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Friday, February 25, 2000
'Sweet Celebrations' revels in tasty desserts
Quiet escape from noisy lunch hour, tiny deli also offers soups, sandwiches, hot meals
If you would like a respite from the hectic and often noisy lunch hour, Sweet Celebrations Deli offers a quiet retreat.
Operated by Elizabeth (Liz) Citko, former owner of a successful downtown deli named after her, she now creates her luncheon specials and tantalizing desserts at her new location in the back of the 2-year-old Santa Fe Co-op at Santa Fe and Indiana. Some will remember this corner building as the old Santa Fe Pharmacy.
Newly opened in January, this small, charming restaurant with its lace valances and lit, scented candles, offers a quaint, homey atmosphere. Four little round tables are located close to the kitchen area, along with two large antique dining room tables set out in the antique/collectibles store.
Along with the six sandwich choices on the menu; turkey, ham, chicken, tuna, a combo and a club -Liz also serves a soup of the day and two to three "board specials" that change daily and include one hot meal. Each sandwich comes on a croissant, a home-baked French roll, or white or wheat bread with pasta salad or chips on the side.
Veggy soup
The day we were there, the specials included lasagna, which is what my guest selected, chicken salad with avocado, my choice, and a creamy vegetable soup served with half of a sandwich. We quenched our thirst with a delightful iced raspberry tea. Our meals were served quickly, even though the staff was busy filling orders to go.
A healthy portion of lasagna was brought to the table steaming hot with a salad and garlic French bread. The salad dressing, a golden Italian, had a deliciously unusual flavor that hinted at the use of Dijon mustard. The pasta, although not overly laden with meat or cheese, had a zesty, yet sweet, tomato sauce that got a "thumbs up."
My chilled chicken salad rested on a bed of lettuce and consisted of succulent chunks of roasted and smoked chicken breast in a light, creamy dressing. It came with thick-sliced avocado on a most beautifully presented plate of sliced and whole fruit - kiwi, strawberries, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and raspberries. It was pleasing to the palate AND pleasing to the eye. Also, on the side, thinly sliced toasted sourdough baguette bread.
Loved the flan
There's a whole different board on the wall just for the more than half a dozen desserts that Liz seems to be well-known for. Single and whole cake/pie prices are listed, although a two-day advance notice is suggested for whole orders. I love flan, and was about to order it when the chocolate mousse cake was brought out and cut for another customer. It was a work of art---a refrigerated dark chocolate ganache with very moist cake and fluffy chocolate filling---and being chocolate lovers, we had to have some.
MMMM-mmmm! Need I say more?
After thoroughly enjoying all the food set before us, we agreed that we had just experienced a "sweet celebration" - gastronomically speaking.
Sweet Celebrations Deli
2756 Santa Fe, 879-0408
Entrees: $3.25-$5.95
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m-3 p.m. Saturday, noon-3 p.m.
Checks: local
Credit Cards: most
Food: ** 1/2
Service: ** 1/2
Atmosphere: ** 1/2
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