The Deep Fried Twinky & Pastrami Shop

i am heartbroken
the sandwiches were so bomb
and so were the sweets
RIP

CLOSED after countless heart attacks, just kidding.
This shop was located in a Valero gas station & carwash. It was like a double treat, your car gets some oil and so can u too, in the form of deep fried food.
They also had regular sandwiches (never tried that), but the novelty was the deep fried food menu: deep fried Twinkies, Hostess CupCakes, Oreos, Chips Ahoy cookies, etc. they even had deep fried sandwiches, and worst of all a deep fried bacon wrapped hot dog. All the fried stuff was under $ 5, so the affordable prices added to the temptation. The fried bananas with nutella were good.

Top 3 Must Try Items:
–Al Capone Sandwich
–Deep Fried PB&J
–Deep Fried Hot Dog Wrapped In Bacon with all the toppings
My friend and I decided to pig out today and actually ordered the deep fried sampler, al capone sandwich and bacon wrapped hot dog to share between the two of us. It was definitely too much food but it was totally worth it. The Al Capone sandwich came with marinated rib eye which was extremely delicious and amazing. I totally forgot I was eating in a gas station and thought I was eating at some gourmet deli.
The deep fried sampler was a little too much since the batter made it pretty heavy and filling. The oreos were pretty good and so was the chocolate chip cookie but I could have passed on the cupcake, twinkies and deep fried bananas.
The chef was super nice and even brought out the food to us. There is a small area to sit inside while you devour your food. I am definitely going to be coming back.

I came here yesterday with my boyfriend for the first time. The shop itself was in an awkward spot… Inside a Valero gas station. WOT?! Anyways when we got inside we were talking to a middle age lady, I forgot to ask for her name, but she was very friendly and very helpful.
Skipping straight to the food.
My boyfriend & I shared a pb&j sandwich, fried twinkie, fried oreos and the philly cheesesteak.
My boyfriend loved the pb&j sandwich but I myself wasn’t a fan of it because the peanut butter was too watery for me. The fried twinkie was a dissappointment because I expected white cream filling to come out… My boyfriend told me to keep eating it till I get to the middle & I might get some white stuff but nooo! I didn’t. I wasted useless calories from eating that. :-(the fried oreos are actually my personal favorite. It was cripsy on the outside & very soft & delicious in the inside. As for the philly cheesesteak, it was pretty good. It has grilled onions, cheese & ribeye meat. The meat was very soft & tender. The downfall was that it was VERY small. I’ve had philly cheesesteaks before & this was like a regular sandwich to me.
Would I ever go back to this place again? Probably not. My boyfriend told me that he would, so that means I would have to go too. But if it was just myself alone. I don’t think so, Tim.

I don’t know what deep fried twinkies and pastrami have in common,
and
I don’t know why this little café is inside a gas station mini-​mart
and
I don’t know why I was so excited to try this place. But let me tell ya – if you want to get a gut like mine, then this place is just for you!
The Deep Fried Twinkie and Pastrami Shop is located inside a mini-​mart inside a Valero Gas station. As strange as this sounds, a little eating area inside the shop with tables and chairs are also available so you can sit your fat ass down while you practice your gluttony.
We ordered: Deep fried twinkie (yes just one), deep fried oreos, deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a deep fried bacon wrapped hot dog.
Before you shake your head in disgust, let me tell you that I just SAMPLED those items. In no way did I eat these in its entirety (I would have if I was alone).
Deep Fried Twinkie: Always wanted to try this. As expected, the twinkie was covered in a crispy batter. As I bit in, I was disappointed to not see any of that cream that comes in regular twinkies. I think it melted into the twinkie itself. Or maybe went into twinkie heaven. Either way, the twinkie was much sweeter than normal. I couldn’t eat more than one bite, but it was worth a try.
Deep Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly: Another item I’ve always wanted to try. I first saw this on Dinner Impossible when Robert wanted to make PB&J donuts (same concept). I even tried making these at home once. These little delights were deep fried and covered in powdered sugar. I took a bite and I was completely overwhelmed by the peanut butter. It was just too rich for me, and this is coming from a PB enthusiast. Poor jelly was overshadowed by PB. Crispy exterior, but extremely rich interior.
Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog: It wasn’t even deep fried! I claim false advertising. It was good though.
Deep Fried Oreos: My favorite of the deep fried bunch. Nice crispy outside. The oreo itself was soft and a little gooey. The chocolate cookie with the cream in the middle were great together.
Yes I found it pretty awkward eating inside a pseudo liquor store. We saw a jubilant patron buying a 24 oz’er to celebrate his daughter’s new baby. Kinda weird setting.
I suggest you try it if its close by to you, otherwise, not really worth it for the sheer novelty of circus food.
3 deep fried stars.

