After a weekend of the best of Britishness, Royal Weddings, Rugby for small boys on the Common, and a Barbecue with good chums, the hubbie and I were watching something yesterday and I was reminded of how much I hanker after another visit to New York. I first went with my bezzie Catherine of  http://assembling-thoughts.blogspot.com/ fame. That was 15 years ago, my word, we were 19 and oh so naiive and impressionable.  We still knew a darn good sandwich when we had one mind.

We mooched and shopped and found ourselves in Dean & Deluca in Soho.

It was so cool. Huge sandwiches. With sundried tomatoes, commonplace now but two youngsters from the Wirral had not yet discovered how they could transform your bog standard butty into a heavenly meal, we probably had a “cappu to go” as well. And a pastry. D & D was very ahead of its time. Crisp white walls, open kitchens. Understated. Great branding. Yes, that was it, aspirational.

I went back at 21 and sought out another sandwich. Still as blooming amazing. Then with Mr Colporter in NYC, and a few years later the Georgetown branch in Washington DC. This is a crush that has lasted a good while. By the last visit things had moved on, we did not just want a sandwich, we wanted the lifestyle.

So we bought a load of these for our new kitchen, in our new flat. Not to make gorgeous food really, (that came later). Just to admire the slick packaging and feel like Yanks!!

Hey, but knowing me you will realise it was not just the sanga that did it. It was the decor. So satisfying. A bit like Byron (see earlier blog post), monochrome rocks. Fabulous produce stacked high ( the people’s supermarket and Daylesford Organic nicked it from Dean & Deluca I guarantee!).

Am I the only one who is thinking Carluccios peeps went on a styling mission here too? Look at this racking, full of delectable (read expensive) items which simply beg you to buy them. Curse baggage allowances. Note, another Colporter obsession in the background, Metro Tiles. There is always a theme which emerges - I am quite predictable really.

Don’t you think we need one in the UK. Let’s campaign. Email them www.deandeluca.com

Until they get the message and export their fantastic butty shop (I mean deli), and grocery, then  Machiavelli on Long Acre Covent Garden has the makings of a new obsession. I tried to walk in before Easter and they were still fitting out, oops. Looks good though. Lots of fantastic Italian wares looked to be sitting on the floor waiting to be stacked, nice styling again too. 

 Villandry, on Great Portland Street and High Holborn, is also lovely. Heavily french in its style rather than Italiano but still rather splendid.

I have to say the Bicester version feels a bit themey (makes sense being Bicester I suppose). But another great monochromatic logo and lovely shelves full of tempting produce. 

An alternative I can find this side of the pond is probably the Grocer on Elgin http://www.thegroceron.com it still does not have D & D’s charms of wide open, light spaces. Eat in and take out is also a must. The Grocer is more for the lazy super rich, you know those slebs who boast never to have turned on their cooker, rather than the shopper grabbing lunch. Fabulous branding - more black and white. The best brands like a bit of black and white (www.colporter.co.uk), cheeky.

So, next time you are in NYC do seek out Dean and Deluca and perhaps bring me a doorstop sandwich back, hold the mayo, double pastrami.