Natalia and Christoforo's Beats out the Big Mac
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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Being in college can be difficult. For one thing, we’re broke all the time. And as a consequence we usually find ourselves eating food we’re not proud of. The one dollar Big Mac, the Wendy’s value menu, the 7-Eleven hot dogs, oh yes, we have all been there. One look at our greasy, calorie-laden breakfast, lunch or dinner and we sigh in defeat. Faces pressed against the glass windows of chic up-scale eateries, we shrug off the pangs of hunger and accept our fate. But where can a student go for real food when you’ve got five bucks? The answer is Natalia & Christoforo’s.
A family-owned deli for over 20 years, Natalia & Christoforo’s sandwiches are out of this world. Recently voted Best Sandwich Shop by The Alchemist, Subway better beware, because once you try a traditional Italian sub, you’re never going back. It’s tucked away, almost hidden, on Jackson Avenue across from the Greyhound bus stop. It’s also conveniently a short distance from where most LBCC students get dropped off from the Linn-Benton Loop.
The meats and cheeses are all hand sliced from huge deli portions and topped with a wide variety of vegetables and sauces. If you need another reason to try this place, a generous half a sandwich is about $4.10. Add a 75 cent drink and you’ve got yourself a meal for $4.85. Vegetarian? No problem. Natalia & Christoforo’s offers several vegetarian originals like the “Harry”- dark rye, mascarpone cheese, Havarti, avocado, tomato, lettuce and mustard. Kids under 12 can eat for less than $2.75- that beats out most fast food prices, and it’s healthier.
On top of everything else, this place has a great atmosphere, the kind of vibe you can only get from a business deep rooted in a town’s history. A flag of Italy is mounted with pride, along with a full map of Corvallis. The walls are full of family photos and memorabilia. Overall there is a sense of familial love and a strong sense of pride in what they do.
It’s difficult to reconcile sustaining oneself on ramen, TV dinners, and the traditional deep-fried cuisine of student life, but not with such a fresh, local vendor so close and so affordable. As long as places like Natalia & Christoforo’s will let me in the door, I’ll be happy to eat there, and I highly recommend you follow suit.
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