north st. deli

Fast · Fresh · Delicious

Day 805 Bleak

Can’t say my weekend helped my pessimistic state of mind but I have re-evaluated things and it’s not looking good bruv. It’s not the Monday blues its the blues of life. If any of you have a good therapist hit me up because it’s looking so bleak, not even my sandwiches make me happy anymore. Just kidding it’s always sunny in Philadelphia, unfortunately i’m in London.

Salads:

Veggie medley + peas

Carrot + dill rice

Broccoli, chilli + garlic pasta

Bacon, potato + mushroom mix up

Soup: Lightly spiced med veg + white bean

Sandwich: Chorizo, pecorino, Jalapeno relish + tomato

Day 804 Leave me be

Ergh, Friday. Thank Christ for the weekend. I can’t wait to do nothing, to see no one and just enjoy my own company. I haven’t got a fuck left to give. I need to recalibrate and hopefully I will have a new lease of life next week. But for now, zero fucks. Pardon my French.

Salads:

Mexican beans

Rosemary + garlic rice

Mushroom + tomato pasta

Panzanella

Soup: Spiced vegetable

Sandwich: Roast lamb, Manchego cheese, Red onion relish + dill pickles

Day 803 Frankie says relax

We’re supposedly quieter in August as many go to foreign lands with the hopes of a little R&R. I can’t assume that my work day will be easier because you have days like today when it’s randomly rammed after 3 days of serenity. In saying that i’ve had a great morning banging out sandwiches and 80’s tunes. There’s a stitch of sunshine and i’m content.

Salads:

Coconut curry with sweet potato

Ginger + turmeric rice

Sausage + ham pasta

Chickpea, paneer + potato curry

Soup: Tuscan tomato + red pepper

Day 802 Mother knows best

Mother and I will take on the sandwich section today as we are missing our Portuguese lady. I love working with my Mother (i know, shocking). I’d much rather be told what to do by my her than some random person that thinks that they know better than me, I’m fully accepting that my mother knows more than me. I can say this on here because she doesn’t read my blog.

Salads:

Braised beans + cauliflower

Smoked garlic + chive rice

Tomato + french bean pasta

Cheesy bake

Soup: Med veg + bean

Sandwich: Garlic salami, Fontina cheese, Spicy peach relish + tomato

Day 801 Fresh + clean

I’m wearing fresh trainers today and though I know at some point they’ll get dirty I would like to keep them clean for as long as possible. My morning routine was like a comedy sketch, i’ve nearly dropped multiple items this morning (and made some great saves) the piest de resistance was when I dropped my coffee and went into the splits to avoid the splash back.

Salads:

Moroccan spiced lentils

Sumac rice

Roast squash + rosemary pasta

Aduki bean + tofu concoction

Soup: Sriracha spiced tomato

Day 800 WWYD

What would you do if £10,000 landed in your bank account? It seems the general consensus is keep it and don’t touch it until you’re certain it’s yours. If it’s a clerical error by a huge corporation that make millions a year in profit I see no reason why you shouldn’t reap the rewards of a carless, capitalist society. Cost of living crisis for the many, racketeering and lavish lifestyle for the few.

Salads:

Five spiced aduki beans

Edamame + crispy shallot rice

Mushroom ragu pasta

Pasta bake

Soup: Chickpea + mushroom

Sandwich: Cooked ham, La torta, Jalapeno relish + tomato

Day 799 Hospo hype

We’re catering all day tomorrow but it’s a canape affair so i’m excited. We don’t do pretentious food so when a canape order comes in I get to live my Gordon Ramsey fantasy. There is nothing like the high of hospitality. Everyday is like a sports match, you hype yourself and convince your mind that you’re ready for anything, you are the MVP, the outcome of the shift is on your shoulders. When you are the reason ‘you lose’…devastation.

Salads:

Chickpea curry

Cumin spiced rice

Smokey aubergine + tomato pasta

Spiced fregola salad

Soup: Sweet potato + ginger

Day 798 I walk a lonely road

I walked down the high street at midnight yesterday and it was eerily quiet. The rain has kept the midweek ravers in their burrows. It was a lovely stroll, reminiscent of one of the only covid pros which was the lack of people out and about. I miss walking through the quiet streets of central London. Strange, to miss a time where most people lives were flipped upside-down (negatively).

Salads:

Med veg lentils

Leek + dill rice

Red pepper + tomato pasta

Smokey sausage + potato ting

Soup: Courgette, potato + rosemary

Sandwich: Spicy salami, Taleggio cheese, Chilli relish + tomato

Day 797 Let me sleep

I got home yesterday with a to do list but I was so tired I decided to have a light nap to help get through it. I didn’t have a light nap, I conked out. When I rose from slumber I condemned my mother for letting me sleep. She informed me that she shook me vigorously but I refused to wake up, mother is always right. Anyway, yesterday was a write off.

Salads:

Turmeric roasted courgette + white beans

Sumac rice

Cauliflower + cashew pesto pasta

Beetroot + ricotta salata salad

Soup: Tuscan tomato

Sandwich: Milano salami, Smoked mozzarella, Spicy peach relish + tomato

Day 796 No inspo

Lord give me the strength and inspiration to get through this day. I dislike Tuesday’s, it’s the dullest day of the week. I have a mountain of work to keep me busy but I find myself in the basement staring at my dog just waiting for some kind of energy to spur me on. I will now return to shop floor in the hope that something will pep me up.