THE DEEP FRIED TWINKIE & PASTRAMI SHOP
Yes, you read that right! Deep Fried Twinkies!!! This delicious glob of death food is absolutely delicious. Will it kill you? Hell yeah, it will, but what a way to go!!! After dinner last night, we decided to give this tasty morsel a try, so we drove to Valero Gas Station in Fremont, where the «pastrami shop» is located inside.
Displayed prominently over the food shop is the ad that they sell Deep Fried Twinkies and Oreos inside. Time to try it out and clog our arteries in the name of curiosity and experimentation ^)^
Apparently, the «shop» didn’t just make deep fried twinkies, but other things as well… so we decided to order the Deep Fried Sweet Sampler, which consisted of: 1 Twinkie, 1 Hostess Cupcake, 2 Oreos, 2 bananas, 2 chocolate chips, & 1 peanut butter & jelly sandwich!!! Purely death by deep frying!!!
The Twinkie was good, the cupcake was moist on the inside, the banana with hazelnut spread was awesome, the Oreos not too bad, but the PB&J sandwich — YUMMY!!! We bought a gallon of milk to wash all the grease down!
Try it once, but don’t make it a habit! It’s amazing what you can deep fry nowadays, what with the popular Deep Frying Contests they always hold at State Fairs… here’s to one day trying Deep Fried Cotton Candy with a fluffy interior ^)^

SOOOO bad, but OH so good! Deep Fried Twinkies, Oreos, Cupcakes, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Bananas, PB & J, Ham & Cheese & Egg… I think you get the picture. Not only do they have deep fried food, they have a long list of hot & cold sandwiches (2 foot monster sub) and fries. If that’s not enough fat for you, you can opt for the deep fried bacon (yes, you read that right) wrapped hot dog with onions, bell peppers, pickles, tomatoes, and hot or sweet peppers. Umm… yea. I think I need to run a full marathon in order to burn off all the calories I consumed today.
The Deep Fried Twinkie & Pastrami Shop is inside the Valero Gas Station convenience store. There are a few tables inside and outside to enjoy your fat/​cholesterol bomb. The owner is really nice and took the time to go over the menu and top sellers (PB & J and the double dipped pastrami sandwich). He even came over to our table to check on us.
My friends and I ordered a few (ya, right) things to try:
— Deep Fried PB & J
— Deep Fried Ham, Egg, and Cheese
— Deep Fried Turkey and Cheese
— Deep Fried Bananas
— Deep Fried Twinkie
— Do you notice a pattern here?
The PB & J was by far the best item we ordered. I don’t even like PB & J sandwiches… apparently, foods that I don’t like are magically tasty after deep frying. Maybe I should try deep frying some peas, carrots, tripe, and chicken feet. Haha! Honestly, you can’t really finish more than half of a ham/​turkey and cheese sandwich if you get some fried sweet foods too… but if you order the PB & J, you won’t have a problem polishing off that gooey goodness. I love me some deep fried PB & J.
My ham, egg, and cheese sandwich was delicious, but I recommend ordering it with just one slice of cheese… the two slices were a bit much. The bananas were so yummy, it tasted like he dipped it in Nutella after he fried them. Strangely enough, we didn’t care for the hyped-​up twinkie.
The Deep Fried Twinkie & Pastrami Shop is definitely a place you have to go at least once. I have to give this shop 3 ½ stars. I don’t hand out 4 or 5 stars to many restaurants… but for the yummy food and reasonable prices, it’s worth a try. It’s a place you might go once a year… unless you are trying hard to pack on some serious poundage.

