Treasure Found: The Perfect Sandwich

I know that’s a bold statement around these parts, almost like saying you’ve found the BEST cup of coffee in Seattle. But seriously, I love a good sandwich and I’m not about to keep quiet about this hidden treasure much longer.

Sandwiches are always better when someone else makes them, even your mom. No matter how hard I try, I can’t quite pull off the combination of perfect bread and rich, luxurious flavors of condiments and meat. Sometimes they’re toasted, full of delicious bacon, or accompanied with a subtle yet distinctive taste of wasabi aioli. If you’re lucky, it’ll include all of the above and you must have found yourself in Pioneer Square’s hottest new delicatessen, Delicatus (103 1st Ave. South), open 11:30am – 8pm Monday – Thursday and 11:30am – 10pm Friday and Saturday.

Every week I go, (yes, I’ve averaged one visit per week over the last two months) the line to experience its delightfully pleasing menu gets longer and longer. This is how I can tell Delicatus is going to be a close runner up to the nearby, and nationally-renowned Salumi. But Delicatus has got something special going. Founders Derek Shankland and Mike Klotz have answered Seattle’s call to meld both local and European traditions by using primarily Northwest-sourced ingredients purchased directly from local farmers, artisan producers and suppliers of the finest regional products. According to Shankland and Klotz, a fix to Seattle’s lack of a traditional European delicatessen. Frankly, I don’t care what it’s the answer to, all I know is that the bacon (on nearly every sandwich), the very friendly and mostly male crew (not so bad to look at while you’re waiting) and the prepared cook meats from Zoe’s Meats here in Seattle, is bringing people out of the woodwork.

My personal favorites right now are “the Californian” – Roasted free-range chicken breast, chive aioli, Zoe’s slab bacon, spinach, sprouts and tomato on whole wheat bread and the “Pavo Diablo” – hickory smoked turkey, sliced avocado, spinach, cilantro, Havarti, spicy chipotle aioli and roasted poblano peppers on sourdough bread.

The crew will package your sandwich up and send you on your way or you can dine-in at one of the many booths and tables both upstairs and downstairs, tune out and listen to some great music while you are enjoying your lunch. A new addition I noticed last week, the bar hosts a happy hour every weekday from 4-6pm.

Other locally farmed goods you will find on your sammy come from: The Essential Baking Company, Frank’s Produce, Bavarian Meats, Brenner Brothers Baking Company, Mt. Townsend Creamery and Wooly Pigs. Yum, yum and YUM.

I can’t stress this enough, if you work, live or wander through the Pioneer Square neighborhood even on a semi-regular basis, get in line now. You won’t regret that you did.

Tags: Food, Pioneer Square, restaurants, reviews, Thursday