Not Your Average Deli strives to live up to its name

Staff

15 years ago

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Jean and Bill Downs, recent retirees from Boston, dreamed of opening a seafood restaurant so they could eat and serve the East Coast food they missed: lobster rolls, whole-belly fried clams, scallops and more.

But the owner of the strip mall they approached wanted a deli. So the couple compromised and came up with what has been a winning combination: Not Your Average Deli, 4850 W. Sunset Road.

There’s everything you expect to find in a deli — pastrami, roast beef, potato salad, soup — alongside lobster and clams from Maine and authentic lobster rolls from Rhode Island. They serve Dietz and Watson deli meats.

“We came out here to retire and got bored,” Jean Downs says. “We wanted to open a restaurant because we were missing that East Coast seafood. We met a lot of people from back east who all said the same thing.”

Though neither had restaurant experience — Jean retired from banking and Bill was a vice president of Tyco Industries — they were confident that Jean’s skill as a home cook would transfer to their restaurant kitchen.

Nearly everything is made in the restaurant, including the coleslaw and potato chips. Jean uses her Portuguese recipes to create a few authentic Portuguese dishes, lending further evidence that this is not an average deli. Specials, such as Salisbury steak, are served daily.

The dining room, which seats 20, has a straightforward deli look, but the couple plans to decorate it with fishing nets, lobster lights and other seafood-related items.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and until 7 p.m. on Fridays.

Specialties: The Hail Mary, a Portuguese-style pulled pork sandwich, served with choice of side, $3.59 for a small, $5.59 for large; Maine lobster roll with fries and slaw, $11.99; New England clam chowder, $5.99 for bowl, $2.99 for cup, for bread bowl, add $1

Salads: Chef salad with turkey, ham, Swiss and American cheeses, $6.99; grilled chicken Caesar salad, $6.99

Entrees: Linguica, a Portuguese sausage sandwich with onions, green peppers and choice of side, $5.19; pastrami sandwich with side, $5.99; fried whole-belly clams with fries and slaw, $10.99 for plate or sandwich

Desserts: Cheesecake brownies, $1.29; peanut butter cup cookies, $1.49; prepackaged ice cream bars, from $1.05 to $1.59

Information: 367-2549

By SONYA PADGETT