Who doesn't love an Italian market? Fresh baked breads, yummy sweets, unique sodas, fresh pastas, and The Good Grub's personal favorite … a deli case packed with primo cold cuts, warm home-made Italian meats, and crazy delicious deli salads. The Italian market really is the Disneyland of GRUB … and without a doubt, Claro's is the Matterhorn. From the moment you walk in, and you come face to face with a case of fresh baked breads and sweets and a warm smile or two, you know you're going to be leaving happy. As I mentioned, Claro's is a full on market … the kind of place my Grandpa Fred would come to peruse up and down the rows of Italian goodies … picking out his favorite pastas, grabbing a bottle of Chianti, and maybe a box of italian cookies known as pizzelles. But after you drift down an aisle or two, you'll come face to face with the real deal … the deli case. It was my first journey here, based on a recommendation from the GRUB-mother herself, and I didn't really know the protocol. There's no menu board or anything … it's very much an old-school "what do you want … we'll make it for you … and it'll blow your mind" kind of place. I asked the guy behind the counter, "Could you make a sub with both meatball and sausage?" … which is by far the sub of choice for The Good Grub … and I was met with the sweetest five words to ever caress my ears … "Oh, you mean The Godfather" … Mother, I am home. For good measure, I threw in a cool and savory turkey sandwich with all the fixins … lettuce, tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, cheese, mayo, mustard, and sweet italian dressing … and coupled it all up with a few sides of macaroni and potato salad … all made by magical Italian elves themselves, or something close. It's always fun to order a bunch of stuff to mix and match … I mean why else would you eat with others? Each sandwich was amazing in it's own way. The turkey was pilled high … smokey, fresh-carved, and singing perfectly in harmony with all the toppings and warm soft bread. But oh man, let's talk about The Godfather … rich marinara, a healthy sprinkling of parmesan, hand-formed giant meatballs, and super plump italian sausages … the kind rich with fennel seeds, perfectly juicy, and all so thick that it could choke a hippo. It's the kind of food that after your first nibble, a wide smile creeps across your face, and you let loose a few involuntary articulations of "mmmmmmmm." It's the kind of GRUB that consumes you as you consume it, it takes over your body, touches your soul, and reminds you that there's beauty in the world … and after a GRUB-session at Claro's Italian Market, you'll be sure to realize there's beauty in your belly. 4 Comments |
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