The newly opened Tower 48 is serving up modern deli fare with a twist. The Newport Beach eatery from Andrew Dorsey (SOCIAL Costa Mesa) and Dan Biello (Chronic Tacos co-founder) offers a variety of delectable sides like loaded tower fries (thick cut fries served with bacon jam, melted American cheese, pickled red Fresno chiles, green onion and crema) and beach fruit, a combination of diced papaya, mango, pineapple, crunchy jicama and shaved coconut – finished with a touch of citrus and tart hibiscus dust for the ultimate refreshing beach side snack. These are all great starters, but their best dish is the River Street reuben.
Cured in house and slow roasted for five hours, the deep-pink corned beef brisket is seasoned in a blend of spiced mustard seeds, celery, onion and carrots until soft and tender. The meat is sliced medium thick, and tucked between toasted slices of marbled rye with rich provolone, a hearty heap of sauerkraut (pickled and fermented in house) and topped with tangy Thousand Island dressing for the perfect meld of sweet, salty and fatty. They’ll only be selling sixteen of these sandwiches a day, so make sure to get your hands on one before hitting the waves.
Tower 48, 4525 West Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, (949) 432-5858; tower48newportbeach.com.
Cynthia Rebolledo covers anything and everything food, culture and spirits.