A new restaurant has opened up shop in downtown Walla Walla. The Red Reina Deli offers a simple assortment of meals created from regional and local sources, friendly waitstaff and some unique beverage options.

Advertised as “honest, clean, delicious and wholesome food,” the owners of the Red Reina Deli picked the perfect words to describe their offerings. Serving up a collection of everyday sandwiches, salads and a unique special of the day, the food is as wholesome and honest as you could get. I brought my entire house along to try out the cuisine with me, and we each ordered something different and delicious.

First and foremost, the Red Reina does their produce well. Whether it was the colorful orzo side on the plate next to me, the additions to the sandwiches or the greens on the salad, they were all fresh, crisp and full of flavor. Even the potato salad was a pleasant surprise, full of crunchy celery and just perfectly solid potatoes.

I ordered the tuna salad sandwich on a recommendation from our waitress, who fielded a pile of questions and was friendly and timely with the orders and water glasses. Let me say, it was a good suggestion: hot Oregonian albacore tuna mixed with cilantro, pickles and sharp cheddar, and tossed in a mix of mustard, mayonnaise and balsamic vinaigrette. It was tastefully rich and toasted to perfection on a crispy ciabatta roll. It had just a little bit of spice to it, and I absolutely enjoyed every bite. I only heard similar reports from my friends across the table.

I will say that it is very similar to the popular Graze both in price and food. And I will comment that although all the food was good, there were only a few options to pick from. The “build your own sandwich” option helps with this, but it’s not really enough. However, you should keep in mind that they are only one week or so into the business––I’m sure they will expand it in time. For a good lunch option, check out their noteworthy nonalcoholic Wine Country Village beverages––pinot noir and rose are fantastic.

Located on 202 E. Main Street, formerly the home of Computer Resource, Red Reina’s business hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To keep up with deals and daily specials, as well as mouthwatering photos of various menu selections, “like” the deli’s page on Facebook.