Surf Report

IN GOOD TASTE

Vintage victuals

by Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer nshaffer@timespublications.com

Clockwise from top left: Carrot and coconut lemon cake; Greek gyro, roast beef dip and fettuccine Alfredo; triple-decker turkey and pastrami on rye; roast beef with au jus. Photos by N. Lackey Shaffer

Roxsbury Deli and Grill 443 W. Channel Islands Blvd., Port Hueneme 805-985-2504 www.roxsburygrill.com $5-20

Classics become classic for a reason: Expectations are met to a tee with uncompromising quality. And when it comes to a classic diner, customers expect simple but well-prepared American cuisine (generally of the midcentury variety), vinyl booths, a long counter and an efficient, no-nonsense staff that keeps the coffee pouring.

Roxsbury Deli and Grill is all this and more. From the vintage posters on the wall to the groovy tiger-stripe chairs at the counter to the menu filled with old-fashioned standards like pigs in a blanket, meatloaf, Reuben sandwiches and liver and onions (my mother’s favorite diner order), Roxsbury deli exudes nostalgia.

Having food delivered (thanks, Grubhub) means foregoing the restaurant’s aesthetic charms. But there’s something delightful about having all those retro treats brought right to your door — and no one has to know that you ordered dessert first. Yes, I placed carrot cake, coconut lemon cake and a milkshake in my cart before anything else. Don’t judge.

And while the long list of breakfast items were tempting, I was in the mood for dinner proper. Thus, our order included the triple-decker with roast turkey and pastrami and a roast beef dip — Roxsbury is famous for its sandwiches — plus some fettuccine Alfredo and, because it was there and I love it, a gyro sandwich. Sides included French fries and onion rings.

First thing of note: big portions. One half of the roast beef sandwich would have been plenty to satisfy a single person. The triple-decker turkey and pastrami seemed endless . . . which I guess isn’t a surprise; the size is right in the name. Ditto with the pasta; the gyro is a little more reasonable. I dig leftovers, so no complaints here, but keep appetite and fridge space in mind when you go to Roxsbury.

We didn’t consume everything in one night but were mostly pleased with what Roxsbury served up. The gyro Every Friday 3 to 7pm

was fabulous; tender and perfectly seasoned beef-lamb mixture served with chopped tomatoes and lettuce on a pillow-soft pita. It was a bit overloaded with tzatziki, if 200 N. 10th Street I’m honest, and maybe a little more meat would have been desirable, but very much appreciated all the same . . . and the only item that was consumed en totale. Roxsbury’s pastrami is glorious — moist, meaty, peppery, sliced thin and charred on the edges; so good (and tasty paired with roast turkey). Next time, I’ll get it “sky high” so I can indulge in all of that pastrami goodness. Because the triple decker, while impressive, is a lot of bread. It’s good bread; a lovely grilled rye. But I felt like the starch overwhelmed the meats and made the overall surf reportCHECK LIST: p phone number is correct p address is correct p expiration date is correct p spelling is correct sandwich rather dry. The roast beef was fantastic, though. Rich and tender, lots of thinly sliced beef, and an au jus that was pure heaven. My husband’s take: Plenty of restaurants serve an au jus that seems artificial; more like warmed-up bouillon. Roxsbury’s au jus appeared to be the real deal, “just like something my Mom would make.” Highly recommended. The pasta — respectable. Plenty of Alfredos tend to be overly creamy or over-sauced. This was neither — the perfect ratio of sauce to fettuccine, with just the right amount of salt and pepper. Nothing earth-shattering; just Tide Table ♦ January 13 - 19 sponsored byPhoto of John Gianelli by Robert Chapman This proof is to check for accuracy and is not intended to show quality of reproduction. PLEASE NOTE: All advertising produced by the production department of Times Media Group, is the copyrighted property of Times Media Group. use other than the placement of advertising in any of Times Media Group’s publications is prohibited without the express consen Times Media Group, plus any applicable fees. Date: ______________________________ Signature: __________________________ p OK to run p OK to run with correction DEADLINE FOR AD CHANGES IS 12:00 NOON THE TUESDAY PRIOR TO THAT ISSUES RELEASE. simple, hearty, well-made Alfredo. Finally, it was time for dessert. And what desserts these Sunrise 7:03 a.m. • Sunset 5:14 p.m. were! Okay…the chocolate milkshake was a little hum1-13 Santa Paula Farmers Market 2x5.7.indd 1 LOW TIDE HIGH TIDE drum (not terrible, but we’ve all had better). But those AM HT PM HT AM HT PM HT cakes— wow. The kind of cakes you’d expect to find in . . . well, a classic diner’s bakery case. Three layers each, Thur ------ ---- 1:48 -0.1 6:07 5.3 8:22 3.2 with each layer well over an inch thick. The carrot cake Fri 12:29 2.5 2:21 -0.4 6:42 5.5 8:57 3.3 was a tad dry, but beautifully spiced, dotted with raisins Sat 1:08 2.5 2:51 -0.6 7:16 5.6 9:26 3.4 and finely chopped nuts (pecans, I think) and iced with a Sun 1:44 2.4 3:22 -0.7 7:50 5.8 9:53 3.5 delectable cream cheese frosting. The coconut cake was Mon 2:18 2.3 3:52 -0.8 8:23 5.9 10:21 3.5 exceptional. Beautifully baked vanilla sponges (a perfect Tues 2:52 2.3 4:22 -0.8 8:56 5.9 10:50 3.6 crumb) were sandwiched with lemon curd and then gen- Wed 3:27 2.2 4:52 -0.7 9:29 5.8 11:21 3.6 erously coated with a coconut frosting. Yum!

Roxsbury Deli and Grill follows in the footsteps of Surf Report: New Northwest ground swell is due Friday the great diners of yesteryear. The food is familiar, tra- and into the weekend. ditionally prepared and served in ample portions. The decor is throwback chic at its best. And even the desserts Shopvss.com Free shipping with a $30 purchase, use code: freeship$30 are a (sizable) slice of delicious nostalgia. A true classic, 88 e. thompson blvd. ventura 805-643-1062 venturasurfshop.com top to bottom . . . and that will never go out of style.