Alvarado that used to be Maha’s Lebanese. (Reminder: soft opening means they are figuring things out, so patience, compassion and kind feedback are prereqs to visiting.)

Longtime local Terry Teplitzky has been around long enough to marvel how far Monterey County food has come. But in 1960 he was decades from American Culinary Federation Monterey chapter’s chef of the year honors. Or time as exec chef of the Sardine Factory in the ’80s, or long hours with David Beckwith of the original Rio Grill, when they started On the Park Bar & Grill (where Vesuvio resides). Or running Michael’s Catering, which has earned Weekly readers’ vote for best caterer in the county repeatedly.

In fact, the year 1960 came 42 years before he opened his landmark Marina eatery/commercial kitchen, Wild Thyme Deli & Cafe (884-2414), which celebrated 13 years in business this summer with its housemade soups and quiches, salads like the lemon mozzarella, egg-and-bacon, Asian chicken and spinach Cobbs, and stacked sandwiches like the Cuban, Texas smoked brisket and curried chicken.

But it was 1960 when Teplitzky discovered submarine sandwiches.

Super Sub Shop sat right across the street from his elementary school. He and his brothers ate there every day for lunch. They even had a charge account.

“People ask, ‘How can you say 1960?’ Teplitzky says. “Well, this was set in motion the first day I had a sub. I was 6.”

Fair enough. But vital momentum came more recently, when a closeknit family suddenly lost two of its members.

That family included four brothers who grew up in the Atlantic City hospitality business at Teplitzky’s Hotel and restaurant, now chic chic The Chelsea, with a diner-inspired restaurant/cocktail lounge still named Teplitzky’s.

When the brothers got home late from the restaurant, Terry says the decision on what to eat was most commonly, “Subs.”

And when the wider family got together, youngest brother J.T. testifies, “No matter what the occasion was, enjoying subs was at the center of the table.”

“We knew how to eat,” Terry says.

That didn’t change on visits home to Atlantic City. But something fundamental did, in 2014, when their mother and eldest brother died within a few months of each other. Terry, J.T. and Howard felt compelled to confront their shared dream with more urgency. That dream: opening a sub shop of their own.

J.T. was ready to try something new after years spent in some of the world’s biggest casinos running huge food-and-beverage operations. He’s been furiously testing recipes for things like calzones and hot subs for months. Howard makes regular visits and consults from SoCal.

The authenticity efforts go beyond the elephant and historic Jersey beach photos on the wall, including the tower-diving horse. It appears in the chopped hot cherry peppers brought in from East Coast sources (and a must on my orders). It’s present in the Jersey Italian, with Genoa salami, capicola, mortadella and provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions raw and/or fried. (Both is good.) It’s there with the Atlantic City, a version that’s evolved from Wild Thyme’s signature dish. It’s there in the melted provolone plus housemade “Cheez Wiz” for the Philly cheesesteak. But most importantly it’s in the hoagie bread. The Teplitskys have worked closely and at length with Erasmo Aiello of Palermo Bakery to get the taste and texture right, though they readily concede it’s not as soft and airy as Atlantic City breads. But they accept sacrifices to keep things local and appease California audiences.

“At first we said, ‘Let’s do it our way,’” Terry says. “We realized not everybody is used to things like the traditional ‘whole’ sandwich being 20 inches and $20.”

Smart and tasty touches are in place, including four beers, two wines and a range of craft sodas all on draft, with discounts for using reusable Boardwalk mugs. The long restaurant space looks great, with a reclaimed wood dining room, antique mirrors, overhead boardwalk-esque lights and a flat-out sparkling new kitchen.

“We wanted to make a statement in this spot since it’s turned over so many times,” Terry says.

His brother offers another explanation.

“Kitchen equipment, that’s Terry’s thing,” J.T. says. “For some people it’s cars. For him it’s ovens.”

A potato cutter will chop Kennebecs before they’re twice fried for styles ranging from Philly to duck-fat-plus-duck-confit. The crispy-creamy results speak for themselves. An immaculate Imperial flat-top griddle awaits onions, peppers, Italian beef and thin-sliced steak. “This is where the magic happens,” J.T. says.

The magic means Monterey no longer lacks the sandwich shop it’s been awaiting for a long time. These brothers know the feeling.

QUICKBITES

• Pupuseria Marleny’s officially opened in Oldtown Salinas Friday. More on the blog, www.mcweekly.com/edible.

• Big Sur Food & Wine 2015 is cancelled. But there’s good news, and a surprising video tribute, on the blog.

• The Democratic Women of Monterey County host the Annual Feast for Sustainable Change Sunday, Sept. 27 at Willow Farm in Corral de Tierra in Salinas, www.dw-mc.org, 901-3179.

• Hofsas House’s ($15, 624-2745) “Local’s Favorites Wine Fridays” benefits Peace of Mind Dog Rescue with Blair wines and small bites Friday, Sept. 18.

• Carmel Belle (624-1600) and Yulanda Santos’ latest Mabuhay Pop-up – 5pm on, cash only, no reservations, takeout available – does hand-smashed noodles, spicy lamb, yakitori, sesame balls, steamed pork buns and more Tuesday, Sept. 22 ($4-$14, carmelbelle.com).

• Monterey Regional Waste Management District (384-5313) demonstrates how to create and maintain a composting system 10-11:30am Saturday, Sept. 26 (free).mrwmd.org.

• Trio Carmel (250-7714) continues their Wine Seminar Series with a presentation/tasting on the history of wine with Patrick Hunt, Stanford lecturer, archaeologist and world traveler Friday, Oct. 9, but early-bird rate ($35) ends Sept. 18.

• Organic Heller Estate (659-6220) does a sculpture garden end-of-summer barbecue ($30-$35) 2-4pm Saturday, Sept. 19, with Good Time Catering slides (tri-tip, chicken and pulled pork), salad, fruit, desserts and, yes, lots of wine.

• Jacks Restaurant & Lounge in Portola Hotel earned a 2015 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Friday, Oct. 2, David Miner of Napa Valley’s Miner Family Winery drops by for a five-course wine dinner (649-2698, $85).

• American Red Cross’ 2015 Farm to Table Dinner (626-5255) happens at Carmel Valley Ranch with live jazz and a multi-course dinner with chefs Tim Wood andTodd Fisher and ends with a live auction 5:30-9pm Friday, Sept. 25 ($125). http://redcross.org/FarmtoTable.

• The one and only James Beard: “Too few people understand a really good sandwich.”