Stachowski's

A couple of reliable foodie friends separately recommended this Georgetown deli to us so we made the quick trip down the Parkway Sunday for a twofer -- sandwiches for lunch and a cold cut spread for the Oscars.

Everything they said is true. The handcrafted charcuterie looks great and everything we took home tasted great. While not quite a real butcher shop, it doesn't have the boutique-y air of the dreadful places in Alexandria. Somebody there knows something about charcuterie, though probably not the eager young assistant who helped us but who erred on the skimpy side when we ordered a slice of pate or a quarter-pound of soppressata -- will watch more closely next time.

The sandwiches are truly stupendous. Mine was packed with thick slices of hand-cut pastrami, warm and smokey and not too greasy, between slices of a dark, grainy bread from Bakery Lyon -- our new favorite bakery -- that was strong enough to bear the strain. It was way too much for one meal. The pickles were also delicious. Andrea got a turkey club that was equally packed with tons of turkey, layers of bacon and some fresh-looking avocado.

In addition to the two homemade items above, we got some very nicely sliced Serrano ham, that was a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth cured ham. Our haul from Stachowski's, combined with our cheese from Cowgirl Creamery made a great spread for watching the Oscars, washed down with our respective wines, a Spanish tempranillo for me and an Italian Gavi for Andrea.

Will definitely be back for sandwiches and samples of the other charcuterie products, and why not try the meat while I'm there, though one of our friends was not impressed with this side of the business. More to come.