More Fun Playing With Food From Appetite Deli and Bakery

I have an unfortunate tendency to take Appetite Deli & Bakery for granted. Located just a short walk or drive from the office, it is often our "go to" - such that I seldom grab my camera. And when I looked, and realized how long it has been since I wrote about them - well, shame on me! Because Appetite is a true gem of a breakfast and lunch joint.

As noted on their website, "Bennett & William Davis, both alums of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, launched Appetite on October 23, 2006." Since then, Bennett has been providing savory breads and amazing sweets, and William has shined as the Deli Lama - coming up with daily sandwich creations and soups that show off his love of playing with food.

I've got a collection of photos going back many months - so without a lot of explanation - here's some of the food we've played with at Appetite!


Caprese Grill on Bennett's Sourdough

Fresh mozzarella, spinach, tomatoes, pesto, grilled. This is one of my "go-tos" in summer, when the tomatoes are grand.


Turkey BLT on Bennett's Baguette


Egg Salad & Cheese on Bennett's Rye



I love the egg salad - first, because there is no celery in it, and second, because there is red onion!


Cobb Salad

Mixed greens, tomato, avacado, bacon, Blue cheese, turkey - yum!


The Brieze

Well - not exactly - instead of smoked ham, I had turkey. Brie, apple slices, mayonnaise, mustard, spinach and onions completed this sandwich, which looks to be on Bennett's rye.




Cobb Salad - with house made roast beef this time


Vegetable Soup w/Posole

This was an inspired creation!



Roast Beast

House made roast beef, cheddar, onions, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and horseradish on Bennett's whole wheat bread - yum!






Lenten Friday Fish Lunch

During the Lenten season, Will does a fish sandwich on Friday - I was very impressed with this (and I really didn't expect to be impressed, because these kinds of fish dishes usually don't do much for me).

Will made this the Daily Sandwich Special. Every day, Will offers a great lunch special: full sized sandwich, deli side (or chips or cup of soup) and dessert (though I usually get a fresh brewed ice tea instead) for $6.50. That is a lunch value that can't be beat!

My deli side here was the broccoli salad, which is one of my favorites.



Instead of the ubiquitous fry, Will cooked the fish to order in a saute pan, with seasonings instead of breading. A lovely house-made relish was under the fish, and tomato and cheese on top. I enjoyed mine on Bennett's fabulous baguette.


Another soup - probably split pea.


Another Will-creation

House made corned beef, turkey, tomato, cheese, and a custom dressing all grilled down on rye. MMMmmm.


House Made Macaroni Salad


Cupcakes!


Chicken Salad with Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato on Wheat

An inspired improvement on the BLT.



During Passover, I enjoyed this lovely salad, topped with tuna and chicken salad, and accompanied by Will's Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette.



Anna had no bread restrictions, and enjoyed this sandwich special with ham, turkey cheese, apple, and a side of broccoli salad.


Macaroons

Bennett made the most fabulous Macaroons this year! They can now be found in the pastry case most of the time.



I didn't take the camera again until June 15!


Corned Beef & Turkey on Bennett's Croissant

They let Bernie do his own variation on the Daily Sandwich Special (he mostly left things off). I, of course, had to try it the way the Chef intended it:


Daily Special

Corned Beef, Turkey, Tomato, Red Onion, Havarti Cheese, Thousand Island Dressing grilled on Bennett's rye. Yummers! Even though I would normally never consider eating cheese with corned beef - I gotta say that this combination really won me over.


Pasta Pesto Side Salad

House made, of course. And most delicious.





Thank goodness I hadn't looked down at the pastry case before ordering lunch (and taking Iced Tea instead of a sweet). But Bernie insisted I taste his - we both agree - Bennett makes the best darn cupcakes, period. And he samples them wherever he goes, and this is his opinion.



Finally, to wrap this post up, lunch from Thursday June 18. I was craving pizza, but sort of in a hurry, and I wanted something I could get quickly and eat at my desk. As I started my car, it hit me - Bennett's foccacia bread! I hadn't had that in months - and it would slake the pizza need.


Cheese and Caramelized Tomato Foccacia Bread

William cut my loaf in quarters and warmed it in the oven for me. Together with freshly brewed Tazo ice tea, this made a perfect on-the-run lunch!



I marveled at the incredible texture and mouthfeel of the tomatoes - lets face it, really good tomatoes are still some weeks away. But these had gotten wonderfully chewy and sweet. And the crust was delightful - crisp on the bottom, but fluffy and toothy in the middle.



