Each Tuesday The Register reviews an area restaurant, with an emphasis on establishments where a couple can dine for $30 or less.  Reader suggestions are welcomed.

This week the Fork dines at Wal-Mart.

Until a year or two ago, this would have meant eating at a cafeteria run by the world’s biggest retailer. But not today.

Wal-Mart has farmed out its food operation to Subway, the international sandwich and salad company with the most food outlets in Napa (five).

Tucked between the checkout and the pharmacy, this Subway is a real Subway in the same way that a Starbucks inserted into a Safeway or Target is a real Starbucks, although with atmospheric differences.

While chowing down, a diner will hear Wal-Mart’s PA system announce “Attention, associates” or “Dawn, please meet Cathy at Subway.”

The Fork was not bothered. The Fork considered these announcements more entertaining than a satellite radio station playing light rock.

We strolled from Wal-Mart’s main shopping aisle into Subway just before the noon hour. Several people were eating, but otherwise the place was deserted.

Peeking over the counter, we found a server in a state of suspended animation. She was resting in place, it turned out, until we decided what we wanted to order.

Subway has hot and cold sandwiches, salads, small pizzas and a selection of wraps. Because all the rolls are made on site, the bread is very fresh. The bread is also distinctively soft, not crusty.

It’s hard to spend more than $5 for a meal. The most basic deli-style sandwiches are $3.19. Hot sandwiches, including steak and cheese and chicken parmesan, come in just under $5. The six-inch meatball marinara is only $4.19.

We choose one of the classic subs, a BLT, for $4.19, and a roasted turkey sub for $4.29. We could have made either one a “foot-long” for $2 extra.

Our counter gal sprang into action once we said we knew what we wanted. She prompted us to choose from four or five different rolls,  toasted or not toasted, and ran through the many condiment choices.

We were making decisions so fast it was dizzying. Later, I realized I should have given some of my choices greater consideration.

I had chosen my turkey sandwich from under the menu heading, “6 grams of fat or less,” thinking this would be a good opportunity to see what healthy tastes like.

But in order for my turkey sandwich to have the listed 4.5 grams of fat and 280 calories, I needed to say no to much of what the server offered me. No to the mayo, no to the cheese.

Instead, I said yes. The fat and calorie totals undoubtedly soared.

My sandwich was a good one. Ultra fresh, with a nice balance between the meat and mozzarella and the crispy toppings. I had no regret going with the mayo and cheese.

The BLT was a variation on a classic. Toasting had melted the cheddar and revived the bacon slices. The crisped whole wheat bun added substantial flavor.

Our server had persuaded us to upgrade our basic sandwiches into “fresh value meals” for an extra $1.80 each. This meant getting drinks and a choice of chips, two cookies, raisins or apple slices.

In the spirit of healthy, I chose the Chiquita Fruit Bites, a tightly sealed bag of red and green apple slices that had been treated with ascorbic acid to stay fresh for some weeks.

This treatment slightly altered the taste, but they were crisp and otherwise a solid choice of just 35 calories.

My companion chose the chocolate chip cookies, which were reasonably loaded with chips and baked somewhere between soft and crisp. As for calories, we didn’t ask.

By the end of our lunch, the Subway at Wal-Mart was filling up. Many shoppers wheeled in their shopping carts and parked them next to their tables.

The Subway had a typical Subway decor on three of its four walls, with silk plants, seductive food photos and tasteful colors. The fourth “wall” was our panoramic view into the aisles of Wal-Mart, with tall stacks of air freshener and cleansers close by.

The Subway was reasonably clean, although the stainless steel along the food line showed more smudges than a restaurant just opening for the day ought to.

The Wal-Mart Subway, located at 710 Lincoln Ave., has the longest hours of any Subway in town: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Readers with tips about interesting places to eat should e-mail diningout@napanews.com