Photograph by George Sakkestad

Virginia Rose manages the Sandwich Maker for her son and daughter-in-law.

Sandwiches, soups, salads:
this little deli has them all

By Suzanne Cristallo

"One lady comes all the way from downtown San Jose just for our tuna," Virginia Adams says proudly. She's talking about the Sandwich Maker in Los Gatos, where she's the manager. "And some customers just love our ham salad, which they say most places don't have."

It's a small place, and unless it's approached from the right direction, it can't be seen at all. The Sandwich Maker operates out of an office complex tucked behind shrubbery at the southeast corner of University and Lark avenues. A hinged sidewalk sign can be seen by passersby on University Avenue, some of whom have been driving by and never noticing for many of the nearly 17 years the deli has served breakfast and lunch to the local business community.

But those in the know are regular as clockwork. Up to 200 per day make time in their busy schedules for a breakfast or lunch stop, perhaps to pick up Adams' special breakfast sandwich or burrito, her signature carrot cake or her clam chowder on Fridays. They also come for a little TLC: "Over half of them we know by name or what they order. We cater to them," she says. "We want them to go out smiling."

Sandwiches can be made to go--along with the smile--or be eaten on the premises for $3 to $4 each: beef, bacon, crab, Reuben, cheese, pastrami, turkey, tuna, ham, egg, bologna, liverwurst, corned beef, salami and mortadella. All come with fixings and choice of breads and rolls.

Adams is also a "volunteer mom." By that, she means she runs the place on weekdays for her son and daughter-in-law, Alan and Jayne Rose. Both are bank vice presidents--he with Bank of the West and she with Citibank. "I'm here because I love this place and because Alan needs me," she says.

On weekends, the Roses come from their home in Benicia to help with shopping, pick out the week's menu, bake cookies, brew soups and make the deli's seven salads. Alan also whips up his chili, which Adams says is a sell-out.

Adams says Alan and his twin brothers, "all good eaters," learned how to cook and work around the house when they were growing up in San Jose, a community familiar to five generations of the family. It was while Alan was a freshman at Bellarmine College Preparatory that he took a job with a catering company, which lasted into college. It gave him the food service experience he needed to start the Sandwich Maker soon after he graduated from Santa Clara University. For four years, it served as his day job until he entered banking, where he also met Jayne. Then his parents helped with the management.

"Our busiest days are Tuesdays and Thursdays," Adams says. "I don't know why, but I think our slowest days are the first and 15th of the month because people go to the bank." Whatever their reasons, the regulars are sure to show up for the special chili burritos as well as for the soups: minestrone on Monday, chicken noodle on Tuesday and clam chowder on Friday. In between, it might be sun-dried tomato bisque, beef barley or mushroom. "It's a toss up--whatever hits Alan's fancy," Adams says.

The Sandwich Maker, 987 University Ave. #29, Los Gatos. Open weekdays
8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Call for catering or take-out, 395-6331.

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