If you know me, you’d know I was already going to give 5 stars based on the name of the restaurant alone.
Came here to try out the deep fried PB&J, but after a soft sell by the owner’s wife and two daughters, I ended up getting a dipped pastrami sandwich as well. Yeah, yeah, I know I’m supposed to be on a diet. But it’s Christmas week AND the lady tried to tell me that their deep fried sugar loads are «healthier» because it’s in soy oil, so I ordered with no shame.
PB&J was crispy, creamy, and gooey. (Waiting here for Scott L. to tell me I’ve made yet another highly innuendo-​ed food review.) I’d say pure perfection even without being offered chocolate syrup on top. The pastrami sandwich was HUGE and tasty; not as good as The Refuge’s, but about half the price so it’s still a win.
What really pushes this over the top is the customer service. Seriously, these are the friendliest people in the world. I wasn’t seeking conversation (who does inside a gas station?) but they got me talking and gabbing with their warm personalities. They were so good, I didn’t even mind when one of the daughters straight out hustled me to drop a buck in the tip jar!
I would have never guessed that I’d be visiting a Valero gas station to get my lunch fix… now that I’ve gone, I’m sure it won’t be my last time!

My heart is STILL working on overtime after lunch here, it’s definitely an OCCASIONAL treat.
I tried to temper things with the pastrami sandwich, $ 5.99, perfectly fluffy bread, a touch of mustard and loads of salty meat.
The Sweet Sampler plate, $ 9.99 was RIDICULOUS, OMG, this is what got me reeling:
–2 bananas
–2 oreos
–½ PBJ, we got TWO, the lady gave us a complimentary ½
–1 twinkie
–2 choco chip cookies
–a cupcake
I’m not a HUGE fan of the PBJ, but I LOVED the fried Oreos and the bananas were good also. Didn’t even touch the rest. My cousin had the Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog, $ 4.99, she loved it. My conclusion: order the salty stuff and go light on the sweets-​the batter is thick and heinous. I could probably eat MORE if it was PANKO breading.
This food WILL put you into a complete food coma, proceed with caution. Oh it’s a hole in a VALERO gas station, yes, I got lost.

Ugh. I hate this place. Let me clarify — I hate that I love this place. That I’m drawn to it. That it hurts so good… so good. (sigh)
Before I run down the list of items we ordered, remember to keep an open mind. If you’re reading this review, you’re already intrigued. Just give in… As we walked through the doors and to the back, a rush came over me. The same rush that occurs when you’re doing something you know you shouldn’t be doing. Something sinfully good…
We ordered the following:
Deep Fried Twinkies
Deep Fried Oreos — very creamy and mushy and chocolate goodness
Deep Fried PB&J — I know, I know, what the frack?! But, really, the sweetness combined with the crunchy exterior — mmm, just explodes in your mouth.
Pastrami Dip — oh my goodness. oh. my. goodness. We watched this sandwich in the making. It started with a pile of meat on the grill. No, I’m not kidding. A Pile. Of Meat. Very simply placed on a roll with mustard and pickles. For $ 5.99 it’s a great value. While we were there, someone commented that they should make the pastrami dip into a combo meal. I second that!
All in all, I ate the following: ½ PB&J, 2 Oreos, and ½ Pastrami Dip. Also on the menu are a variety of sandwiches and other deep fried goodies including: ham & cheese, turkey & cheese, and banana. An item that caught our eye to try for next time: Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog. Whoa. I was immediately reminded of the «death dog», as we affectionately called it, which is an iconic hot dog found on many a street cart on the way to the LA Coliseum. A hot dog wrapped with bacon then grilled, served with onions and peppers. At least that one had vegetables on it. Heh.
There is a seating area in the back and also outside. The food actually fares pretty well travelling (from Fremont to Hayward) and as leftovers (they were still yummy 5 hours later). The staff manning the grill and fryer were personable. The prices aren’t bad and there’s even a Deep Fried Sampler if you’re feeling ambitious. They have been known to run out of supplies, so get ‘em while you can!
I can’t fully give this place 5 stars because it wasn’t as crunchy as I would’ve liked and it was also a little bit greasier. Just because it’s fried doesn’t mean it has to be greasy. They are not synonymous. I’ve actually been lucky enough to try deep fried sweets from other establishments, so I can make a valid comparison here.
But in the end??? Oh yeah, I’m definitely coming back. Probably after I cleanse my system from this latest trip. ;-)

