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This Saturday, one of Santa Barbara’s restaurant jewels is celebrating 15 years of delicious success.
Owner and General Manager Filippo Giordano of Norton’s Deli will host “The Originals at the Original Price” on Saturday. Several of the original sandwiches on the menu when the sandwich restaurant opened will beon sale for $7, the price in 1994.
“People like our old school way of making sandwiches,” Giordano told Noozhawk. “Every meat is top quality.”
The New York-style deli has been featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and has attracted customers from around the world.
Most often, however, it’s locals who pack the 600-square foot restaurant at 18 W. Figueroa St. for lunch every day except Sunday, when it’s closed.
The restaurant features tall tables with barstools, with the original 1924 brick wall on one side of the building.
Giordano also owns Kona’s deli in San Luis Obispo, but jumped at the chance to purchase Norton’s in 1994.
“I thought this place was a good opportunity for me,” he said.
Despite the restaurant’s diminutive size, “we make it it work, every square inch,” said Giordano, whose favorite sandwich is “The Best Hot Ham & Swiss.”
It’s part of the restaurant’s appeal. Big, New York-style, tasty sandwiches, in a crowded, small space, where the noise inside from conversation is louder than the construction workers on the street.
“People like our old school way of making sandwiches,” Giordano said.
The restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until the meat runs out, Giordano said.
New Presqu’ile Chef
Santa Maria estate winery Presqu’ile, has hired Julie Simon as executive chef. Simon will create the tasting room wine and food pairings and develop special event menus, overseeing wine dinners, including those with guest chefs.
According to a news release, Simon plans to rework the wine and food pairings to reflect both her style and to complement the library of wines at Presqu’ile. She is also designing an organic garden on the property.
“I am thrilled to be joining such a strong and dedicated team, where I can be a part of propelling the Presqu’ile hospitality experience forward,” Simon said. “And the addition of a permaculture garden not only shows our commitment to great food, it also nurtures the ‘sense of place,’ mirroring our winemaking philosophy.”
Tim Wanner, director of hospitality and sales for the winery, said: “We are very excited to have Julie join the team. Her commitment to local sourcing, organic farming, and clean, ingredient-focused cooking truly aligns with Presqu’ile’s philosophy, and will make for a very great partnership showcasing our wines in their best light.”
Radius Moves Offices
Radius Commercial Real Estate is relocating the company’s Ventura County office to Oxnard, at 2775 N. Ventura Road, Suite 201, near The Collection at RiverPark shopping center.
“When we purchased Hagelis Retail Group in 2016, our mission was to expand our presence and services in the Ventura County market, and provide even greater value and access to our clients,” Johnson said. “This larger, centrally located space will help facilitate the efforts of our experts in the retail, office and industrial sectors in the region.”
Senior vice presidents Bill and Linda Hagelis, vice president Rob Devericks, and associates Lisa Shields and Ashley Gallagher will operate out of the new offices.
Radius Commercial Real Estate is a full-service commercial brokerage with headquarters in Santa Barbara. The company was founded in 2002, and employs 22 agents representing tenants, landlords and investors in the Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo County markets.
New State Street store
Habitat Home and Garden has opened at 400 State St. in Santa Barbara
The interior design and custom home furnishings store opened Sept. 25.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.