On a Food Hunt!!

I blame it all on Joe and Sara. They got me a Panini Sandwich Maker for Christmas and I've been having fun with it ever since.

It's been idle for a couple of weeks while I researched local delis where I might be able to get some pastrami and corned beef. I found a couple and today I set out on my quest to get me some good food. Hooah!!

After running some errands, I was off headin' up Rainier towards Seattle to my first stop: Oh Boy!! Oberto. 

I had the idea that this might be a deli that, you know, sold meats. Uh, yeah, they sell meat but it's all either jerky or some kind of pepperoni or sausage. That was it. 

I did get a sample of some jerky on sale but, y'know, I've never been a big fan of jerky.

OK, no problem. A minor setback. I had spotted another Italian Deli and Bakery about a half-mile before I got to Oberto's so I drove back there to check it out.

And, I FOUND IT!! Pastrami!! I was so excited I ordered two pounds.....

Then I asked about the prices and the nice young lady pointed up to these....

Holy crap!!! 

Can you see it!?! Can you see the price for Pastrami down in the lower right corner...

Pastrami.....$11.19.....A POUND!!!

(are you kiddin' me!?!)

OK, that was pricey....so I asked, while I still had a voice, how much is the corned beef? 

Can you see the price for the Corned Beef.....$9.19 a pound. 
Not as bad but, cheezz, still not good!!

Ok, my apologies to Safeway for cussing them out for charging $11 for a 3-lb Corned Beef brisket. I didn't know it was so doggone expensive. That's a great price and guess where I'll be buying my Corned Beef from now.

They also had a great bakery there. All kinds of delicious looking bread to explore. 

Could ya spend some time in here?

But enough. I had some Pastrami and some Gouda and was off to my next stop. I was still wantin' some Corned Beef.

Next stop, Bob's Quality Meats in Columbia City.

Nothing elaborate....looks like a neighborhood deli, right? However, they're closing January 20th to the 25th for some renovations. Seriously, I wonder what they could do to improve on this?

Above is a shot from the door and below is a shot towards the door.

Here's their menu board. Man, when did it get so doggone expensive to eat? I asked for two pounds of Corned Beef. It was like $5.50 a pound. They cut it in the back and when he brought out the cut it was closer to 3 pounds than 2. I went ahead and got it and paid over $16 for it. Again, I'm sorry for every evil thought I had about Safeway being a bunch of Highway Bandits.

I hope they don't change the doors. They look like originals.

Man, if I were a cook, I'd love a place like this. I can eat....I just can't figure out how to prepare it and serve it.

Snoopin' around, I found "The Original Kimchee Girl". 

Wow, really? Pure and Natural? 

Uh, no thanks.

After getting my Corned Beef (OUCH!!!) I decided to try the little bakery a couple doors up from Bob's. The Columbia City Bakery was callin' my name....

It was pretty busy there and they were more like a coffee shop with pastries than a bakery. Still, I found some breads there.

Here's the eating area. Not a large counter for selling but I guess they're making money.

Here's their service counter. Sorry for the blur. They have a basket set on the counter full of breads. I picked out a dark New York Rye for the pastrami. I've already tried it with some butter and it was yum, yum, delicious.

Ok, I was done. Adios, ya'll. I was about $33 lighter but I had a half-pound of pastrami and a half-pound of Gouda Cheese plus an Aragiano loaf from the Italian Deli. Bob's contributed the (over) two pounds of Corned Beef and The Columbia City Bakery kicked in a New York Rye.

Yeah, I like to eat. I just gotta find a place near a bakery and a cheap deli. 

Hooah!!