North Beach Deli
As the great critic Calvin Trillin noted, some people find nothing more exciting than discovering great eateries in hidden locations. I’m one of the aficionados – I’ve delighted in meals at New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro in Ashland, which looks like a derelict bar from the outside but serves adventurous modern cuisine, and Martin’s in Edinburgh, a classic restaurant that is only accessible from an unlit alley. To find such places gives the seeker a sense of triumph akin to a surfer who has found the secret spot or an angler who knows the ultimate trout hole.
I was therefore intrigued when I passed a little deli in a residential area of North Redondo. It was about as far as you can get from a main street in the South Bay, and had the look of a secret local gem. A reconnaissance revealed that the place was tiny but boasted more than just sandwiches, and on that trip I tried some excellent chicken tortilla soup that had been made in-house. I resolved to return with friends and investigate further, and I’ve been back twice. I can therefore confirm that North Beach Deli is indeed a little local treasure.
Emphasize the “little” in that sentence – there’s just enough room in the customer area for the deli counter, cash register, and a pair of chairs. Those who can’t wait to get home with their sandwich have their choice of the two plastic tables on the sidewalk or the picnic table at the adjacent park. We decided to take the view of the parking lot because it made trips for napkins and condiments shorter, so after staking out our tables we went in to order. It was a lengthy process, since the menu is extensive and the counterman kept offering us tastes of various items. The soup was every bit as good as it was on our first visit, lightly spicy with a crisp cilantro bite, but I found the chili a bit bland. We settled on a Tapatio turkey sandwich, Caesar salad, a meatball sandwich, and a daily special of penne Alfredo with chicken, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms. The Tapatio turkey was an excellent combination of oil-browned turkey with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and onion with a light coating of Mexican hot sauce. It hit all the bases on texture and flavor – the rich avocado, raw onion, and turkey with just the right spicy kick. The meatball was good too, the mild meat and spice mix made in-house and topped with red sauce and provolone cheese. The Italian sausage sandwich I tried on another visit was even better – you really can tell the difference between commercial Italian sausage and homemade, and this had the zing of fennel, pepper, and cumin all through it. Next time I am cooking Italian at home, I’ll be dropping in to buy some of this sausage. They have other meats for sale, including unlikely items like beef in Bordelaise sauce, which has a suitable tone for a hole-in-the-wall deli. I also tried some of the house-made beef jerky, which was chewy and lightly peppery.
The Caesar salad was the only disappointment, because though the greens were fresh, it was served with a bottled dressing. I suppose North Beach Deli doesn’t serve enough salads that making their own is worthwhile, but given the emphasis on homemade items here, it was a bit of a letdown. I certainly knew that the chicken alfredo dish I ordered was made fresh, since I watched the cook at work in the tiny kitchen. The sauce was applied with a light hand, the mix of sundried tomato and onion gave the right mix of sharp and sweet, and I was content. Another item we tried was a chicken salad sandwich, which had celery, green onion, and apple in the mix. My wife proclaimed it exceptional, and even though I don’t like chicken salad much, I found this one pleasing.
The North Beach Deli is an odd little institution, a very good and ambitious little deli in a sliver of a building on a residential lane. It’s not a destination restaurant, and I don’t expect that people will flock to it for miles just because they serve great sandwiches. For those fortunate enough to live in this section of North Redondo, or those savvy or lucky enough to stumble across the place on the way to work, it’s the kind of place that makes a neighborhood more than just a collection of houses.
The North Beach Deli is located at 2808 Phelan Lane in Redondo Beach, just north of Robinson. Open 10 AM – 8 PM daily. No alcohol or other beverages, market next door. Free delivery with minimum purchase – call 310-214-1444