We are truly lucky to have some wonderful lunch places in and near Lyndhurst - but my go to remains Appetite, where much is made from scratch (no - not everything - but if that matters to you and you ask - Will and Bennett will steer you in the right direction), and all is made with care. Now, if I could just remember to bring my camera, and keep track of how often I've written about them!

 

Fun Playing with Lunch at Appetite

My business office is located near the intersection of Mayfield and Richmond Roads, in Lyndhurst Ohio. Lyndhurst is a small town sandwiched (you should pardon the expression) between Euclid to the West and Mayfield Heights to the East.

For years, 5143 Mayfield Road, a short walk from the office, held Broadway Bagels. Broadway Bagels, in three or four locations, brought a taste of a New York Bagel Store to the East Side of Cleveland. For whatever reasons, however, the Bagel Stores became run down, and one by one they closed (except for the Solon location, which was sold to several former employees and continues making delightful bagels as "D&R Bagels").

My office-mates and I had stopped patronizing the Mayfield Road bagel store, because, shall we say, it just ran down a little too far for our tastes.

Then, in the fall of 2006, Bennett Davis, acclaimed CIA-trained pastry chef at Moxie, teamed up with his fellow CIA graduate brother William, to open Appetite in this location. They scrubbed the space from top to bottom, and replaced a lot of the overly worn equipment. In this revived space, they operate a delightful bakery and deli (and also do catering on and off site). We are "regulars" there now, but somehow, I always forgot to bring my camera. Until today!


The Order Counter

Orders may be placed, and are paid for, across from this beautiful Garland range. Note the two pots of house-made soup (todays were Clam Chowder and, I think, Beef Barley). One of my pet peeves about getting soup is that it is never held hot enough - but by keeping the pots directly on the flame, William has it always piping hot at service, and it stays that way long enough to be enjoyed at that temperature all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

After ordering, I wandered down to the bakery section.


EPI Bread

This is my favorite of Bennett's breads.


Focaccia Bread

Today was my first taste of this delicacy - and it was wonderfully good!


White, Wheat and Rye Breads


Pastry Galore!


Cookies

On to the other end of the counter - bowls and bowls of made-from-scratch salads!


Front Left - Macaroni-Pesto; Rear Left - Traditional Macaroni Salad, Rear Right - Traditional Potato Salad, Front Right - Potato Salad with Bacon


Front Left - Pasta Salad with Olives and Salumi, Rear Left - Broccoli/Raisin Salad, Rear Right - Fresh Cole Slaw, Front Right - Cous Cous Salad


Front Left - Greek Salad, Rear Left - Pea & Ham Salad, Right Rear - Fresh Fruit Salad

So - what to choose for lunch? All of the lunch salads - tuna, egg, tofu, chicken, etc. are made in-house. The Roast Beef and Corned Beef are also made in house - and William tells me that house-made Turkey is coming soon!

Will calls himself "The Deli Lama" - and the title is most deserved! Every day, Will creates a lunch special - an original sandwich, choice of side, plus a cookie or pastry. All of this for only $6-$7 - such a deal!

Today's special sounded so good, both Anna and I ordered it - BLT (featuring Applewood Smoked Bacon) on Focaccia Bread.


Lunch Special w/Macaroni Pesto Salad and a Pickle Spear


Lunch Special with Cous Cous Salad (hold the pickle)


Mmmmm - Bacon!

Actually, we were both making very happy, satisfied sounds as we ate these sandwiches - I don't usually like my bacon this crisp, but somehow, it all came together perfectly in taste and texture. And the bread - it was simply heavenly - cheesey, olive-oily and tomatoey - all at the same time.

I enjoyed mine with the house-brewed iced tea, which is also most refreshing and delicious. Anna opted for DDP (Diet Doctor Pepper).

Neither of us finished our dessert - Anna wrapped hers up right at the start:


Cheese Danish

I neglected to get a photo of my Cinnamon Bun before cutting it - Anna was regaling me with tales of how fabulous they are. I don't often get excited about desserts. I appreciate them and eat them - but seldom do they "wow" me. Well, I admit - this "wowed" me - not only was it the best Cinnamon Bun I've ever tasted - it was up there with being one of the best pastries I've ever tasted!


Cinnamon Bun, cut in half

It has gotten to the point where we (and some other folks in this neighborhood, I think) have taken Appetite for granted - it is truly a little gem of a deli holding out against the numerous chains that abound nearby, and also competing with a few very good mom-and-pop type places. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and give them a try - you'll have fun with real food made by real people and served with a smile.