What I liked most about this neighborhood deli is the fact they made everything from scratch and genuinely care about the outcome of their menu. They seem to listen to their customers and want everything perfect…they have done their job with flying colors.
Tim Edwards and his wife Corrina Murdy have lived in Playa Del Rey for 17 years, they knew what was missing in this small beach community, a stellar deli, with just really great food. Their mission has been accomplished!
Chef Vince Howard does a great job with his very inventive deli cuisine. Then there’s Humberto Raygoza, whose parents are from a small town in Mexico, Zacateca. Raygoza has been called the “Choriman” and was awarded Best Secret Chorizo of Los Angeles in LA Weekly. Food writer Farley Elliot wrote as part of The Best of Secret LA Food and Drink in LA Weekly in the Oct. 3, 2014 issue. Humberto started by walking around with a cooler pedaling his wares, homemade chorizo to all of the dining establishments in Culver City. I tried his amazing chorizo as well as his homemade French sausage; Tolouse, which is made with pork butt, and herbs de Provence. He sells to The Federal Bar in NoHo and Long Beach. He is so passionate about making his sausages; you can see it in his eyes.
The deli gets their bread baked fresh every day from Ca ‘d’ oro in Inglewood, CA. Their bread is the highlight of every sandwich they make!
Here’s what I tried…
Soup of the Day:
Carrot and ginger soup with pureed carrot and spicy ginger make this warming soup a must have, I really enjoyed it!
Side Salads:
Corn with cotija cheese and cilantro. The corn was like candy, very sweet, and the cheese just adds the right amount of flavors to make this dish a winner.
Potato Muffaletta with potatoes sliced very thin with muffaletta seasonings. If you’re a muffaletta sandwich lover then you will love this side potato salad.
Brussels Sprouts with olive oil and prosciutto. This is a very simple no fuss way of eating Brussels sprouts, and the prosciutto adds just the right amount of saltiness.
Sandwiches:
I had the special, which was a brisket on ciabitta with grilled onions, wow, what a showstopper!!
The Don, with Salami, mortadella, capocollo, ham and prosciutto, there was something crazy going on with this sandwich, a kind of childhood thing, but what ever it was this one hits the spot. The meats are sliced super thin, and the bread is wonderful!
The Mexicana, with hand made chorizo made by the Chori man. Not on the menu but what a great sandwich!!
Veggie, with Olive spread, mozzarella, arugula, tomato and Portobello mushrooms. For vegetarians you would be very satisfied with the hearty sandwich.
Roasted Chicken, with roasted chicken breast, greens, basil pesto, pepper spread and provolone. Pesto served on a ciabatta type roll with very pungent pesto spread that is so good.
Salad:
Arugula Salad, with goat cheese, walnut balsamic. The chicken is cooked in a vacuum-sealed bag called sous-vied, the walnuts are huge and whole the dressing is nice and light, good for the dieter or health conscious.
Brunch:
Pretzel Egg Sandwich, with pretzel bun, two over medium eggs, arugula, bacon, cheese, and pepper spread. This sandwich would be my go to for breakfast, and it is filled with so much goodness that you could cut it in half and share with someone; it would be just the right amount of food.
The secret service knows about Del Rey Deli. The deli is in a mini mall on Pershing avenue, which dead ends into LAX. When President Obama is in town the secret service have their base camp right where Pershing and LAX meets, so they are very familiar with this establishment and stop in for lunch in between taking care of the president.
There is a very beachy casual feel to this great deli…after all the beach is right up the hill! Playa Del Rey has some prime real estate with glorious ocean views. Tim said his one goal was to bring great food to this hidden neighborhood. Well done Tim, not only is The Del Rey Deli inventive and creative, but also it’s really a whole new take on deli food. You really need to try this place!
Del Rey Deli
(310) 439-2256 8501
Pershing Dr. Ste 3
Los Angeles, CA 90293
www.delreydeli.com