PHAT (Pretty Hot and Tasty) Deli - Yaletown, YVR

[jay_kay]

Out for a late lunch today in Yaletown, dropped into the first joint I spotted after parking my car on the street - a deli. Stepping inside, there was a decent crowd of folks sitting down and eating, with a few more standing at the counter apparently waiting for their takeout orders, so I figured it couldn't be too bad. Staring back at me on both walls in the main entranceway, were two blackboards covered with an extensive menu of bagels, sandwiches, salads, and a bunch of eggs benny choices. The sandwiches board was the most daunting, with all the options about the bread, meat, cheese, veggies, and condiments; not being much of a Subway user, this type of build-your-own-sandwich kind of struck me to much to think about as I was just starting up my brain on a lazy Saturday. So I went with a pick off the 'favorites' board and a soup on the side, with a coffee to wash it all down. I sat at a table along the side wall, and it was there that I realized the owner must be a real ice hockey fan, as I spotted all the jerseys in frames, most of them with signatures on the back. Interesting was the large collection of Russian players, including some throwback ones like Tretiak - with the old school Red Army uniform and the name bar written in Russian.

Back to the food, the fellow who took my order was a friendly enough fellow, not acting impatient as I stood around starting at the board while deciding what I wanted. The girl who brought it out, I can't say the same for her, as she kind of grumpy and just threw it on my table. There was another man, who was scurrying about who I think was perhaps the manager(?) or owner himself - there were some press clippings near the main door that I briefly glanced at on my way in and I think it was the same fellow in the picture. He was pretty loud talking to his staff and some customers too, which I didn't mind terribly, but thought it made the place look kind of bad. Reading some other online reviews about this place outside of CH, I guess some others have remarked on the service levels here. I figure I'll be back as the meal I had was solid, and now that I am more acquainted with how the menu works, I think I'll be more inclined to do a fast order-and-dash.

Back outside later on, I walked past a busy outside patio at Global Grill, more "place to be seen" type of locale in this area. Maybe my next lunch time visit in Yaletown when I am back in the neighborhood.

[John Manzo]

Aside from service, ambience, and ice hockey (*ice* hockey?), what did you actually order? "Solid" is a start, but you don't mention anywhere in this review what you had.

I walked by this place when I was in Van last month and it did look intriguing. Tell us more.

[jay_kay]

Ah sorry got caught up in remembering the interior. :) Like I said, I just picked off the favorites board and went with the beef dip on a baguette served with a side of au jus, coleslaw and a quartered-length of dill pickle. The layers of roast beef inside were plentiful and the baguette was fresh and soft. A lot of folks I saw were ordered the mainstay Montreal smoked meat, as well I saw a bunch of the big silver bowls containing the salads.

[lotuskitty]

I've been there and enjoyed it, but the fries were frozen. I mean they were cooked from frozen. No great shakes.