Farm Fresh Deli

Oldtown could be called Newtown with all the revamping going on. I was amazed by the alluring boutiques, hip secondhand store and spice-and-tea shop. Patria was pumping and Dubber’s in the former Fish House looked appealing. I came to check out Farm Fresh Deli, which opened six months ago in Salinas’ historic district and – by the looks and taste of it – is doing great.

Ex-TCBY owner Jeff Lamb relaunched in the same spot to include more than frozen treats. He sells comforting soups, crisp salads and create-your-own sandwiches. Located next to Maya Cinemas and across the street where Taylor Farms is building a new headquarters for 300-plus employees, this place has potential to be the spot for lunch on the run.

For those who don’t know TCBY, it was sorta the hip go-to before Pinkberry and MYO, but its popularity faded like Daisy duke’s and skater shoes. Lamb sold and now prefers Honey Hill Farms frozen yogurt. The atmosphere isn’t much different – welcoming, but sterile and chain-like. For a quick casual lunch it doesn’t hurt.

We started with a special, deviled eggs ($1 for two), which were a great deal. The pair was served on mixed greens, topped with paprika and had mustard in the simple yolk blend. From there we were into the soup, which changes daily ($2.75/ small; $3.99/large; $6.99/family). They rotate Italian wedding soup with meatballs, lobster bisque, Boston clam chowder, split pea, Santa Fe tortilla, butternut squash and artichoke-chicken Florentine. The chili is available everyday.

Don’t let the photo on the menu fool you. This isn’t the kind of chili you get campfire-side with whole kidney beans and chunks of steak. Creamy and pale, this would go well as a dip. It’s thick.

Next, salads: the Crisp Cobb and the Greek Vacation ($5.49). The CC offers ham, turkey and bacon reheated on the panini press (smart, but not gluten free for those who need to avoid gluten), hardboiled egg crumble, blue cheese, avocado and tomato on an iceberg salad. The thin-sliced ham was the highlight. Bonus: You can pick the dressing you want from their fridge.

The GV was also as fresh as could be with a crisp spring mix, ample crumbled feta, red onion, black olives, pepperoncinis and candied walnuts with a powerful Greek vinaigrette. The walnuts were not all candied and the dressing was too sour, so I mixed in some of their sweet balsamic vinaigrette. Magic.

IF YOU HAVE A POTLUCK OR AN IMPROMPTU PARTY, THIS IS ONE OF YOUR BEST PLAYS.

Since most everything is made in-house I had to try their coleslaw and potato salad ($2.99/small; $3.99/large). The slaw was crunchy and fresh with red and green cabbage and julienned carrots. The potato salad hit the spot with perfectly prepared red potatoes, diced celery, the right dose of mayo and sweet gherkins. My complaint: the high sugar content in both. That made us crave water.

They serve iced tap by request which is nice since they could use some help with their beverages. Coca Cola Company has some major pull as your options are limited to those sodas, Dasani water, Sunny D and Capri Sun (another blast from the past). Fresh juice would make more sense with their “fresh” mission.

FFD has a decent (if unexciting) sandwich/wrap/panini selection ($5.49-5.99). The farmer’s club croissant with freshly sliced turkey, bacon, swiss, avocado, lettuce, tomato and mayo is a hit, staff says, as is the intriguing “fresh grilled” Ma’s famous spinach and artichoke melt. Wraps star “beef in the garlic field” with roast beef, avocado, red onion, lettuce, tomato and house garlic spread. The custom sandwiches include the two-foot farm family sandwich with up to three meats, two cheeses and two spreads for $14.99. I asked them to slice it up in as many segments as possible as I was treating seven co-workers. The ladies did a fabulous job creating the platter. If you are into subs, need something for a potluck or have an impromptu gathering this is one of your best plays. Another happy note: Their bread is baked in Watsonville at Golden Sheaf Bread Co.

Tropical sorbet was their daily dairy – free froyo and it screamed tropics with pineapple and peach. But it was way too sweet – the half-ounce paper sample cup was just the right portion for me. They offer toppings including fresh fruit, candy, whipped cream and much more. Cups or cones ($1.99/kids; $3.25/small; $4.25/large; $6.99/large) are complemented by creations like the Yogwich treat ($2.99), vanilla or chocolate “surrounded” by a chocolate chip cookie. We finished with a Piña Paradise smoothie ($3.99/small; $4.99/large), another overly sweet concoction of “piña colada juice,” pineapple, banana and vanilla frozen yogurt. I went into a sugar coma, passing out for a full 20 minutes. It was kind of worth it.

Fresh deli, yes. But this farm could work on controlling the sugar content. Honey simple syrup could work as a substitute in at least some of the recipes. But when the dust settles and construction clears up I can see Farm Fresh Deli becoming a staple for the several hundred Taylor Farms employees, as well as the surrounding community.

FARM FRESH DELI 145 Main St., Salinas. • 10am-7pm daily. • 422-4777, www.delisalinas.com