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Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Datz Deli: First look
Posted by Brian Ries on Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 10:59 AM
With cool, high-end joints like Ocean Prime and Aquaknox opening in recent weeks, it seems a little strange that a place like Datz Deli is consuming the attention of many Bay area foodies. Actually, considering the economy -- and Tampa's distinct lack of big-time New York-style delis -- maybe that's not so surprising after all.
By all accounts, Datz's opening last week was madhouse. Yesterday, though, they started doing table service, so I popped in for a look (and a couple overstuffed sandwiches, of course).
Although bustling, the place was not nearly the chaotic press it was reported to be last week thanks to the new table service initiative. Most of the crowd was in the giant upstairs loft space, sitting at tables. When you first walk in, you're confronted with shelves full of wine, a cold case stocked with a decent selection of cheese, a countertop absolutely laden with legs of prosciutto and iberico ham that have already been hacked into, and a profusion of high-end foodstuffs. And plenty of samples, from housemade desserts to slice of cured meat.
I tried what seemed to be caramel, but turned out to be "geitost," and odd little cheese made from goat and cow's milk, and a bunch of other tasty tidbits. And then I went back for seconds. And thirds. I had a lot of time on my hands after placing my order.
I'm not going to tear into Datz, primarily because the place is rather cool and unique in the Bay area. And it just opened, so the restaurant gets another few weeks to get its act together before I hit for a review. But, there are a few points to keep in mind if you head over there for an early go:
- It opened too early. Although staffed with an immense number of people, it's clear that Datz's operating systems are either still in development, or not yet ingrained in the staff.
- Drink up. You will not find another "deli" within a hundred miles that has a better selection of beer and wine. The upstairs area even has a bar built in.
- Datz isn't a deli. Order one of the many interesting sandwich concoctions off the menu and you're fine. Try to make your own, and the guy at the counter will likely get flustered and, in my case, get the simple order wrong.
- Datz is pricey. You'll be spending $10 on a sandwich. It does come with chips, much of the meat is cooked in-house and the sammies are damn tasty, but be aware.
- Overstuffed? Kinda. The classic, mile-high meat of NY delis makes an appearance, but usually only on certain sandwiches, like the corned beef. Most others I tried were surprisingly dainty.
- Datz cold brews its iced coffee. The stuff is fabulous, brews for over 12 hours, and is scented with the minutest hint of vanilla. Best iced coffee in Tampa.
- Hiccups are prevalent. Those homemade chips are thin, crispy, and stay fresh on a drive back to the office, but we had several order coated in granulated sugar. Yep, someone mixed up the salt and sugar in the kitchen.
- Prepare to wait. It took a little over 30 minutes to get four sandwiches out of the kitchen (admittedly, it was the Noon rush). I expect that'll get better as the crew gets the hang of it.
Comments (11)
Showing 1-11 of 11
As the person whose sandwich was the one that Datz screwed up, I must say I was less than impressed. The sugar on the chips was pretty funny as well. And for the record, the complicated substitution that caused so much trouble: I ordered a turkey sandwich on pumpernickel, with mustard, mayo and cheddar. That's it. What I got was what I ordered plus heaping spoonfuls of guacamole and coleslaw ON THE SANDWICH! That's quite an error, wouldn't you agree? Still, I'm trying to be understanding. Everyone needs time to find their groove, and Datz did just open. I'm sure the new staff was overwhelmed, as the place was a mob scene. Side note: Parking is a nightmare. I saw one guy stop his pickup truck in the middle of side-street — in a lane of traffic — get out, lock the doors and head into the deli! I admire your balls, sir. I also admire my self control, because I was tempted to walk over and introduce my sharpest key to every flat surface of the truck. I didn't. But I still said a short prayer to Mars asking for a runaway dump truck to use that side street as an escape route. Despite all this, I will definitely give Datz another chance, if only because I think the place has great potential. The presentation is nice (I absolutely love the cardboard packaging the sandwiches come in), and if we can get some salt on those chips they might be spectacular! So, see you soon, Datz. Just not at the lunch hour.
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I did take-out on Friday (1/30) and was thoroughly impressed. The Smokin' Suz (#35) was entirely too much for just lunch, so I stretched it into my dinner, too. I even had them substitute rye for the country white it comes with and got exactly what I ordered. I'd be remiss as a beer snob if I didn't mention the impressive beer selection Datz has assembled. They had me at Lagunitas. Datz is the closest thing South Tampa has to Mazzaro's. I'm sure once they get their systems down, they'll be rocking. My advice to those who might be frightened by the high prices: BRING A FRIEND! If a big-boy like me can stretch a sandwich into two meals, two people can stretch into one lunch. Bon Appetit!
Here are a couple of other items that I learned after I wrote this post: Datz has something like 1700 wines available, 30-40 wines by the glass, and an in-house sommelier. A lot of the product they serve is sourced from artisanal producers from around the country, down to the ham and grits. I haven't actually seen the wine list yet, but could a "deli" have one of the best wine lists in Tampa? Maybe.
exactly not a deli order a simple plain pastrami? can't do it, gotta order from the board overpriced? you bet! went to too jay's instead
As the crazy person who *ate* the other sandwich that was incorrectly made, it actually wasn't half bad. Admittedly, after the initial bite the coleslaw had to go, but the guacamole was a surprisingly tasty addition to the sandwich. The sugar-chips, however... Strange. Still, I'd eat there again as the turkey was moist and delicious, and the pumpernickel had an excellent texture. But much like Joe, I'll be avoiding the lunch-hour for now.
the wine selection is due in part to the owner of the former Charlies in Whaley's Plaza finding a new partnership to continue his love of the juice.
