You're weird if you don't like Chuck.

Who is Chuck?

By: BZ

When I was told that I was going to visit Chuck’s Deli in Serendra at Bonifacio Global City I thought I was going to interview a guy named Chuck. I assumed he’s probably a chef –can be half-Filipino but raised abroad, or maybe a complete foreigner. But when I got there and met deli owners Marco and Chef Kat Alcantara, the first question I had in mind was, “Who is Chuck?”

So I tried to learn more about Chuck and the menu says it all –Chuck loves deli sandwiches. He likes his sandwiches to be big not only in size (most are half a kilo), but also in flavor. Chuck seems to be very meticulous with his sandwiches because the variety of breads and ingredients he’s put together all seem to be in perfect harmony when it comes to taste. Reading the menu already made me feel like I’m gaining weight!

Thanks to Marco and Chef Kat, I really felt like I did gain a few pounds after tasting some of Chuck’s sandwiches. The first one that I tried was the Salmon Flatwich The combination of the salmon’s smoky bitterness together with some capers, crème fraiche and arugula in a flattened herbed focaccia bread is a new sensation for me since I don’t really get to have a sandwich as simple and yet sophisticated as this, so it was a good way to begin the whole taste-testing journey.

SUPER LONG hoagie bun for the Philly Cheese Steak

The second sandwich that I had was a good old Philly Cheese Steak subwich. Imagine a long and soft hoagie bun hugging juicy strips of beef, melted cheese with some onions, bell peppers and mushrooms…for the extremely hungry this sandwich is good for you. But if you’re feeling generous, this heavenly sandwich is good enough for two.

Next in line for me was “The Buffy”. I was warned by Chef Kat about this one, because in the middle of two thick slices of ciabatta bread lies ‘the buffy’ or spicy Buffalo chicken with some garlic sauce and coleslaw. The Buffalo chicken was expectedly hot and it was, in its own right, but what made me not finish my share of this huge sandwich was the Chuck’s sauce combined with ‘the buffy’. Chuck’s sauce is made up of really spicy homemade hot sauce and garlic sauce. With Chuck’s Double Fried Fries, this sauce is tolerable –but with ‘the buffy’? Oh it’s a challenge I have yet to overcome! 

The Buffy! REALLY BIG CHUNKS of Buffalo Chicken

And everyone else will soon be able to take on the challenge once Chuck’s “Slay the Buffy” game begins. For fame or for shame, you’ve got to try and slay the buffy at Chuck’s deli or else it’s like you’ve never been to Chuck’s at all.  

California Maki on a bun! YUM!

The Reuben :)

“The Buffy” may have made the foodie in me take a quick break from the whole taste-testing activity but it didn’t stop me from the trying out everything else on the table. The crunchy bread complementing the generous amount of kani, mango, egg, lettuce and wasabi mayo in the California Wacky slabwich reawakened my senses. The tolerable spice and exquisite texture of homemade Angus corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, mustard and Chuck’s sauce in ciabatta bread make up the classic Reuben slabwich.

Jessica’s Melt(down) slabwich redefined what I have always thought a tuna sandwich could ever be with the overflowing tuna chunks, mayo, American cheese, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, Chuck’s sauce and your choice of pickles or jalapeno. And even when I was on the verge of spacing out due to being overstuffed, admittedly I was still able to enjoy one of Chuck’s hefty burgers on poppy and sesame seed-sprinkled buns called The Reudi burger. 

The Reudi Burger. REALLY GOOD.

After all the carbs, I realized that there’s a great reason for the long list of thirst-quenchers in the menu because Chuck’s sandwiches and burgers are best paired with carabao milkshakes made of Arce Dairy ice cream, soda, a bottle of beer, or a glass of wine.

There. I’ve told you about my experience at Chuck’s deli, but yes, I know. The question still remains… Who is Chuck?

Finally, I got to ask Chef Kat who Chuck is and she said, “Chuck is just a single syllable, American-sounding name. We just wanted our customers to have the idea of our deli being a legit American sandwich place.”

And it is true. That is exactly what you can expect because that’s exactly what you’ll get from every flavorful meal at Chuck’s Deli, and I can attest to that!

So whenever you’re craving for some authentic American deli sandwiches and burgers of the best kind, get to know your inner “Chuck” and simply indulge at Chuck’s Deli!

 http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2011/january/26/lifestyle1.isx&d=2011/january/26