Is there a decent deli ANYWHERE in downtown Seattle?

[LisaM]

I work in the business core (near Benaroya). I wanted a New York kind of sandwich, a Reuben or something with coleslaw. I started at Mel's - no hot sandwiches today. Melange has what they call a Reuben, but it's got weird, non-Reuben things added. I finally ended up with the most horrible excuse for a Reuben I've ever seen. It was triangle shaped, it was on panini bread (if I'd known it would be, I wouldn't have ordered it, it just said Reuben), it was wet, there was hardly any sauerkraut, meat, or cheese on it, and it the cheese wasn't melted!

GIVE ME A BREAK.

Is there anyplace decent in mid-downtown (Pioneer Square is too far most days) to get a good deli sandwich and some coleslaw?

[Mojambo]

1. You're on the west coast. Quit fighting it and just get sushi like everyone else!

:P

Sorry, I'm not really a downtowner. I'm sure someone will come along with a suggestion.

[LisaM]

2. LOL. I'm allergic to seafood

So sushi is kind of a problem (even if it's not seafood, there is often cross contamination - I've gotten seafood poisoning more than once that way).

[Mojambo]

3. I have to admit, I've lived here my whole life. I've had sushi once.

It's just not my thing.

I do like-a the shellfish though.

[The empressof all]

4. Sorry... No NY Deli's in Puget Sound Area that I know of

Brenner Brothers in Bellevue was the closest I could ever find but it's closed now. You can buy their Rye Bread at Central Market but it is only a mere suggestion of NY Rye. When I have a craving I'll buy the Bread and let it sit out for a few hours on the counter to have the crust dry out a bit. Boars Head cold cuts are excellent and Central Market will slice them very thin for you. (That's one of the big secrets to a real sandwich IMO)

Bubbies Pickles in the cold section of QFC is a decent Kosher Pickle. Try them..you won't be disappointed.

I heard tell there was a fairly good "deli" in Old Bellevue on Main Street but I've not vetted them so I'm skeptical.

If you are ever craving a knish I have an easy "faux" knish recipe that is really good.

[flamingyouth]

8. The place on Main in Bellevue is called Gilbert's

Having never eaten real deli food on the East Coast, I can't compare it, but it's decent enough. My biggest complaint was that the portions were gigantic and it was expensive. I used to work across the street and we'd eat there on occasion, only when I was hungry enough to eat a sandwich the size of my head. :hi:

[The empressof all]

5. On second thought it's not NY Deli but Salumi is around there

I think it's near Pioneer Square. Italian Coldcuts made on site and truely wonderful. Lines around the corner but worth it. It's not the same as a NY Deli but if you are open to something different and like the Italian end of the cold meat spectrum you will not be disappointed. No Coleslaw though....Sigh...but you can't have everything

[yewberry]

6. I can't vouch for them personally

but I know people who like Tat's (on Yesler, I think, so that might be a little far) and Other Coast. That one's closer--6th & Union, I think.

I used to work right at 3rd & Union, and there's an unfortunate amount of overpriced, inauthentic crap in that area.

[Sanity Claws]

7. I couldn't find one in the 20 years I lived there

I remember within a few months of moving there I went to a so-called deli. It had a list of deli sandwiches and I ordered something like roast beef. It came with some kind of cheese on it. I thought there was a mistake and said I didn't order cheese on my roast beef sandwich. The guy looked at me as though I came from Mars and said, you ordered a deli sandwich -- that means it comes with cheese.
I was too shocked to respond.
I gave up on real deli sandwiches in Seattle after that.

[flamingyouth]

9. My first husband used to eat at Roxy's when they were downtown

He grew up back east (between Toronto and Montreal) and had similar complaints about sandwiches here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/roxys-diner-seattle

It looks like they're only in Fremont now. I've never eaten there and I don't eat meat but they have a four-star average review on Yelp, so maybe you can get a half-way decent Reuben there, who knows. :hi:

[mntleo2]

10. Just Hop A Free Bus And go to the Market

...give up on sandwiches and have a warm home made Piroshki filled with tasty beef and sauce instead, they are right across from the Market on 1rst Ave, or try the French bakery next to it and have a flaky croissant with some tasty cheese in it, or grab a Changa burrito at Mama's which is owned by the same Mama's on Bell Street (Michael the owner and Eileen who manages it are friends of mine) just west of 3rd and Virginia up 1/2 block toward the water from Macy's.