Since Costco has crappy hours and its not as close, I go to this Valero for gas. And I discovered the Deep Fried Twinkie and Pastrami Shop!
Artery clogging GOODNESS! I love it. Fried twinkies have chocolate drizzled on top, and the pastrami sandwiches do hit the spot. All this just while stopping to fill up. Gotta love it!
The lady who works here was very sweet. so nice and service was quick!
By the way I utilize the car wash here as well fairly often. No complaints.

Love the staff here… didn’t have any cash on me at the Fremont Arts and Wine Festival and when I saw their stand, I just stopped by to say «You guys are looking well!» and well it led to me getting a Pastrami and bottle of water. Well I said I would pay for it at the shop and when I tried a few days later, they said «Don’t worry about it.» Like repeatedly! I was like I’m tryin to give you more money! Lol they weren’t having it… so big tip for them next around for being so cool.
Still love the sandwiches and hot dogs… mmmm… wet… mouth… drool… ok… but still don’t love the deep fried sweets except for the fried pb & j… sooo goood!

Twinkies? Awesome
Oreos? Awesome
Cupcakes? Awesome
PB&J? Awesome
Deep Fried? Awesome
This Review? Awesome!
P. S. — You can get gas, Super Lotto, and Red-​Bull here too.

9−1−1
(dialing)
Dispatcher: «Fremont’s Emergency Dispatcher… is this an emergency?»
Matt-«Hi, Happy 4^th of July and how are you?»
D-«Do you need any medical assistance?»
M-«Well, I just spent $ 3.00 on a pair of Fried Twinkies and my artery is so clogged that I can’t breath thus not being able to move at all!»
D-«Do you have any description of the narcotic-​substance?»
M– «The Twinkies are battered up and put in a fryer to a powerful crisp, plus topped with powdered sugar and a fat drizzle of chocolate sauce. Can you please send paramedics over here, immediately?»

D– «Where are you?»
M– «I’m at the dining area inside the Valero gas-​station on Mowry and Fremont Ave.»
D– «That sounds good and paramedics are on the way!»
M– «Also bring cash and ask for Frank. He’ll treat the public safetys right!»
Paramedics checked on me and suggested, «You are very lucky to survive the ordeal. Don’t come here and eat the fried food again!»
«But I need to come back and check out the hot and cold sandwiches and Fried PB and J and Fried Bananas.
Eventhough Fremont’s paramedics saved me from getting sick or dying, screw them and I’m still coming back and check out more food.

