Five years ago, pressed-for-time people had two choices if they wanted a quick lunch: drop by McDonald's or KFC, or brown-bag it. But with a growing number of Czechs spending less time at leisurely lunches and more time in the conference room, fast-food outlets are popping up like dandelions. Small, friendly Fuzion, off Wenceslas Square, joins a growing list of sandwich shops that includes Subway, Express (a blatant copy of Subway), Paneria and Boulevard, among others.

With its floor-to-ceiling windows and central location, Fuzion may be one of the best places to people-watch in Prague — that is, if anyone has the time. Most of Fuzion's customers whisk in and whisk right out, picking up decently priced panini, baguette sandwiches and salads to go. Anticipating this need for speed, the shop features two counters to order food, coffee and smoothies, and a large refrigerator in the back stuffed with prepacked items.

The sandwiches at Fuzion are well-made, cheap and fairly generous on the ingredients, wrapped in fresh breads and accented with tasty spreads. There's not a wilted piece of lettuce to be found; everything is made on-site by Fuzion's own staff.

We walked in with no intention of hanging around (like everybody else, we have work to do) and ended up picking up three sandwiches, one wrap and a smoothie. A small gaggle of French tourists had already gathered by the cooler, debating the finer points of BLTs versus cheese baguettes, so it took a little longer to pay up and move out. Nonetheless, we were in and out within five minutes. The strawberry smoothie, strictly an impulse buy, took an extra three.

The Mexican chicken wrap (60 Kč/$2.60 eat in, 65 Kč to go), stuffed with tender, chunky chicken and a mildly spicy dressing of peppers and tomatoes, proved a good choice for a solid south-of-the-border taste without the heartburn. Also delivering was the BLT (55/65 Kč), brimming with bacon and of course, mayo, mixed with farm-fresh veggies.

The chicken salad sandwich (55/65 Kč), bursting with fresh chicken and tomato chunks, likewise received high marks, thanks to a creamy-smooth garlic sauce and healthy dose of tart, red onions. The vegetarian baguette (50/60 Kč), meanwhile, is a strong blend of chili cucumber, ripe red tomatoes, tangy peppers and a light dressing. Both are great choices for a sandwich that hits the spot. But make no mistake, it's the bread that makes these sandwiches, and the baguettes are as crispy as anything you'd find in a French bakery.

The smoothie, priced at just 39 Kč for take-away, was, unfortunately, average. Though we saw the blender preparation with our own eyes, what we received was an anemic version of what a real smoothie tastes like. Too many tiny ice chunks made us wonder why it was even called a smoothie, not to mention the lamentable lack of thickness. A true smoothie is, well, smoother, more full-bodied and boldly sweeter than those at Fuzion.