Or go the other way South on the bus and get off at the train terminal. Walk up the stairs and right ahead of you and to your left in China Town is the Uwagimiya market. They have a whole area where you can buy hot Chinese, Filipino, or Vietnamese food to go and have it in your hand within 5 minutes. The Hong Kong Cafe in China Town is another place that serves dim sum and all of it is wonderful. Tai Tungs, if it is still there has the best pineapple chicken you'd ever want to taste.

Another place that is very good is Soup Daddy and it is in Pioneer Square. Great soups to go there and their sandwiches are pretty good as well, but they are just the regular sandwiches. I recommend just about any soup at Soup Daddy, all of them are delicious. It is pretty busy at lunch time though so be prepared to wait a few minutes in line or go early. They are on 106 Occidental S.

The buses are free in the downtown core and go by all the time, should not take 5 minutes to get to any of those places as almost all buses go both directions. Just catch one going north in the tunnel and get off at the mall, which is just south of Virginia (for Mama's), or go to Pike or Pine and walk toward the water to get to the market. Or hop the bus in the tunnel going south for China Town and get off at the terminal under the train station, and for Pioneer Square and Soup Daddy, get off a few blocks sooner, Occidental is kind of a short street but you can find it easily enough once you are in Pioneer Square.

I am a life long Washingtonian and I hear from my east Coast friends those kind of sandwiches just do not come up to par as I am sure if I went to NY I would not find a decent Maderite like they make in Iowa (and do not make here as I wish they did). One of the unique things we still seem to maintain is some of that regional flavor ya just can't find anywhere else.

Oh yeah one other place I thought of is the Specialty Bakery and if you PM me, maybe I can find a punch card that I'll give you if we can figure out how to get it to you. It is one of those "buy 8, get one free" things, and I think you have to buy one more sandwich to get the free one, but you can have it, if you want to try them. I would not try a reuban but their turkey and beef sandwiches are pretty good, made on their bread they make right there in the shop I think it is close there to Beneroyal someplace, it is close by.

I used to work downtown and learned about some other good places, but I am not sure what is in business and what is not. I have not worked down there for several years and I believe but am not absolutely sure that all the ones I talk about are still there. If the Mama's one is not doing their luncheon store anymore on Virginia, they have the other one that has been around for over 35 years on 2nd and Bell and they are really good as well, however the buses past Virginia cost you a fare. I recommend their taquitos wth guacamole,rice and beans and they are famous for their Chango burrito which might feed you for two lunches it is so big.

Hope this helps!
Cat In Seattle <---who lived in Seattle all my life but recently moved to Kenmore

[The empressof all]

11. OK ...You made me Search

I never heard of Maderites. Does this look like it could be something like it?

MAID-RITES

3 lb. hamburger
Onion

Brown and drain. Add:

3 tbsp. A-1 steak sauce
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. water

Simmer at least 1 hour. Serve on buns with mustard, ketchup, pickles, etc. Tastes just like old fashioned Maid-Rites.



If you are ever looking for great Indian Food near Kenmore try Tandori Fire in downtown Bothell. The most amazing Curried Mussels I've ever eaten!

[mntleo2]

12. Yeah Looks Like It Might Be

...I have not had a Maid-Rite for a long time, but they are delicious and you cannot find them anywhere else but Iowa that I know of. Think I will take this recipe down and try them because I would love to have one!


Cat

[LisaM]

13. LOL, all good suggestions but not what I wanted that day!

I had a sauerkraut/coleslaw craving.

The downtown Roxy's is closed, though the last time I ate there, I got kind of grossed out because the server was not clean. There is no other way to say it. His nose was running and he just didn't look clean, and I had a terrible time eating my lunch. They closed shortly afterwards.

Also, I have to veer away from Asian food in large part becuase a lot of Viet and Thai food has fish sauce or fish paste and I can't eat it.

Don't get me started on Mexican food here! Yeesh.

[flamingyouth]

14. EW. Like I said, I'd never eaten at Roxy's.

That would be enough to turn me off restaurants entirely for a year (I'm a germophobe). x(

And yeah, Mexican food here is a sore subject. My SO is from Texas. Don't get us started on it either. :D

[maxsolomon]

15. ever had the scandinavian food in texas?

its TERRIBLE! it just can't compare to the scandinavian food in ballard. :eyes:

if you need better meat than Salumi, you have to go to Italy. Tat's & the Other Coast in Ballard are perfectly fine.

you are not in NYC. or Texas. suck it up. have some dim sum. have some pho or bun. bring a sandwich from home. or just don't eat if its so traumatizing.

[LisaM]

16. I can't eat seafood! So no dim sum. I think pho might have fish paste

Which has shrimp in it.

But Seattle has plenty of Irish people and must have had some German influx at some time. You'd think someone could put together a decent Reuben somewhere downtown.......