use real butter

I bet you thought the sandwich chronicles were over, huh? No, I’ve just been busy. Admittedly, I took a short break from sandwiches for a few weeks and there were also a couple duds (I’m not recommending those here). But we’re back at it this week with Deli Zone, known for their famous Brooklyn heroes. I had never heard of it, despite seeing it next door to the Homebrew shop where I buy bottles for my vodka infusions on a regular basis. My friend, Daniel (@boinzy on Twitter), recommended it to me when he learned of my sandwich research.

prepare to enter the deli zone

There are three locations in Boulder and several more around Colorado (Denver, Broomfield, Longmont). I went to the one on Valmont (next door to Hop To It Homebrew), tucked away in a generic strip mall. There is a handful of seating inside and two tables outside. It didn’t look busy when I walked in, but during the short time I perused the menu and placed my order a steady stream of people came in to pick up sandwiches or place their own orders.

menu boards sorted by filling

Deli Zone serves breakfast all day, which is good news for brekkie lovers. The rest of the menu is dedicated mostly to the sandwiches, which are broken down by their main filling. Sandwiches come in two generous sizes: medium is 8-inches and large is 14-inches. That’s alotta sandwich! You have a choice in bread from their signature French bread, white or wheat, sourdough, marble rye, poppy seed kaiser roll, or a low-carb wrap. There are vegetarian options too. I stood at the counter debating until I grabbed one of the employees and asked what their best sandwiches are. He squinted back at the board and thought for a second, The Reuben and the New Yorker were two of the most popular. I kinda had my heart set on 42nd Street or Yankee, but okay… I went for the New Yorker.

the new yorker: corned beef and pastrami

To the sandwich: I honestly didn’t think there could be a sandwich to rival Snarf’s, but this is good sandwich. They are different sandwiches, but they are both excellent. The French bread is beautifully crusty on the outside and pillow soft on the inside. It is stuffed full of thinly sliced corned beef and pastrami with the coleslaw, dijonaisse, and Swiss cheese crammed in there for good measure. It’s the kind of sandwich that drips down your hand and wrist – juicy. And it’s hot which makes it extra delectable as you scarf it down. Fantastic! I highly recommend a Deli Zone sandwich.

Info: Find Deli Zone at three Boulder locations:

1) Baseline: 4800 Baseline Rd., Suite D-104, 7:30am-8:00pm daily, 303.499.9213
2) The Hill: 1322 College Ave., 7:30am-8:00pm Monday-Saturday, 9:00am – 8:00pm Sunday, 303.449.6952
3) Valmont: 2900 Valmont Rd., Suite D1, 7:30am-8:00pm Monday-Friday, 8:00am-6:00pm Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm Sunday, 303.447.9349

Full Disclosure: My opinions. No comps for the chomps.

Previous sandwich research:

1) The Pinyon’s fried chicken sandwich (sadly, now closed)
2) Cafe Blue’s blackened tuna sandwich
3) Frasca Caffè’s Italiano panini caldi
4) Snarf’s pastrami and Swiss sandwich
5) Cured’s Spicy Frenchman sandwich
6) Dish Gourmet’s Reuben sandwich

For this week’s sandwich pick, I’m still hanging about on East Pearl Street (that is, east of the Pearl Street pedestrian mall). Walk a few blocks east from Cured and you’ll find Dish Gourmet on the south side of the street. It’s a cute little deli (and catering business), bright with natural light, tucked in among the leafy trees this time of year.

dish gourmet

Step inside and you’re greeted with a handful of high tables for patrons to enjoy their orders. There is also patio seating outside which people take advantage of during the glorious weather months in Boulder. A large menu board hangs up high above the counter where you order, listing all of the tempting sandwiches that Dish can handcraft for you. You also have the option for a half sandwich in case you want to have some soup or salad and don’t want to explode. They have breakfast options too, but I haven’t tried those. Gluten-free? You can request any sandwich on their house-baked gluten-free bread. Vegetarian? Plenty of vegetarian sandwiches on offer. And there are many enticing homemade salads and sides in the display case next to the order counter.

it can be difficult to choose

I worked my way around the menu a few times trying sandwiches like the Mapleton (roast beef, white cheddar, vegetables on ciabatta), the Boulder bbq brisket (beef brisket, caramelized onions, white cheddar, coleslaw on ciabatta), the Kenai (house-cured Norwegian salmon, dill cream cheese, vegetables on baguette). My buddy Jason tried the Cuban. In the end, I had to go with their Reuben. Classic, right? It also happens to be one of their most popular sandwiches.

the reuben

To the sandwich: While the other sandwiches I had tried were solid, the Reuben was a step above. The corned beef was meaty and fresh. You know how corned beef can look like it was pressed and sliced and sold in a grocery store deli? This was not that. A generous amount was topped with a slightly sweet coleslaw, French Emmental, and a little Russian dresing. All of this was crammed between two slices of their heavenly pumpernickel. I don’t always go for pumpernickel, but theirs had golden raisins dotting the bread which for some reason knocked my socks clear off when devoured with everything else. Fantastically juicy and substantial as sandwiches go.

