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Paradiso Deli (Deli cuisine) $

791 Auzerais Ave, San Jose, 95126 (Directions)

408-295-6459

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Sandwiches, meatballs, spaghetti in this classic cafe
Reviewer: Jason Total Reviews: 1020 Reviewed: 6/21/2005 Rating: 8 My photo gallery	I saw a review of Paradiso Deli a couple of months back and been curious to pay a visit for their meatball sandwiches. It was our good luck we went their on a Monday...apparently, they are closed on Sundays and Mondays. We werent going to give up that easily and hit it up the next day for lunch. Paradiso Deli looks very old on the outside and in a neighborhood that time forgot. If you have trouble finding it, just look for the nearby Del Monte water tower. Walked inside, I was kinda confused on where to order. It looks like there are 2 counters. I think the 1st one is for deli sandwiches and if you walk further back, you'll see the hot food behind the counter. From what I saw on tv, it looks like the owner and his wife were behind serving up the food. Talk about your real MOM and POP business...this is it, it doesnt get anymore authentic. These are the places that serve something unique that you cant get anywhere else. I love supporting places like this. I went for the meatball sandwich and root beer for about $7. It was a nice day outside and we couldve sit in the sun but we went for the dark dining room filled with antiques from long long ago. I swore I saw a can of peaches from 40 years ago. I wonder what the fruit looks like? There was sooo much stuff in room, it kept us busy while we ate. Lets get to my sandwich. The meatballs are served on this big piece of bread served in a paper tray. He places the tray in a steamer and thats it. bread - kind of like a mini french roll, probably homemade or made at a bakery. I dont think you can get this at the stores. Oddly enough, it tasted like a big loaf of wonderbread. It was ok sauce - very tangy, not too sweet, light on the herbs, just the right amount of sauce. meat - for meatballs these things are huge. I would describe they were more like small burger patties. texture was mushy, I have no idea how they cook these things. Well, the meatball sandwich was a lot different than I thought it was going to be. It wasnt a long toasted french roll, with round meatballs, oozing with mozzerella cheese, and herb rich sauce...it was more like a sloppy joe? Overall I thought the sandwich was just average but I liked the entire dining experience. This is the type of cooking that time forgot, it doesnt taste like pre-packaged dishes and most likely recipes that havent changed for decades. Paradiso Deli is a rare find and definitely worth a visit.

Reviewer: Terry Total Reviews: 738 Reviewed: 6/21/2005 Rating: 7 My photo gallery	Paradiso came in as a wishlist request and I was a bit excited to try out an old classic family-owned deli. I was expecting something like La Villa deli. The place was full of memories. I could have spent the entire afternoon walking around in there looking at the Americana history encases in this establishment. It is located out of an old house that has been here for a LONG time. Little to no changes in the place. It smelled a lot like history. It reminded me a lot of my grandparents house in my memories. Really brought me back. Anyway, it was a bit confusing figuring out how to order, where to stand in line, etc. Finally figured it out and went to place my order. Not many non-meat items here, aside from salads. So I went with some meat raviolis and spaghetti with meat sauce. The dish was not overly large, and included salad and french bread. It came out to about $12. Ouch. Lot of money for not so much food. I didn't leave stuffed. With a drink, I definitely blew my lunch budget for the week. If the food was absolutely fantastic, it would have been worth it. Sadly, it was not. The food was strictly by the numbers, stick to your ribs, italian fare. Nothing to make me want to return. The location was the best part of the experience.


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