I believe the potato chips were supposed to have sugar on them. I dined there last night and there was sugar on the chips. I thought they were delicious. My chips were balanced out with salty and sweet so the overall effect was pretty tasty. I had the crab cake sandwich (it had some ridiculously kitchy name.) It was worth the $13. The portions are huge--the one sandwich spanned two meals. My belly told me it was cost effective. Datz will be a dinner place for me. I'm a student and a server--money's tight and $10-15 for a lunch is a lot. However, dinner for two under $25 isn't that bad. Also, the dinner crowd will be thinner than the lunch crowd. And most importantly, the sandwich is the greatest invention of mankind and should not be relegated to just lunch. I agree that the service is slow and it seems that the systems in place have not been perfected. However, the server at the counter was extremely personable and offered us a sample of their deli salads. The potato salad was amazing and we were gastronomically obligated to purchase a tub of it. (I think their potato salad is better than Wright's...that says A LOT.) The long waiting time for two sandwiches gave us just enough time to look around at everything. The beer is amazing. They have Samichlaus and a lot of Stone beers! I usually have to drive to the Oldsmar Tap House for those! And the beer prices are very reasonable. ($8 for a 750ml of Chimay Red.) I did order my aoili on the side and while it was not on my sandwich, it was missing altogether. It was forgivable, the sandwich was wonderful without it. I'm sure it was due to the general newness of the staff. Also, have you folks ever worked in a restaurant? Custom orders, even however simple, can be a pain to communicate to the kitchen (especially if both parties are busy.) This isn't a traditional deli and shouldn't be marketed as such. It seems to be set up like a restaurant with a face of a deli. Plus, the way POS systems are set up now, it can be a pain to enter in a custom order. Your counter guy probably put in a similar style sandwich into the POS and modified its ingredients, however forgot there was guacamole and slaw on the sandwich. It doesn't make it acceptable that it was so wrong, but with the recent opening of this place, it is understandable. For a sandwich over $10, you should be happy with the end result. I'm sure if you contacted a manager, they would have fixed the problem. Once the servers learn what's on the sandwich, how to communicate to the kitchen, and how to do both efficiently, I'm sure this place will be awesome. Lastly, Dietary and allergy issues aside, it is my inane opinion that the first time you eat at a new concept, try something on menu. If you don't like it, modify away the next time (or don't go back). I'm a habitual modifier and there is nothing wrong with that. I'm a hard-core lactard who doesn't eat red meat or pork products (unless they are particularly tasty); I'm one of those people who "shouldn't go out to eat." However, I try to stick to the flavor combinations picked out by people who spent so much time creating them--even at a deli.
Datz simply doesn't have it's act together. Mixing deli food and a wine bar doesn't work, so if they plan to be open for dinner, they need to have a "dinner" menu, along with some items that complement wine. They were so overwhelmed, they presented diners with an "abbreviated menu". The sandwiches are not "special" enough for their pricey tags and the sugar on the potato chips needs to be disclosed on the menu for dietary reasons. The breakfast prices are ridiculous. Datz needs to refine its focus..is it a beer and wine bar, or a deli and get it's act together. Service is terrible...after the intial rush and the newness wears off, the bad service, bad parking and high prices will send people back to their "usual" lunch spots.
A little clarification from someone who is PROUD to be part of the Datz family -- the chips that everyone is commenting on are prepared exactly the way they're supposed to be, with a unique mix of sea salt and sugar to provide that salty-sweet taste. So, that is NOT a mistake. As for the long wait times the first week or so, all of us Datz were WELL aware of it and are working extremely hard to make sure that is not an ongoing situation. We all trained and prepared long and hard for our grand opening, including mock-service days, input to the ownership, etc., etc., etc. However, no matter how much you try to prepare and have all your systems in place, when the real world hits and you have the huge numbers of people all appear practically at the same time on your first few days of being open, there are simply things that are going to happen. The owners and management have taken great care in correcting a lot of initial issues, streamlining the menu, improving communications between floor and kitchen staff, and whatever else needed to be done to make Datz the best place possible for casual dining in South Tampa, and we are doing better and better everyday! Come, relax, and enjoy! If you haven't been there yet, you're in for a treat. If you were there the first few days and got frustrated, come on back. Again...you're in for a treat! If there's some way we can improve, please let us know while you're there. We are serious about being the best!
So much great food, so little time....My dining experience at Datz Deli, in May, 2009, was stellar. There was careful attention paid to the quality of the food, which was prepared with a variety of unique touches. I am currently craving the curry chicken salad platter that was a party in my mouth. The curry was vibrant, with large chunks of chicken, mixed with a sprinkling of dried currants. A crispy mix of fresh greens was served between two huge piles of the chicken. The homemade mango dressing was another pleasant surprise. The slice of fresh grilled pineapple was the perfect finish. Speaking of desserts....The banana cake was exquisite. Surprisingly, this confection was not terribly sweet, with a refreshing whipped cream-based icing, moist cake, and loaded with chunks of banana. Those in my party ordered some of the Spanish-oriented daily special entrees, which received lots of raves, too. The portions were very generous. Oh, don't forget the beverages. My delightful wine was accurately described on the menu. Try the "layer cake malbec", a red wine, from Argentina, with a distinctive chocolate undertone. There was a large selection of premium hot teas, too. I can't compliment the wait staff enough. Our server was pleasant and attentive, as were the eager staffers behind the counters, who seemed to have personal pride in their products. To top it all off, there was pleasant live guitar music, to set the mood, for the evening. What more could anyone expect? I can't wait to go back and try the carrot cake and get some more curry chicken. I highly recommend Datz Deli as an interesting new dining destination, in Tampa. Considering the portions and quality, our selections were well worth the price. I hope Datz will be around for a long time.
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