Tuesday, 29 March, 2011 8:20
by Chris Jay
The "Shake Your Buddha Spencer Wrap" from Deli Tini, located at 520 E. King's Hwy. in Shreveport.
Deli Tini is a (relatively) new "signature sandwich" shop located at 520 King's Highway in Shreveport. Since opening in 2010, this humble, locally-owned eatery has been cranking out incredibly creative sandwiches, paninis, and wraps, and building a rabid fanbase in the process. Full disclosure: I am one of those fans. While I love the food, I also love the relaxed, convivial atmosphere and the sense of community that the owner and staff have created. Deli Tini's facebook page shares insights into how menu items are created and posts insider info about upcoming one-day-only specialty creations. The small dining room is intimate without being cramped, and the clientele during any given lunch hour usually consists of some of Shreveport-Bossier's coolest local movers and shakers. During a recent visit, I was surrounded by educators, business people, artists and not-for-profit organizers, all of whom were chatting back-and-forth between tables.
Some of the more popular menu items include an unusual grilled cheese panini called The Big Ed (stuffed with four different cheeses), a Greek pita called George the Generous Greek (in homage to George of George's Grill, father of Deli Tini owner Tini Casten), and my personal favorite, the Shake Your Buddha Spencer (a vegetarian wrap). I'm about as far from being a vegetarian as one can possibly get. I seldom eat a meal that could not have been improved by adding more meat. I ordered the Shake Your Buddha Spencer on a whim, and it has since become one of my favorite sandwiches in town. Consisting of roasted red peppers, spinach and artichoke hummus, artichoke hearts, sprouts, tomatoes, avocados, and provolone cheese wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and served with a side of delicious homemade sweet pickles, it's a healthy and filling lunch - even for someone whose sleep aid of choice is a slab of ribs. I also recommend the avocado potato salad, a creative twist on the southern classic.
Deli Tini is only open for lunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more reviews, check out their page on Urbanspoon.