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Any way you slice it, deli feels like home By Jennifer Barrs
DINING ON A BUDGET BEARSS SANDWICHES
WHAT: A tiny, bustling deli with few tables and a lively atmosphereWHERE: 807 W. Bearss Ave., Suite C, in north Tampa
HOURS: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
CREDIT CARDS: None
CALL: (813) 961-9486
R E V I E W
TAMPA - Erta Miranda and Jerry Herzog are more than partners in their little sandwich place in north Tampa. They're a behind-the-counter comedy team, serving up silliness with those sandwiches in an atmosphere that is homey, cozy and oddly familiar - it's as if you stumbled into your relatives' kitchen, the ones from the old country.Miranda, you see, is from Chile and Herzog hails from the Czech Republic. And though they interact like a married couple, they aren't. Then again, maybe they are.
``We cannot tell you the truth about that. Just every Tuesday, every Friday, we fool around sometimes,'' deadpans Herzog.
``I stand here every day,'' Miranda says, as she slices into a roll, ``and I'm here so cute and beautiful and sweet and lovable.''
Herzog interrupts, ``I don't even know her.''
``He's always in a bad mood if he doesn't drink enough,'' Miranda giggles.
Miranda adds, ``We like to entertain the customers. They have a problem in their job, they go to eat, we want to make it completely different, make them laugh. They come here for the abuse, not for the food.''
The food is mainly sandwiches, about two dozen combinations, each around $4. Diners get their choice of bread: Cuban, rye, egg bread, wheat, hoagie rolls, pumpernickel and onion rolls. Clearly one of the secrets to the deli's success, the bread is incredibly fresh and thick. Try egg salad on egg bread for one perfect pairing.
Among the more popular are the Cubans ($3.50), which put a twist on tradition - there is no pork. Instead, salami, cheese and ham are the primary ingredients with customers choosing their own fixin's. The meatloaf sandwich ($3.85) isn't quite what mother used to make, either. It includes a three-inch stack of finely sliced veal, pork and beef.
The restaurant also offers a Cordon Bleu sandwich ($4), with a thick, lightly breaded chicken filet, and a Brazil Cariocca ($4), which is a combination of hard salami, ham, American cheese and oregano. Another popular order is the Greek salad ($4.25), with its homemade potato salad. Party platters also are available.
The pair says there are a couple of keys to their success. One is that the meat is freshly cooked, never frozen, Miranda says. And second, every order is made by the owners personally. ``If you own the place, you want to give the best you can to the customers,'' she says.
Dining on a budget
Bearss Sandwiches
