By Jon Gomez
gomezjon@grinnell.edu
A few weeks ago, Jarrod Daniel Diem opened up his very first sandwich shop, Jay’s Deli, in the backroom of Saints Rest that many may remember being named “1854 Deli” before closing earlier this fall. Diem is very familiar with the space according to his account. “I was the original manager for 1854 Deli and I left so I could work at Westside Family Restaurant. When 1854 closed, I decided that I wanted to come back and do my own thing here. So, I have been bringing a mix of tradition back here with some of 1854 and some of the other sandwiches that I added, like the deli cold cut sandwiches,” Diem stated. These additional sandwiches include the cold cut deli meat sandwiches that are served freshly sliced on a newly purchased deli slicer.
While cold cut style sandwiches will be emphasized as a unique style added to the menu at Jay’s Deli, Diem is excited to display his delicious selection of homemade soups. “I might be running one to two soups a day. All the soups are homemade. Today we had Baked Potato soup, it’s vegetarian. I like to run a vegetarian soup a lot of times. Then I also had the chili which is not vegetarian. I like to have a tomato and/or meat option and also a vegetarian creamy soup,” Diem said.
Along with sandwiches, Diem mentioned a charcuterie tray containing nuts, dried fruits, meats and cheese for customers looking for a meal with less bread. Jay’s deli will also be offering a vegan option of homemade hummus that can be served with a vegetable tray. A familiar item that will be continued from 1854 Deli is the grilled cheese sandwich. “People are slowly learning that any sandwich you want, I can always grill it on the panini … People are very excited about the ‘Mario’ because it has pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers, which blends flavors very well with mozzarella or pepper jack cheese. ‘Super Cheese’ is a four-cheese grilled cheese but it’s on a sub bread with garlic olive oil. Those are the little small tweaks and stuff, but right now through the winter, we are going to try and emphasize the grilled cheese sandwiches and the soups. Then when summer comes we will start looking into salads,” Diem explained.
Diem hopes that Jay’s Deli will serve as a place where everyone is welcome and can grab a quick sandwich to-go or for a delicious break from working in Saints Rest. As a self-proclaimed sandwich lover, this is a dream business for Diem. Jay’s Deli will be open Monday thru Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will also be providing catering services.
