Sit down and relax

Randy Elmore digs into the shrimp creole at Hizzoner's Uptown Deli in downtown Bellingham. Elmore, a regular at the deli said, "Every meal is an absolute treat." PHILIP A. DWYER HERALD PHOTO

Great food, comfortable setting at Hizzoner's

Stacee Sledge

Mar 21, 2002

Hizzoner's
Uptown Deli

Location:  
322 N. Commercial St.

Phone: 671-8600

Serving: Popular lunch spot for downtown workers, dishing up sandwiches, soups and salads, plus a

Menu items sampled: French dip $5.95
Val's special $5.95
Grilled ham & cheese $5.95
Baked potato soup $2.75/$3.75
Chocolate chip cookie 90 cents

My French dip arrived with a generous, steaming bowl of au jus, a small bowl of potato salad and a pucker-worthy pickle spear. The French roll holding the thin slices of lean beef was crusty on top and soft inside, just right for sponging up the salty goodness of the au jus.

I'm a potato salad fan, and Hizzoner's version is just like Mom used to make, a heap of soft potato squares mingling with flavorful mayonnaise, onion, pickle, and egg.

One thing that's apparent right away about Hizzoner's is that it is a comfortable place for either a group of people or a lone diner. I noted a magazine rack on my way out, a thoughtful touch that gives the solo eater something to do while waiting to be served.

My second lunch at Hizzoner's was on a brilliant sunny day. I picked a table below the greenhouse-like windows, lined with a bushy, healthy fern, where the sun shone warmly down.

This time I went with Val's special, a cold sandwich served on a choice of bread with turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayonnaise. I chose sourdough, which proved to be soft and spongy with a substantial crust. My only suggestion would be substituting red onion for the white that was used. It's a matter of personal taste, but I always find white onion too strong in its raw form on a sandwich.

The accompanying coleslaw was a bit heavy on the dressing, but had a pleasing vinegar taste. The choice of side dishes is numerous: chips, potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, or tabouli.

I made a third lunchtime visit to Hizzoner's on a blustery day, and went directly for the comfort of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and a bowl of baked potato soup.

The sandwich was expertly grilled, hitting that perfect pitch where the bread isn't too crunchy, nor is it soggy. Slices of salty ham mingled with just the right amount of melted cheddar cheese.

The accompanying bowl of thick baked potato soup was extremely buttery The Fine Print: I dine on my own dime. The opinions herein are mine alone, not the Bellingham Herald's. Agree? Disagree? Please drop me a line at StaceeSledge@hotmail.com.

 

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