Photos by Molly Bilker
Grade: B+
“I’ll have the pastrami sandwich,” I said. And that is exactly what I got – a humorously large pile of pastrami heaved between slices of my choice of bread: in this case, sourdough.
The pastrami had so much flavor it distracted from and overpowered everything on my plate. I could not enjoy my perfectly fried French fries. In vain, I tried to wash the powerful flavor down with my fountain drink. Not even a well-textured pickle could add balance to the $9 pastrami-with-stale-bread catastrophe on my plate.
To make matters worse, there is no host or hostess, no table service and an unhomely feel emanates from teal-painted walls. Pastrami dominates an apparently sparse selection of menu items.
But something about the Downtown Deli had me coming back.
On my second visit, I was again tempted into purchasing a large slab of pastrami. Only this time, I selected one of their specials – the New Yorker. This time, my pastrami was accompanied by a helping of sweet coleslaw, spread evenly on a dense Kaiser roll. The difference was like night and day, both in immediate appeal and long-term balance of the plate. Instantly, the pastrami was mellowed by the coleslaw, and the true potential of the Downtown Deli came shining through: flaky fries, a crunchy pickle, the dense yet airy texture of the Kaiser roll. I could enjoy it all.
Despite the apparently sparsely populated menu, a gander across the plates of other guests reveals a surprising amount of variety. Bread options include onion rolls, Kaiser rolls, French, marble rye, rye, wheat and sourdough. Side options include coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, or a kosher dill pickle, all in addition to fries.
The patio view from Central Avenue and Monroe is not spectacular, but is definitely superior to indoor seating on a comfortable day. The sidewalk bustles with Phoenician foot traffic. Some may find Central Avenue’s traffic and the light rail, which runs directly in front of the Deli, to be an annoyance; I find it to be nostalgic. Of course, the city experience would not be complete without a transient asking for change, but it all adds to the moment. You can really feel Phoenix from the Downtown Deli — something no other restaurant has allowed me to do.
As with their other sandwiches, the Downtown Deli’s chicken sandwich was accompanied by a helping of fries and a pickle. The chicken was a little dry and a little stringy and definitely would not make for a good standalone meal, but between two slices of bread, and topped with red onions and lettuce, it made an excellent sandwich.
One of the Downtown Deli’s daily specials is the turkey panini. By far the best deal — $6.99 for the sandwich, an extra-large amount of fries, and a drink — it is delicious and balanced. The turkey was moist and flavorful. I could not quite put my finger on the sauce they had on the panini, and it was not listed on the menu. Whatever it was, it was magical. The only downside was the tomatoes, which were applied sparingly and a little pasty in texture. I found myself full three-quarters of the way through the sandwich but my palate was so pleased I finished every crumb anyway.
The chicken soup was rather unremarkable and seemed like it could have been from a can if not for the slices of chicken that were cut into long strips and textured identically to the chicken in the formerly mentioned sandwich.
With few exceptions, all meals will wind up costing between $9 – $10.
The Downtown Deli is located on Central Avenue between Monroe and Adams streets.
Contact the critic at cameron.robello@asu.edu
