Richard M.
Yelp
My wife and I live in Quail Valley on the far west side of Menifee from Hemet ( about 18 miles away from Downtown Deli ), and we've been going to this deli once a month for over two years because they make the best deli sandwiches around [ at least, that we know of ].
I very seldom leave reviews, good or bad, but our visit, yesterday, was just so strangely bad -- not from a sandwich point of view .. but from a waaayyy out-of-the-norm "customer service" point of view -- that, after half a day later of not being able to get it out of my head, I decided to just go ahead and leave a bad review, just as a way of holding the particular people involved accountable to the public.
And to be fair, I probably should have been giving this place quite a few 5-star reviews over the last two years because their sandwiches are 2nd to none. We usually get there around 2pm, and, besides the great food, all the workers have always been very nice and accommodating.
Yesterday, we went to Downtown Deli and, for the first time, got there later than usual { about 6pm } and ordered our usual: a sandwich combo with a macaroni salad side.
The sandwich was outstanding as usual, but the macaroni salad had a strange "bite" that made it feel like "pins & needles" at the tip of our tongues, much like if you've ever touched your tongue to a 9-volt battery to see if it's still got a charge. The TASTE was fine, but that's the first time it had ever had that "electrical" effect. It wasn't over vinegary or over salty; it was a totally strange physical effect that made both my wife and me go "Wow! What is THAT!".
I described it to one of the helpers who was out on the floor, and she didn't, at all, share my puzzlement that macaroni salad shouldn't do that. I found myself repeating myself like three times as though she must have just missed something that I was trying to convey.
I could tell by her non-reaction that, if I just walked back to my table, that would have been the end of it, so I suggested that she go to the kitchen and try a taste so she'd know what I was talking about. She didn't give any indication that she would, so I asked if I could speak with the manager.
A man, wearing a knitted cap, came out. He didn't introduce himself, so I don't know if he was the manager or not. And, strangely, after telling him about it, I got the same non-response, not even curious as to what I was describing; pretty much, just a dead, emotionless stare, I told my wife, later, I felt like I was talking to Norman Bates just before he was starting to go into one of his psychotic episodes.
I suggested to the man that he try a taste before serving it to anyone else, and he didn't respond that he would or wouldn't. So, I essentially re-emphasized how abnormal it was compared to any macaroni salad that they've ever served us there before, and again, asked him to at least try it so he would know what I'm talking about. He finally commented that he usually doesn't eat macaroni salad.
I was a bit dumbfounded with apparently no one left to appeal to, so I just said "okay" and, very unsatisfactorily, walked away.
I don't care whether the man normally doesn't eat macaroni salad or not! Wouldn't you think that he -- or if he doesn't like mayonnaise, get someone else who -- would at least taste it to see what I'm talking about? .. or even just lie to me and assure me that they would, OF COURSE, check it out? To me, that would be a normal response.
Wow! For that to happen at our favorite sandwich shop! It's been bugging me off-&-on all yesterday evening and then again all this morning, so I wrote this review, hoping I can consider it "dealt with" because I've got other things to think about.
Yes, my wife and I will go back because of their great sandwiches, but it will never be in the evening again.