Sandwiches are king at Provo’s Red Deli
Turkey, bacon, avocado sandwich with fries and a mango-mellon drink at Red Deli in Provo on Tuesday, July 30, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Philly steak supreme sandwich with fries at Red Deli in Provo on Tuesday, July 30, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Red Deli has recently moved into hallowed grounds on 100 West in Provo.
With a healthy fascination for music, we have heard tales of concerts at the Ice House in Provo back in the early 1970s. The venue was not only the hotspot for the best local bands of that era, but also attracted some national touring acts — such as Styx — in the early stages of their careers.
Unfortunately, the Ice House pre-dated our arrival to Utah County, but its legend lives on. Sandwich shop extraordinaire Red Deli has recently become the newest tenant in the former Ice House structure, which is also home to several other businesses as well.
Red Deli moved from a spot on University Avenue to its new digs two months ago, but during our recent visit you still get the idea that things remain in a bit of flux at the restaurant. There were only five tables in the dining room, and seats for around 13 patrons. The largest section of tables was covered with plastic foam takeout boxes, so our group of six spread out into two different smaller tables.
The decor was simple and understated at Red Deli. There was a slight musical theme, with bongo drums in one corner, an acoustic guitar mounted on the wall and a poster of Bob Marley. There was one video game console offering free play, which kept our young boys entertained while waiting for our food. In addition to that, there were a few star-shaped, puffy paper lights, some fake plants, some bamboo sticks and a clock that didn’t work — which was OK, because time stood still once we took the first bite out of our sandwich.
All you really need to know about Red Deli is that the sandwiches are the real deal. This is where the restaurant’s bread is buttered, so to speak — or at least where the bread is slathered in some kind of delicious sauce that often seemed a combination of several flavors.
The menu at Red Deli is extremely simple. It lists eight subs, a few soups, some specialty drinks and french fries. Orders are placed at the front counter, which is basically part of the kitchen/cooking area. There were a bevy of available vegetables, cheeses and dressings, but we were never offered a choice of what went on our individual sandwiches, other than what it normally comes with. We’re guessing you could probably add or subtract ingredients based on your own preferences, but you’ll likely need to raise the subject yourself.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but our expectations rose immediately when our sandwiches started arriving. We were anticipating service on paper or plastic foam plates, but were pleasantly surprised with real plates that were brimming with large sandwiches — we ordered the 6-inch, but these sure seemed larger — and fries.
The fries were thick cut, delicious and a big hit with the whole family. You can order ketchup or fry sauce to accompany, but the cashier actually suggested the house honey mustard blend to go along with the fries — and it was a great suggestion because we loved that combo.
The sandwiches were fantastic. They all came with large, fresh, fluffy bread in sub style. Our favorite was the Turkey Bacon Avocado. It featured those three ingredients along with lettuce, tomato, honey mustard and cheddar cheese. Completely delicious!
Coming close behind that were the Philly Steak Supreme, the BLT, the Club, and the Roast Beef and Cheddar. The Philly Steak included a mouth-watering melange of banana peppers, olives, red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, Provolone cheese, mayo and steak. The BLT was just as advertised, and the Club came with ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, mayo and tomato.
We didn’t actually order the Roast Beef, but it came in a mixup. No problem! Staff quickly prepared the sandwich we had originally ordered and left us with the Roast Beef for free. And we loved it as well.
We tried two specialty drinks, the Mango Melon and Berry Blast. They were big hits especially with our children. There was also IHC Root Beer and Cream Soda in bottles — and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
If you are looking for an extremely casual eating experience and great sandwiches, then you should definitely check out Red Deli.
Red Deli
Where: 288 N. 100 West, Provo
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Prices: $3-$7.75 for sandwiches, $2-$3 for soup, make any sandwich a combo for $2 (fries and drink), $3 (with cup of soup and drink) or $4 (with bowl of soup and drink) more.
Info: (801) 375-7827, www.reddeli.com