Delicatus, you have been discovered! I walked in on Friday and was blown away by the crowd that this new joint has already created. There is a serious buzz about this place. Deservedly so, the place is the best in Pioneer Square, the staff is charming, and let’s face it—everybody loves an ass-kicking sandwich. My first foray into Delicatus was a quaint little visit with four other patrons. Friday, this blogger counted more than fifty. Bravo boys! You’ve been discovered and people are voting with their feet and their wallets. Generally it takes a restaurant/retail establishment six months to really find its stride.

Full disclosure here—in my younger years, I would have selfishly been perturbed by the newfound success of Delicatus, but in my more mature years, I saw Bravo Boys! Your sandwiches are top-notch and worthy of another 100 patrons. And who can blame these patrons. I’ve had the Pavo Diablo, the Fire of 1889, Not Charlie’s Tuna, and the Klotzifeller since we last signed on.

The Fire of 1889 has got a kick, folks. Jalapeno-lime aioli and hot peppers raise the temperature a smidgen on this masterpiece. Yet the cilantro cools it down just a tad—enough to make the sandwich more tolerable for a spice pansy like yours truly. The kicker though is the spicy-braised pork—it is delightfully well done, and incredibly tender. The tenderness of the pork is offset by a perfectly crispy Italian roll.

Now on to something more traditional—right? Nope, not at Delicatus—they have yet to get the whole “ordinary” thing right. Sorry guys, you can’t do ordinary. Try as you might, there is just no way you can combine ordinary with Zoe’s Meats, The Essential Baking Co., and Brenner Brothers Baking Co. Gentleman, you’re ordinary is far from it. That said, let’s review their boring ole’ run of the mill Turkey Sandwich, which they call the Pavo Diablo. Turkey and avocado with spinach sounds pretty ordinary, but it’s not (as usual). They add a delightful chipotle aioli to kick it up a bit. The sourdough makes the perfect palette for the Pavo Diablo. Muy bien Pavo! Encore!

The Klotzifeller is a meatball hoagie in description only. The marinara has a smoky subtlety to it. The meatballs are the perfect size and the sharp provolone saturates the meatballs perfectly, making the perfect balance between meat and cheese. Unlike some of our lesser-quality chain restaurants, they actually give you a healthy dose of meatballs. The same Italian roll that has gotten countless rave reviews in this blog rears its delectable head here again to complete this masterpiece.

And now on to something that falls moderately short of a rave—Not Charlie’s Tuna. First of all, as I stated in the beginning of this blog entries, nobody beats my Tuna Sandwich—I really wasn’t kidding. The fact that the master craftsmen at Delicatus cannot meet me on that pedestal just affirms my suspicion. Don’t get me wrong; Not Charlie’s Tuna is still a fantastic sandwich. They had the essentials right, albacore tuna, mayo, lettuce, tomato, on again masterful whole wheat bread. My tuna also includes a few other wrinkles—which are never the same. First and foremost, I will be the first to admit that mayo gets overused in sandwiches (especially by the craptastic sandwich chains mentioned above). Yet, I am torn by this sandwich, as it seemed to have an almost “excuse-me” level of mayo. It seemed to fall into the batch unintentionally. If you are going to use mayo, don’t be afraid to use it. I’m not saying put a Costco-sized portion in it, but without mayo, tuna is unfortunately bland and dry. Secondly, be creative with it—kick it up a notch. Try the chipotle aioli, horseradish, or avocado. I also like to use mustard sometimes instead of mayo. Capers, olives, cucumbers, honey mustard. Try different cheeses to bring out the flavor of the tuna. This sandwich is still very good, but I got faith in you guys to do this one better—you’ve got far too much talent behind the bar.