San Anselmo's D.G. Cafe (Delicatessen)
9/10: Nice people serving very good sandwiches
Sandwiches taste better when someone else makes them for you, according to a 2013 study by Carnegie Mellon University. That's because when you make your own sandwich, you sort of already know how it's going to taste – your brain treats it as "known information" instead of a delightful and satisfying surprise. By the time you take your first bite, it’s like taking your fifth bite. According to the study, “The sandwich that another person prepares is not 'pre-consumed' in the same way." This is one of the reasons people love delicatessens.
As I watched D.G. Cafe owner Clive Nisse make my roast beef sandwich, I thought I could imagine how it would taste. And honestly, I was a little skeptical that it would be any good. From where I was standing, it looked completely straightforward. Tomato. Shredded lettuce. Red onions. Roast beef. Cream cheese. “Bummer,” I thought. I’ll tell you more about how wrong I was a little later. But first Clive’s story… which he told me as I watched him work.
Clive grew up in England watching his mum cook with a certain inquisitiveness. He loved cooking enough to enroll in culinary school. Like Steve Franchetti of Bruno’s in San Rafael, Clive has always been in the food business – specifically the bakery side. He was the GM of Starter Bakery for four years and had leadership roles at Rustic, City Baking Co., Il Fornaio, Noe Valley Baking Co., and Au Bon Pain. So, like Steve, he knows what he’s doing. In his case, he especially knows what he’s doing with bread.
Also like Steve, Clive has wanted to open a delicatessen for some time. And last year, as yet another new wave of COVID-19 washed over us, a food-service-ready spot opened up on San Anselmo Avenue in the heart of the town’s retail district - about a mile from his house. He could have put $100K into getting the spot exactly how he wanted it, but that would have taken a year. So he jumped right into the space and revved up the business, hiring his two teenage daughters to help him out on occassion.
Not great timing, as it turned out – as the pandemic has continued to rage and the delta variant is only just now starting to level off (thanks in part to the huge, vocal population of self-centered, fact-averse idiots who don’t like to be told what to do). But when Clive started the business in October 2020, we were all very hopeful that the vaccine would sort out the virus and we’d be back to flying, picnicking, shopping, and congregating en masse by summertime 2021. Alas, like most places on San Anselmo Ave, it’s still fairly slow at D.G. Cafe and, as he confided, that has taken a toll on Clive’s mental state.
The Sandwhich
In addition to offering customers the “create-your-own” option (something I don’t want to do when I open my deli but may have to due to its popularity), Clive has seven sandwich concepts on the menu. He came up with the recipes on his own and validated them through tastings before opening the shop. All of the sandwiches are named after local landmarks: Tamalpais Tuna, Creek Park Chicken Pesto, Red Hill Roast Beef, etc.
What I had underestimated about the roast beef sandwich that I watched Clive make was the power of fresh, locally sourced ingredients and how well the horseradish cream cheese pairs with the very fresh, moist roast beef. Also, I hadn’t noticed this before, but the bread that it came on was a super fresh, soft, poppy seed onion roll. The man knows his bread. He also knows the importance of apportionment. To add the exact right amount of every ingredient takes sandwiches to another level. The freshness of the ingredients can take it to another level again. There was exactly the right amount of horseradish in the cream cheese and exactly the right amount of cream cheese on the sandwich (a nice big glob of it).
Once the thing was in my belly, I was completely full and satisfied. Son Luka (14) had the Creek Park Chicken Pesto sandwich and raved about it. It had exactly the right amount of pesto – which is unique because pesto very often overpowers dishes.
When it comes to delicatessens, the importance of “vibe” cannot be overstated. Yelp reviewers rave about the friendliness of D.G.’s cafe. James from San Rafael says, “Clive is a gracious and attentive host.” Someone named Theart writes, “The folks working here were super friendly and the environment was very clean.” “The owner was very friendly and welcoming,” says Kenyn from Redlands. Clive and I had a lovely chat and his daughter was sweet and welcoming, too. I also love the idea that he’s teaching his girls about the business.
Clive and I discussed how difficult it is to find quality local meats and the fact that most sellers have a $1000 minimum. You’d have to be doing very high volume in order to make that work. Boar’s Head out of Florida is a delicious, high-quality option that a lot of west coast delicatessens buy. Clive did point out that local chicken is easier since nearby Petaluma is a major producer.
It’s important to note that in addition to selling pastries, cookies, espresso drinks, sandwiches and salads, D.G. Cafe sells picnic packages – which is a super smart way to package a regular sandwich combo (sandwich, chips, and soda).
I will definitely be back.
Looks delicious. You gotta take me here when I get back.