717 Deli, San Juan– home to some of the city’s best sandwiches

That’s when the lightbulb moment struck. “My partner, tita Malou and I wanted to find a way to make the roast beef more approachable so that it could be enjoyed by just one person. We immediately came up with the idea of offering it as a sandwich, since she has a background in baking. Our little experiment led to 717 Deli’s very first product, the roast beef sandwich.” Made with thin slices of roast beef cooked to a perfect medium-rare, cheddar cheese, and horseradish sauce between pillowy brioche buns made in-house, the sandwich was a fast hit with their friends and family, inspiring Ngo and Yambao to dive head-first into the world of sandwiches. 717 Deli officially launched in February 2023.

The pair then introduced its second product, the Philly cheesesteak. “Our menu grew as we received requests for new sandwiches from our customers,” Ngo continues, referencing other classics now on the menu like the 717 cheeseburger and grilled cheese with tomato dip. Before long, Ngo and Yambao opened the doors to 717 Deli’s brick-and-mortar shop, welcoming friends and family for a dry run on July 17—Ngo’s birthday, which he now shares with his booming business.

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Today, the deli continues to expand its offerings with new items like the Caprese sandwich (burrata, tomatoes, arugula, pesto, balsamic vinegar, and homemade focaccia) and the mortadella supreme (the Caprese, made meaty with pan-seared mortadella). But Ngo maintains that the roast beef sandwich continues to be their primary offering, with the popular halibut sandwich as “a very close second.” 

The halibut sandwich is what first put 717 Deli on my radar, and it has proven to be worthy of all the hype—the thick, beer-battered fillet is moist yet crispy (a tricky balance to strike with a lean fish like halibut), sandwiched between pillowy brioche buns with cheddar and a luscious yet tangy tartar sauce to cut through it all. This, along with their halibut fish and chips, have become Ngo’s proudest creations. “Everyone loves and raves about them,” he shares with glee, “they even say our fish and chips taste like the ones they’ve had in London, Canada, and Australia!”

Related: Where to order the best fish sandwiches in Metro Manila

The patty melt, made with brioche, American cheese, provolone, caramelised onions, special sauce, and a tried-and-tested ratio of 80:20 ground beef, has also become one of the brand’s hero products, while the cochinillo that started it all remains a pre-order speciality. Additionally, the delicatessen also serves up fluffy brioche doughnuts in an assortment of sweet fillings, leveraging their clear talents in breadmaking.

“We didn’t really have formal culinary training—that’s why I don't call myself a chef,” Ngo explains. “I learned how to cook from the cooks in my dad’s previous restaurant, where he was partnered with my tita Malou.” It was only during the pandemic when Ngo, like many of us, had far too much time on our hands and found himself in the kitchen more than ever. “Cooking became my passion,” he professes.

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His newfound love for cooking has only blossomed since opening the shop. “717 Deli has been the first restaurant that I have full control over, and it really is an exciting and great learning experience because I love what I do each and every day,” shares the bright-eyed entrepreneur. Despite the brand‘s rapid and dramatic success, Ngo assures us that their commitment to quality remains of utmost importance. “For me, the key to perfecting a sandwich is to keep it simple and use fresh, quality ingredients with lots and lots of love. We at 717 Deli make sure everything is done right and not rushed—our goal is to always prepare and serve the food as best we can at all times.”

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