Marina's Wild Thyme brings fast, good food to North County.

Photo by Randy Tunnell.

Photo: Sandwich King-Wild Thyme fills empty bellies in Marina.

Delicatessens are like restaurants turned inside out. The food, beverages and accoutrements are in plain sight, creating a vital symphony of abundance, of immediacy, of appetites kindled and satiated.

Long before McDonald''s or KFC, delicatessens (the original fast food) were built on handcrafted food products, rather than on mass-produced meat and fried food. They became popular on the East Coast at the turn of the last century and by 1930, there were thousands of delis in New York City alone.

This leads us to Wild Thyme, a new deli in Marina. I''ve long admired the edible treats of chef-owner Terry Teplitzky''s company, Michael''s Catering. When I heard he opened a deli from which to base his operations and provide a public outlet for his culinary talents, it became a top priority to check it out.

It''s a mistake to say that a small commercial center high atop Reservation Road is an unlikely location for a sophisticated eatery. This growing university and professional community has already demonstrated its affinity for Wild Thyme. The first city in our county to adopt an urban growth boundary obviously has good taste as well as good sense.

You''ll know you''ve arrived by the wide front windows and broad green awning featuring a simple logo. Once inside, anyone who appreciates fine aesthetics, good wine, strong coffee, and well-made food will find instant comfort.

Racks of wine-about half of them local- cover one wall. Shelves of specialty dry goods and bottled sauces-jams, chutneys, sauces, and crackers-partially obscure the front window. You''ll find hazelnut oil, tarragon Dijon mustard, and Champagne jam. There''s self-serve coffee or you can order a range of cappuccino/espresso drinks.

Smoked and cured meats hang from racks alongside garlic braids, dried peppers, and lavender bunches, providing a rustic ambience. A glass case holds colorful salads, vegetable sides, and entrees-each dressed for seduction.

The primary criterion by which a deli is judged is, of course, the sandwich. While the hot pastrami has always been the barometer by which East Coast delis are compared, here on the West Coast it''s just as likely to be Portobello mushroom, eggplant, and goat cheese.

A great sandwich is far better than the sum of its parts, but the quality of those parts is key. Wild Thyme is already attracting customers willing to drive for housemade roast beef and corned beef (they melt in your mouth), plus hard-to-find items such as Parma prosciutto (imported from Italy), New York pastrami, and Boar''s Head Brand ham and turkey (the oldest and one of the finest suppliers of deli meats).

Wild Thyme aims equally at both traditionalists and creative-cuisine types. It''s nice to see a menu with an Atlantic City sub, old fashioned meatloaf and potato salad, and nearly 20 different cold cuts that show off in sandwiches such as New Orleans Muffuletta with Mortadella, Cotto salami, and Ticino ham. There are house specialties or make-your-own options, all tempting.

Less common sandwich items include spinach, baby lettuces, olive tapenade, roasted garlic, and aioli. Choices abound with eleven breads and rolls, four kinds of turkey, four kinds of ham, and multiple garnishes and condiments.

The sandwiches we tried are all in the run-don''t-walk-and-hurry category of when and how you might want to order, especially the #9: warm roast beef, provolone cheese, onions, mushrooms, and peppers. The New York pastrami and corned beef rivals any; the curried chicken salad and warm wildfire chicken panini will please those partial to interesting spices and lean white meat.

Sandwich prices range from $5.50 for egg salad and applewood smoked bacon to $8.95 for smoked filet mignon with red onion chutney, Vermont cheddar, marinated tomato and spinach.

Highlights from the salad case include white corn slaw with sweet red pepper and red onion-naturally sweeter than cabbage slaw-and Chinese carrot salad with green onion and bean sprouts. Pad Thai, a rice noodle dish with peanuts and sweet chili dressing was starchy and a bit too sweet the day I tried it.

Among the hot dishes, we enjoyed a savory white corn pudding with fresh corn, and seafood cakes-a trio of shrimp, crab, and crawfish with both tartar and red sauce. The meatloaf was flavorful, offering an occasional blast of fresh herb and a nice crunch of al dente onion.

Wild Thyme makes its own desserts ($2.95-3.50). We went with two opposites: chocolate espresso pudding cake and mixed fruit crunch. The fruit dessert was mildly sweetened and a little dry (good for breakfast), but the cake, served warm with whipped cream, was rich and inspired me to close my eyes to shut out any competing sensory input. It was that good.

As the years come and go, so go a fair number of restaurants on the Monterey Peninsula. I''m often baffled at the piles of money spent opening places that don''t appear to be filling a need or offering a quality product. It''s nice to see Wild Thyme intelligently doing both. I''m betting the community will appreciate it-even though there''s a lot of even faster food down the street.