'Picnic' puts its own mark on deli food

The cold, rainy season is fast approaching, but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy a picnic, or at least stop at Picnic, a year-old food-and-wine boutique in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood.

But don't expect PB&J sandwiches when you walk into this chic-looking delicatessen just northwest of Green Lake.

Instead, you'll find gourmet-style soups, salads, sandwiches, cheeses and charcuterie made by owners Anson and Jenny Klock.

The menu: The Klocks are professionally trained chefs, and their menu rotates with the climate, what's available and what they feel like making. The current selection is a mix of hearty meats and cheeses. The "house made corned beef + comte on rye" is a spinoff of a Reuben — sans sauerkraut — with corned beef, whole-grain mustard and cheese. The "salami 'grinder' with roasted peppers + provolone cheese" mixes fresh Italian staples into a simple sandwich. And the "prosciutto with arugula + camembert" combines the salty cured pork with creamy French cheese to make a fancy ham-and-cheese sandwich.

What to write home about: The minestrone soup is the perfect start to a chilly day. Unlike traditional broth-based minestrone, Picnic's has a base of crushed tomatoes and includes house-made pork sausage, vegetables and pasta. A hearty meal by itself.

The setting: When you walk in, you'll be impressed by the vast selection of wines, from local to international brands. Once you pass the wine, you'll see the deli cases stocked with meats and cheeses. Off to the right is an area to sit. The open-air ducts and track lighting give the establishment a modern, loftlike feel.

Summing up: Three minestrone soups ($5 each), a salami grinder ($8), a corned-beef sandwich ($8) and a prosciutto sandwich ($10) fed three people for $41 plus tax. My advice: Stop by and make your own picnic basket to enjoy this fall before the cold weather settles in.

Jon Fisch: 206-464-8326 or jfisch@seattletimes.com