JJ D.
Yelp
Atmosphere: Ideal's is a small grocery shop/deli in Durham with a quaint and homely vibe. There is not much space in the store, and some seating is available outside.
Service: We got in line at around 12:30, waited 30 minutes to order, and received our food in 30 minutes. The restaurant was understandably busy, but beware of longer waits for your food especially during peak lunch time.
Food: We ordered Uncle Primo's Chicken Cutlet and the Philly Roast Pork Sandwich, both on a hoagie. The hot, fresh, and soft bread was the perfect vehicle for both sandwiches since it wasn't too dense. Uncle Primo's Chicken Cutlet was the best sandwich we've had in Durham, and one of the best sandwiches we've ever had. The chicken cutlet was crispy and juicy, the prosciutto and mozzarella added even more savoriness to the sandwich, and the loads of arugula made the sandwich fresh and bright. The Chicken Cutlet Sandwich was perfectly constructed and each of its components were balanced in every bite. However, we were less impressed with the Philly Roast Pork Sandwich, which in addition to the pork, consisted of broccoli rabe, sharp provolone, and roasted garlic mayonnaise. Our experience with the Philly Roast Pork was rather an uneventful one and we struggled to finish the hoagie. We found this sandwich to be too salty - mainly from the pork and the broccoli rabe - and meat heavy. This may be a plus to some though!
Overall: We'd give the Chicken Cutlet sandwich a 5 and the Philly Roast Pork sandwich a 3, bringing our average to a 4. Despite the longer wait for our food, we'd say that this wait is worth your time to be able to try some solid sandwiches. We definitely plan on coming back to try their other offerings!