Salads:

Chilli non carne

Spinach + herb rice

Sausage + ham ragu pasta

Cheesy spinach + crouton bake

Soup: Thai spiced potato

Day 795 Sociology

I had a great weekend, a lot of socialising took place. I feel i’m bad at first impressions. We all know i’m a little intense, so i’m trepidatious when first meeting a person but after speaking for a while I can gage if a person can ‘handle’ me. I’m interrogative but that’s just because i’m curious and people can get thrown off by such intrigue into what they view as their boring life.

Salads:

Smokey aubergine + lentils

Garlic + lemon rice

Pea, spring greens + tomato pasta

Thai spiced curry

Soup: Potato, ginger + squash

Sandwich: Pastrami beef, brie, chilli relish + tomato

Day 794 The close

We’ve made it to Friday once again. I’ve had a surprisingly pleasant week so i’m going into the weekend with a smile on my face. I keep getting asked when we’re closing. If you’re new to the deli you won’t know that we use to close for the whole of August, don’t fear my darlings, this is no longer the case. However, we will be closed from September 25th to October 16th. So you will be deliless at some point but for now buon appetito!

Salads:

Thai spiced coconut curry + mung bean

Tofu + crispy shallot rice

Super green pasta

Bacon + egg salad

Soup: Tuscan tomato + roast pepper

Day 793 Set free to die

We’ve been blessed with quiet mornings recently, but today we’ve been rammed and i’m already spent. I made friends with a butterfly and then set it free to spread it’s wings, probably dead by now. I need another coffee to get through this day, it’s gonna be a big one.

Salads:

Med veg chickpeas

Spinach + herb rice

Cauliflower + cashew pesto pasta

Panzanella

Soup: Lightly spiced brown lentil

Day 792 Changing climate

I walked to work in the rain this morning and it looks like i’ll be walking home with the sun shining. Temperamental weather but what would you rather this, or what Europe is dealing with at the moment? 45 degrees?! No thank you. Thank God we left the EU.

Salads:

Peri peri cauliflower + split peas

Ginger + turmeric rice

Roast vegetable ragu pasta

Sausage + potato concoction

Soup: Cumin roasted tomato, leek + potato

Sandwich: Garlic salami, Pecorino cheese, Spicy peach relish + tomato

Day 791 Tour de F*ck off

I want to rant about cyclist and their d*ckhead tendencies but i’m sure many of you will try and find the flaws in my arguments. I get it, cycling is better for the environment, good for human health and it’s an efficient way of getting from A to B. However, millions have been spent in an attempt to make London roads better for cyclists and they are. So why can’t these Tour de France wannabe’s just stay in their lane?! I should be watching out for BMW drivers and a cheeky Prius but instead I have to keep an eye on a padded lycra ass wearing air pods.

Salads:

Moroccan spiced lentils

Sumac + preserved lemon rice

Flat bean. tomato + basil pasta

Black bean mix up

Soup: Sweet potato + ginger

Sandwich: Fennel salami, Provola cheese, Onion relish + tomato

Day 790 How to train your dragon

Teaching something that is second nature to you is bloody difficult. It’s day one and I already hate the sound of my voice! ‘Do as I do’ is the technique we’re trying today, that’s all well and good when traffic is slow but when the hoards start coming the mayhem will too. I’m optimistic, I just have to find the words to use because it seems I have the tendencies to speak in sound effects…

Salads:

Mexican beans

Sriracha rice

Mushroom ragu pasta

Oriental stew with tofu

Soup: Lightly spiced vegetable

Day 789 Ode to Dragon

It’s Dragon’s last day. Not all good things last forever and I knew this day would come but it doesn’t make it any easier. My right hand woman, gone. She was there when I started and unknowingly she’s taught me so much, even though I’m her manager. We should all be grateful for her presence over the years because without her i’d probably still be telling customer’s to go f*ck themselves without a punchline. Here’s to the least fire breathing member of staff. We will miss you.

Salads:

Five spice vegetables + bean

Miso, ginger + carrot rice

Leek, black olive + tomato

Korean spiced rice noodles with crab stick

Soup: Tuscan tomato

Day 788 Misery

I’m so vacant minded today and I fear it’s coming across like i’m sad. I’m not sad, just docile. I need lunch rush to come and pump me up because ya gurl has got work to do and many mouths to feed. I’ve written out multiple posts this morning and deleted them all because they come across miserable. Maybe it’s because it’s Dragon’s penultimate day…

Salads:

Med veg + green lentils

Lemon, garlic + rosemary rice

Sausage + ham ragu pasta

Baked veggie pasta

Soup: Lightly spiced lentil + cauliflower

Sandwich: Milano salami, Smoked mozzarella, Chilli relish + tomato

Day 787 What the flip

Some random guy walked past the deli and flipped our outdoor table with full force. Luckily nothing was damaged, and lucky for the cretin I was in the basement at the time, otherwise I would have flipped the table top that is his head in an attempt to realign his obviously deficient neurons. I joke of course. I do not condone any acts of violence, I promise.

Salads:

Rainbow pepper + rosecoco beans

Rainbow rice

Roast squash + tomato pasta

Lightly spiced cracked wheat salad

Soup: Spinach, potato + cumin

Day 786 Tight

I slept in a stupid position last night and now my neck is tight, I keep stretching it out and I look possessed. Like when Barty Crouch Jr. impersonated Mad-eye Moody and then before he morphed back to reveal who he really was he started twitching and stretching. That’s me. This is particularly unfortunate today as I am training a new staff member.

Salads:

Curried lentils + cauliflower

Peshwari rice (no nuts)

Smokey aubergine + tomato pasta

Sausage + bacon potato braise

Soup: Indian spiced carrot + sweet potato

Sandwich: Napoli salami, Asiago cheese, Chilli relish + tomato