Name of business: Sourdough & Co.
Address: 2517 Mitchell Road, Suite E, Ceres
Type of food: Sandwiches, soups and salads.
Owners: Franchise owners Sam and Martha Faisal
Phone: (209) 416-4330
Hours of operation: Mondays through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
History: In the past year there has been an ushering in of new places to eat in Ceres but you can add another one to the list.
Sourdough & Co. opened on Oct. 10 in the Whitmore Plaza at Whitmore Avenue and Mitchell Road, offering sandwiches, soups and salads.
The company is based in El Dorado Hills.
According to the owner, the concept is based on San Francisco sourdough bread, and yes, it is baked on site. The bread makes for excellent sandwiches filled with quality pastrami, roast beef, premium turkey and chicken, sliced thin and laid thick on every sandwich.
The Ceres store is the chain’s sixth in Stanislaus County as Modesto has two, and stores in Oakdale, Patterson and Turlock.
Faisal, a Lathrop resident who owns a fish business in San Francisco, wanted to open a business in the Valley. He favored the concept of Sourdough & Co. and spoke to his friend, D.J. Gaggen, who was opening a Sourdough store on Dale Road in Modesto. Gaggen previously scouted out the location in the Save Mart company owned shopping center and was planning to open it but offered it to Faisal to pursue.
Faisal scoped out the Ceres shopping center and noticed how busy it was and decided to go for it. Opening the store took about nine months of preparation and planning and the hiring of 11 employees.
“We’re really happy with this restaurant and the reception we’ve gotten from the people,” said Faisal.
He especially found a warm reception from Ceres city officials who welcomed the business to town.
The business serves up soups of the day in a bowl, cup or bread bowl, including clam chowder, chili and fire-roasted vegetable. Gourmet salads include the grilled chicken Caesar, southwest chicken, cobb, Greek and Italian.
“Our specialty sandwiches are really popular,” said Faisal.
Specialty sandwiches include French dip, smoked brisket, caprese, Cholula chicken and crispy crunchy chicken. Fourteen regular sandwiches include ham, roast beef, turkey, ham and turkey, turkey and dry salami, pastrami, pastrami reuben, pastami and turkey, cracked pepper turkey, veggie, chicken salad, tuna salad, garlic pesto and Italian. Seven different cheese options are offered as are extras like avocado and meat.
The menu for little ones offers mac and cheese and half sandwiches.