This place is in the cuts in a Valero Gas Station. A little Gem brought up by some cool, down to earth folks from the east coast.
I think the service was Five stars alone. Adding the food, definitely Ten stars.
I had the Deep Fried ham and cheese sandwich and the Deep Fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I know it sounds crazy being Deep Fried and all but its definitely a MUST TRY.
The ham and cheese was out of this world. hot deli cut ham and gooey melted cheese in between a nice coat of fried batter. I should of added a fried egg like the guy recommended but it was crazy enough being deep fried. it goes real well with the white pepper.
The deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich was out of this universe. The goober gone wild. This is one of the best things Ive ever tasted. Warm peanut butter, gooey warm jelly, two pieces of bread with a nice coat of fried batter and powdered sugar on top. Cant beat that!
I also tasted the Al Capone. This is one mean dipped sandwich. Chicago style beef with spicy italian peppers. Real tender and Real good.
I didnt try anything else, cause i was super duper full.
Basically, this place is the real deal hollyfield. They fry up almost everything and they have a whole lot of other things on the menu.
Just to list a few — 2 foot monster sub, gravy fries, and the deep fried bacon wrapped hot dog.
its like one of those joints from the food channel.
tip for the owners: you guys should fry up a peanut butter and jelly bagel and name it after me. that sounds delicious, i might have to mention it to you guys next time im visiting.

Hell yeah it was worth the drive from the peninsula for some deep fried twinkie goodness! We were able to fill up the tank with gas as well since the shop is inside of a Valero gas station.
The twinkie shop also deep fries oreos, pb&j’s, cupcakes, ham and cheese sandwiches, amongst other things. They have a sampler for $ 10 so you can taste all the greasy goodness.
Hell, the owner even said they can deep fry anything you want from the convenient store portion of their (ahem) restaurant. I see a deep fried twix in my future, however I think a deep fried Whopper from the Burger King down the street would be incredible.
They close at 9pm and will be featured on CBS «Eye on the Bay — Specialty Shops» that will air June 23^rd.
They do oil changes here at the Valero station as well and I can confirm they don’t deep fry twinkies in recycled motor oil. It’s perfectly safe, just ask your cardiologist.

I was planning on just giving this the average 3 that I do so often but… I can’t. And you know why? Because I have had deep fried sweets and savories at fairs before and the food here doesn’t feel nearly as heavy. True, it is dunked and fried in oil but the items come out oil-​less. They sprinkle the Twinkies with powdered sugar and drizzle chocolate syrup over it which I could honestly do without. It’s just a little too much extra. As for the deep fried Oreos (4 for $ 2), the chocolate part transforms into a cake texture which is so lovely! I thought the white cream middle would be too much but it kind of dissipates a little so you end up focusing more on the chocolate cake. Between three people, two Twinkies and four Oreos was more than enough for our arteries.
I still think this is one of the most random locations ever. It’s in a gas station mart. I have seen sandwich shops in them but I think because this is more of a local gas station rather than a road stop, it’s kind of weird. Also it is cramped in the store but there is a corner with some seating and a TV with sports playing. You order your food at the counter and then you pay at the cashier, the same cashier where you pay for your gas. Next thing to try: deep fried Hostess cupcake!
**UPDATED:
I got to try two sandwiches, the Al Capone and the Pastrami (double dipped). For a gas station shop and at $ 5.99 a piece, these were good sandwiches for a good deal. BUT for both, the bread was incredibly soggy. I don’t know if it’s because they wrap the sandwich in paper while it’s still piping hot resulting in a lot of moisture lock or if it’s for some other reason. It does get unpleasant.
The staff remain quite friendly. While we were eating there, two people came up two times each to ask how we were doing and if we were enjoying the food.

