Village Market & Deli in Newport’s beautiful, historic Nye Beach district has reinvented itself. Going from a lunch and dinner bistro-style eatery to a lunch-only hotspot, Village Market now focuses on lunch. The restaurant features soups, salads and sandwiches that bring new dimensions to the word “gourmet.” It still boasts a formidable wine shop and its famous partial ocean view.
Soups, even the zingiest of them, are gentle and subtle. Most notable is Village Market’s Thai soup, with cumin, cinnamon, saffron and potato, providing what could only be described as an “angelic zing” to what is nonetheless a delicate creation. Soups are between $3.50 for a cup and $6 for a hearty bowl.
Salads include a Grilled Split Romaine with grilled romaine, white truffle oil infused with Caesar dressing and shaved parmesan for $5.50; slightly more if you add chicken breast or anchovies.
One spectacular appetizer to be found is a house-made chicken pate with sourdough wafers, cornichons and pepperoncinis for $7.50.
But the sandwiches – most heated, and all between $7 and $8.50 – really take the cake. The Pearl Tuna comes with locally caught albacore in a curry-ginger wasabi aioli, red onions and gathered greens on sourdough. The local catch angle makes it a light, flaky and delicious find.
The Tuscan Turkey brings a new, tangy twist to the bird, with kalamata basil mayonnaise, sundried tomatoes, sweet onions and pepperjack cheese served on a warm ciabatta. It’s a bold explosion even at the first bite, where multiple layers of spicy and sweet not only mingle nicely but they linger like the finish of a fine wine.
The Hot Pastrami & Provolone features an exquisite brand of pastrami with a wasabi mustard, sauerkraut and citrus crème fraiche. All this creates a tangy mix that’s well balanced, with a wide variety of colors: from the sour, a hint of sweet to the darker tones of the salty, earthy pastrami.
Village Market & Deli jump-started the Central Coast’s first wine bar to instant fame this past summer. Just down the street, Blu Cork features a large menu of northwest wines and wildly delicious gourmet menu items and has been a huge hit. Blu Cork recently added a pizza-like bread item with gourmet meats and veggies piled on in an arty manner and a duck pate so buttery, smooth and light it threatens to levitate through the roof of your mouth.
Village Market & Deli is located at 741 NW Third, Newport. 541-574-9393 and is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Blu Cork Wine Bar is located at 613 SW Third Street, Newport. 541-265-2257.
