For lunch, explore Tacoma's new grilled sandwich spots

Everyone needs a grilled sandwich joint in the daily rotation of lunch spots. Restaurants such as Villa Caffe and Imbibery near the Convention Center and the Rosewood Café in Proctor have been my go-to cafes for well-composed, quick and economically priced grilled sandwiches.

This month, I added two new cafes to my grilled sandwich roster: Leila’s Deli near the Tacoma Dome and Rain City Café across from the Tacoma Municipal Building. Both offer hot or cold sandwiches and soups in either sit-down environments or as quick grab-and-go options. Both are recently opened.

LEILA’S DELI

Where: 402 E. 26th St., Tacoma

Information: 253-627-8213 or www.tacomadeli.com

I like walking into a restaurant and asking this question of salads, soups and sandwiches, “Is that house made?” I like it even more when the answer is, “Yes, it is.” A place such as Leila’s that bothers to make its own coleslaw, potato salad, soups and dressings is the sort of place where I want to spend my dwindling dining dollars.

Leila’s Deli is a small, new cafe located steps away from the Tacoma Dome in the downstairs space below Crystal Voyage.

The lunch menu is built around grilled panini sandwiches, but supplemental items – including salads, soups and quiche in a grab-and-go case – make for a quick takeout lunch. A salad bar is laden with fresh produce and house-made salads. I like that they offer deli meats from Boar’s Head, a company known for its quality deli meats, and gluten-free baked goods come from local gluten-free bakery Granny Lala’s.

Grilled specialty sandwiches are built on ciabatta rolls or thick, chewy bread that crisps up nicely in the panini press; or you can go off the DIY specialty menu that lets diners pick breads, meats, cheeses and fillings. Sandwiches are $7.50 each and come with a side of mild and creamy house-made slaw or potato salad with equally mild flavor and fresh snap. Add a cup or bowl of house-made soup or chili for $3-$4.

The New York panini was a saucy number with blue cheese dressing spilling out both sides of the springy, lightly grilled ciabatta. Sliced chicken breast held just a tease of buffalo hot sauce around the outer edges and a tangle of caramelized sweet onions added a subtle sweetness that contrasted nicely with the peppery bite of arugula. Nice flavors, and not muddled.

The turkey Bella panini came on airy, grill-kissed bread with a heavy helping of sundried tomatoes and pesto (one of few things not house made at Leila’s) with an impressive three layers deep of sliced turkey breast. Mozzarella made an acceptable substitute for the Swiss they had irritatingly run out of, along with roast beef, corned beef and a few other items. (Staff later explained their inventory had been wiped out by a large catering order. Excusable, but still irritating when half the sandwich menu is unavailable.)

On a follow-up visit, the Reuben came on thick marbled rye with corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut. A sweet and tangy Thousand Island annoyingly came on the side. Couldn’t the sandwich have come pre-assembled? A Philly was hearty and thick, but purists will be disappointed with the roast beef substitution for chopped steak. They got the sautéed peppers and onions just right. Both sandwiches on that visit could have used more grill time.

Soups are made from scratch every day. On one visit, a navy bean was watery, but thick with flavor. Bobbing in the broth were large chunks of Black Forest ham swimming with bits of carrots, onions, celery and creamy navy beans. On another visit, a beefy vegetable soup was chunky with cubes of potatoes, tomatoes, celery and onions in a rich, salty broth.

The deli is small and cute with order-at-the-counter service. High-top tables flank the airy windows. Parking can be tricky on event days at the Dome.

RAIN CITY CAF AND COFFEE COMPANY

Where: 744 Market St., Tacoma

Information: 253-383-2233

Rain City Café is the Tacoma outpost of Seattle’s Mike’s East Coast Panini sandwiches, a wholesaler that supplies hospitals and coffee shops in Seattle with ready-to-grill sandwiches that tasted just like I want them: crisply grilled (but not too crisp) with gooey cheese and layers of meat and flavorful accompaniments.

Rain City Café lists 10 paninis, four of which are vegetarian built either on medium-sliced, sturdy Como bread or panino rolls. Grilled sandwiches are made to order and cost $6.95 each. An everyday special features a sandwich discounted to $5.50.

The East Coast on Como was licked with a garlicky smear of pesto mayo and juicy with Mama Lil’s marinated goathorn peppers. A few layers of provolone glued together the meat: Genoa salami and mortadella, a cured pork sausage that has the texture and flavor of a delicious, salty salami. The chipotle chicken on Como was coated with a thin layer of chipotle-tinged mayo. Sliced chicken breast and melted pepper jack butted against sliced tomatoes, but the promised lettuce was missing.

On a second visit, the Belltown club was meaty thick with ham and turkey and a smear of assertive creamy Dijon then glued together with Swiss. Again missing from the sandwich: mixed greens. What is it with the staff forgetting the veggies? Don’t they know we need our fiber?

For my vegetarian friends, the Gimme the Greek will please a veg-centric palate with tomatoes, onions, cukes and a heavy layer of balsamic-kissed mixed greens. Tapenade made with green and black olives was one-note flavor, as was the mild hummus. Feta was light.

Rain City also offers something I like: Baked goods from Tacoma’s Corina Bakery in the display case, and $2 daily coffee specials from 7-9 a.m. The restaurant also serves soups, but I sampled one on a visit and took a pass on the salty, flavorless soup. They buy the soups prepared, and don’t make them in-house, the counter help told me.

The cafe is warm with a funky, decorative edge. Local artwork is on display, and sturdy wood tables offer plenty of room for lunch meetings. Service is order at the counter, and friendly.

Sue Kidd: 253-597-8270 sue.kidd@thenewstribune.com