Jonathan K’s advice is spot on — if you are sensitive to Olestra or other such non-​Trans fat and fat-​binding oils only eat one fried item per visit. The pro’s of this is that this kind of oil is FANTASTIC for your heart as not only is it free of the bad fat but it will bind with some of the bad stuff clogging your arteries and your stomach.
The problem with this is you will number two like you’ve never number two’ed in your life. It shouldn’t hurt coming out but boy does it come out! The same goes for eating too many fat-​free/​sugar-​free chocolates and chips which use similar oils.
That being said in small amounts (the typical portion size of a small dessert) it is fine and actually good for you unlike the 99% of other fried stuffs our there. There are grilled sandwiches and whatnot one can have as the main that do not contain those oils. I personally recommend the Al Capone and the «grilled» version of the Bacon Dog which were both excellent. You must specify you want the grilled version of they will batter and fry the poor dog and that is NOT a good thing for any dog, and a waste for a dog of this quality (100% beef).
Unfortunately I did not follow my own advice and had the runs. Fortunately for you I DID try the sampler dessert thingy with my hubbie. I’ve decided I am also not a Twinkie or Hostess cupcake fan, although the batter and frying did improve the texture as noted by my husband making them taste «almost» fresh. The chocolate chip cookies and oreos I liked, but the PBJ and the Banana were YUMMERS!
Service was excellent and funnily enough similar to service in restaurants in South Africa, LATAM, and southern US where restaurants in garage shops and gas stations are common. Did I mention my hubbie is from South Africa?

Oh boy…
In my long and exhausting search for a bacon wrapped hot dog in Northern California, my travels have led me to the Valero gas station in the Fremont Hub. The little eatery is located smack dab in the back as you walk through the double doors. You can’t miss it.
When I passed through, there were two women working in the back and they were very friendly and patient as I eyeballed their menu. Yes my good friends, everything you buy can be deep fried. They recommended the fried twinkies, oreos, and the pb&j as their favorite deep fried entrees. Alas, I was here on another mission. A mission that is wrapped with bacon!
So I put in my order and wait patiently as they figure out what to do. I notice on the sign that I had the option between deep fried or grilled. Since I wasn’t asked, I didn’t specify. Therefore a deep fried bacon dog was in the works. They don’t actually make the hot dog and deep fry it in its entirety… instead they deep fry the bacon first, then deep fry the hot dog, wrap the bacon around the hot dog, and then deep fry it again.
Let’s say that all of that deep frying is completely unnecessary. Deep fried bacon is completely bogus, especially when it’s fried in vegetable oil or whatever they are using. The hot dog itself was alright. I could feel the heartburn as I was eating it, yikes.
Also I think I was reminiscing for a bacon dog, the likes of which you find grilled illegally on the streets of LA, topped with copious amounts of mayonnaise, ketchup, grilled onions, and peppers. Not quite what I was hoping for, a little excessive on the deep frying, and didn’t satisfy my craving. I’m a little disappointed, but what can I do? I guess they deep fried other things better here, I’m not sure if I’m willing to put my health at risk to find out.

I haven’t tried it yet, but I read Jonathan K’s review and since I was nearby decided to stop in. It Really exists — Inside the Valero Gas Station on the Corner of Mowry Ave & Fremont Blvd.
I didn’t ask what kind of oil they use. Next time I can ask. I asked where the meat came from, the lady only said a local source but didn’t say where.
You don’t have to go to the Fair for this kinda food anymore, u can have it whenever u want!
Hrs: 9 – 9 daily
Menu here:
Hot sandwiches — all $ 5.99
beef double dipped
pastrami double dipped
cheese steak
grilled turkey
ham & cheese
mini burger sliders 3per order $ 4
Cold sandwiches — all $ 4.99
turkey sub
roast beef
ham & chese
All sandwiches have the choice of: provolone, swiss or American yellow cheese.
Ea. sandwich comes w/​the option of: mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, hot peppers
Deep fried:
Twinkies $ 2 or 2 for $ 3
Oreos 4 per order $ 2
PB&J $ 2.99 — banana available upon request — Elvis favorite
ham & cheese $ 3.99
turkey & cheese $ 3.99
French fries (warning: Large order!)
reg. fries $ 2.49
garlic fries $ 4.5
chili cheese fries $ 4.5
gravy fries $ 4.5
Some tables/​chairs inside on the Right.
Valero gas station
The Deep Fried Twinkie & Pastrami Shop
4004 Mowry Ave
Fremont, CA