KEN TOWL discovers a welcome addition to his local high street
Bakery delights: Addiscombe’s new deli has much to offer
When I ask the name of the manager of the new deli on Addiscombe High Street, she tells me she is Evita.
“As in…?” I start to ask.
“Madonna, Yes,” she says. “Well, it’s spelt the same.”
Evita and Santa (“As in Father Christmas”) are two sisters from Latvia who are doing their bit to add to the cosmopolitan chic of Addiscombe High Street.
Trading as Dirty Crunch – I didn’t ask; maybe I should – they have turned what used to be a jeweller’s shop into a pan-European deli that feels more Clapham than Croydon.
Perhaps that is unfair. Should not the denizens of this town also be able to access the likes of oak-smoked sea salt from Dorset, Ortiz sardines from Spain and lovely artisan Latvian buns?
Evita and Santa thought so, and in their dedication, ended up working for weeks on the jeweller’s, mostly removing hundreds of shelves that were bolted into walls, deep-cleaning the place and then applying coat after coat of white paint.
Don’t cry for me, Addiscombe…: Evita among the packed shelves of her new deli, Dirty Crunch
You can buy the buns, the sea salt and sardines, and many more delicacies, and take them home to add spice and international glamour to your kitchen, or you can try a snack or light lunch in the deli itself, since it doubles as a light and airy cafeteria.
You might be tempted by the range of baked goods, all of which would go well with a coffee, or something more substantial, like a toasted sandwich. I opted for an oversized and absolutely delicious doughnut.
The coffee was filter coffee last week but they plan to get real with the coffee as soon as they have sorted out an electrical problem.
Meanwhile, they are open Wednesday to Sunday, and on Friday and Saturday evenings, with extended hours until 8.30pm. They serve beer and wine as well.
It is a friendly place, and a welcome addition to the variety of shops and cafés in Addiscombe.
Read more: Click here for previous reviews and visits by Ken Towl
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