Pete Tittl: Pull in to the Station for homemade goodies, grilled tri-tip
| Wednesday, Feb 25 2009 02:21 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:21 PM
UNION STATION DELI
1723 18th St., 322-9090
Hours:10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Prices:Soups and salads $2.95 to $6.45, side dishes 95 cents to $2.95, cold sandwiches $6.45, hot sandwiches $6.95, signature sandwiches $8.45. No child’s plate.
Payment:MasterCard, Visa, Discover and personal checks accepted. Does not accept American Express or The Californian’sPress Pass.
Dress:Casual
Amenities:Wheelchair accessible; no alcohol served; some vegetarian options.
Food:3 stars
Atmosphere:31⁄2 stars
Value:3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Next week:Coconut Joe’s Beach Grill
Someone visiting the Union Station Deli wondered when the building last housed an actual gas station.
The scan of the memory banks isn’t as efficient as it used to be, but I do recall that many restaurants have come and gone from the space across from the downtown post office, including a Portuguese place.
I think the new place will stick, if only because it’s small, has a welcome emphasis on homemade foods, down to soups and cookies and is an authorized dealer for the special wood-pellet grill known as the Traeger. There was a poster of Terry Bradshaw on the wall, extolling the virtues of the black grill, and one on display near the wall. That sounds interesting — barbecuing without the mess of charcoal, and probably more environmentally sound — but what really sold me on the wonders of the Traeger was the hot tri-tip sandwich I ordered ($8.45). I know it was cooked on a Traeger because I saw one out near the old gas pumps, smoke coming out of it, as I was eating.
The sandwich was perfection, served on a toasted French roll with a choice of barbecue sauce or salsa. The beef was both juicy, still rare in the middle, tender, flavorful and thinly sliced enough to be easily consumed. It is an exceptional value at this price, reminding me of the great steak sandwich that Tahoe Joe’s serves.
That emphasis on quality was evident in everything we sampled at this charming new place. The cold tortellini salad had bits of apples and raisins in it. Great.
My companion’s BLTA ($6.45) had incredible applewood-smoked bacon and fresh avocado that was a perfect touch. The grilled ham and cheese ($6.95) has Black Forest ham and Swiss, a perfect combination on sourdough bread. Again, a sandwich with quality ingredients and a homemade taste.
I also sampled the soup of the day, cheddar potato ($2.95), and it was not too rich, with a slight smoky taste. There were also three fresh-made cookies (chocolate chip, peanut butter and chocolate chip with walnuts).
The peanut butter had the fork marks on top that moms everywhere used to use. We debated whether butter was an obvious presence (it wasn’t, if it was used) but they were soft, warm and obviously bakery fresh.
Vickie Wood, owner of Union Station, said she knew that the downtown lunch market is competitive, so she decided to stand out by making everything “in house — the soups, the cookies, the salads. We also use the Traeger to do catering, including ribs and turkey. We smoke our own tri-tip and bacon in it.”
The deli is small, with a counter and some outdoor seating, but when we visited in January we could barely get an inside table.
The small staff works very efficiently and with some personality, making Union Station Deli an inviting place to visit. The speed is especially appreciated if you have a limited lunch hour.