All of their sandwiches come with potato chips and a pickle (upon request) or you can substitute the chips with potato salad, pasta salad, or a green salad for an additional $1.25. I’m not a fan of their pickles. I love pickles, but these were brined and not especially vinegary or spicy, and the vinegar is what I love most about any pickle. Despite the lackluster pickle, I think there is a sandwich for everyone here. And if you aren’t a sandwich person (I can’t even imagine) then consider their soups or salads and most definitely have a gander at the sides in the display case.

hours of operation

Where: You can find Dish Gourmet at 1918 Pearl Street (Boulder, Colorado 80302) a few blocks east of the Pearl Street pedestrian mall.

When: Dish is open 9am – 6pm Monday – Friday, 11am – 4pm Saturday. DISH IS CLOSED SUNDAYS.

Contact: Call Dish Gourmet at 720.565.5933. Visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @dishgourmet.

Full Disclosure: My opinions. No comps for the chomps.

Previous sandwich research:

1) The Pinyon’s fried chicken sandwich (sadly, now closed)
2) Cafe Blue’s blackened tuna sandwich
3) Frasca Caffè’s Italiano panini caldi
4) Snarf’s pastrami and Swiss sandwich
5) Cured’s Spicy Frenchman sandwich

Last weekend I took you to visit Cured, a favorite gourmet cheese, salumi, wine, and nomnom shop of mine in Boulder on East Pearl Street.

cured

Each day (except Mondays, because they are closed), Cured lists two to three sandwiches on their chalkboard above the salumi and cheese counter. If you subscribe to their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @curedboulder, you’ll get the daily notice. It’s not a sandwich shop where you walk up and order what you feel like, but the choices are quite good and sometimes there are salads, soups, and even breakfast options. Check the board.

the daily sandos

Of course, you’re not going to get the standard sandwich around here. For example, one version of their grilled cheese is seahive cheddar with bacon and tomato chutney (hello!!). Or how about the creamy pear which is Délice de Bourgogne, ham, and pears. I have been itching to catch the allstar as well: prosciutto, manchego, and membrillo. It used to be that you could saunter in and there would be sandwiches to order, but after some great reviews, Cured was no longer Boulder’s best kept secret. By noon it was not uncommon to stand at the counter and watch the staff cross offerings off the board as they sold out. I think it has mellowed out a little bit, but if there is a sandwich you want, go earlier rather than later so as to avoid the risk of deep disappointment. When I went in for a sandwich, there was only one kind left (again, a huge rush on their sandwiches that day).

the spicy frenchman

To the sandwich: The Spicy Frenchman was my introduction to Cured’s sandwiches. They start with their ridiculously good bread (I think the same guy who makes their crowns and other artisan loaves also makes the baguettes) – a French baguette that is buttery soft on the inside with a nice and crusty outside that yields easily under your finger. Layers of thinly sliced ham and generous slices of brie are topped with a perfectly sweet and spicy raspberry-jalapeño jam. The combination of ham and cheese usually makes me drowsy, but the kick from the jam livens up the entire ensemble. Because it happened to be a weirdly rainy and cold day in Boulder (which is rare), I relished my sandwich with a nice pot of hot tea from Boxcar Coffee. I checked the shelves and found that Cured sells jars of that raspberry-jalapeño jam. That’s good stuff. I may just have to try and make some myself.

Where: Cured is located at 1825 B. Pearl Street (Boulder, Colorado 80302), east of the Pearl Street pedestrian mall.

When: walk in and order a sandwich from their board (your best bet is likely before noon) 10:30am – 7pm Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 6pm Saturday, 11am – 5pm Sunday. Cured is CLOSED ON MONDAYS. I know, even I forget sometimes and it can be a huge bummer. They post the menu each day (except Mondays) on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact: Call Cured at 720.389.8096. Visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @curedboulder.

Full Disclosure: My opinions. No comps for the chomps.

Previous sandwich research:

1) The Pinyon’s fried chicken sandwich (sadly, now closed)
2) Cafe Blue’s blackened tuna sandwich
3) Frasca Caffè’s Italiano panini caldi
4) Snarf’s pastrami and Swiss sandwich