September 2007 by Jeff O.
I took a joyride in RVC today. Near the end of North Park Avenue I found what I was looking for. North Park Deli advertises steak with tostones and chicken wings with fries on the window. I walk in. Not too much in there. Two Latinos talking, watching gringo as he strolls in. I expected to find the display of cooked food which I am used to; 6 or 7 dishes laid out, I usually just use my finger to communicate. Not this time. "Steak? with tostone? wheres all the food?" "I can make it...." "ahhh, hmmm nahh, do you have anything ready?" "pork. i have pork" "chich? chicharones?? my favorite!" "with rice and beans? come on" He leads me to the back room. The kitchen is literally a walk in closet with one door to the store and one door to the backyard. There's a stove with 3 pots inside and 1 pan on top. One pot with white rice, one with beans, and one with chich. My god, the bare-boneness of it all! Charming as a daisy. He pulls up the aluminum foil and gives me a piece (reminiscent of katz's), I approve and he packs it in. 7 dollars for lunch and a merengue refresco. Food was fried with a ton of taste in it. There's been better, but I would be greedy to ask for it. As far as experience, stepping into someone's kitchen to browse your choices and shoot the breeze gives you a closeness that can't be beat. Unfortunately it's probably against the law. What can I say? I like contraband.
