Here’s the story: I love food. I’d even go so far as to say that eating is one of my hobbies, as sad as that sounds. I also enjoy trying new restaurants that I’ve never been to, and of course visiting (and re-visiting) my favorites. I have set out on a journey to take you with me as I venture to the new and the old.

Last week, my boyfriend and I visited the newly opened College Hill Deli & Catering (3407 E. Douglas). As soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted by a smiling server, Regina. Knowing nothing about what kind of food to expect or anyone that had been here, we were embarking on a new adventure.

After checking out the appetizers, we decided that when a menu presents hummus, you gotta order the hummus. Next thing I knew, we were devouring this tasty appetizer complete with warm pita bread. It was also topped with tomatoes, which, in my book, makes it a tad bit more heavenly. It really stacked up on my list o’ places that offer hummus.

On to the real menu: I decided on the Philly cheese steak sandwich and the boyfriend was eager to try the bierock pie. All sandwiches are served with your choice of side -french fries, fattoush or Caesar salad. We decided on sides of fattoush, pronounced “fa-two-shhhh”; if you misprounounce it like we did, the owner’s young son will help you out. The great thing about the sandwich menu: nothing is over $5.99.

Our meal arrived and there were generous portions of salad next to our sandwiches. I was a little overwhelmed with my sandwich size after filling up on the hummus. I took a few bites of my Philly cheese steak and deemed it delicious, but way too large to actually finish. I was kind of eyeing the Bierock Pie that was staring at me from across the table. So, doing what any good couple would do, we swapped sandwiches. Wow: it was a delicious, savory meat pie consisting of chopped steak, cabbage and cheese.

Okay, folks, back to the sides: the salads. The Fattoush, described as their signature salad offers romaine and lettuce mix, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, pickles, black olives, sweet red onions and a homemade fattoush dressing. The Caesar had romaine and parmesan cheese tossed in a creamy homemade Caesar dressing. All in all, very tasty and especially good for those of you who are wanting to stick with your New Year’s resolution of healthy eating.

Last but not least, dessert. (Which we were talked into getting, but really, that’s not very hard.) Right when you walk in the door, there is a case of desserts ready to stare you straight in the face. This is where the resolution eaters should quit reading. There were cheesecakes of all kinds, chocolate cake, turtle cake, baklava, and carrot cake. Let me just say, I reccommend the carrot cake. Very moist and a tangy cream cheese frosting made for a great ending to the meal.

Great service, quaint atmosphere, and a great menu with a Mediterranean feel. Other items that I will be coming back for: the Tropical Spinach Salad, spinach drizzed with a sweet poppy seed dressing topped with fresh strawberries and mango slices; and the Beef Shawarma, sliced beef, grilled and served folded in a tortilla topped with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, and a special cucumber-yogurt sauce.

Sound off if you’ve already been to this new eatery or are thinking about giving it a try.

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3. [eat] Wichita’s Best Sandwich Shops
4. [do] Neighborhood Guide: College Hill
5. [eat] Lunch with Liz: DK Kitchen