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San Francisco Chronicle​

He left fine dining to make sandwiches. Now, his popular Bay Area shop is expanding

Since leaving the fine dining world behind, an alum of San Francisco's Michelin-starred Californios and Lazy Bear has quietly made a name for himself with a surprising specialty in an unlikely location: deli sandwiches in a gym. Raul Lopez's sandwich counter, the Local, has thrived since opening three years ago in Wine Country — despite being difficult to find. Sandwich seekers must drive through a maze of Petaluma office parks and past Lagunitas Brewing to the Active Wellness Center. There's no signage indicating that the Local is inside, tucked between the check-in desk and the pool deck. 'You gotta know,' said Chris Osborne, co-owner of the Local. 'It's as far north and as far east as Petaluma gets. You have to cross many barriers to find us.' Location notwithstanding, the Local has grown into one of Sonoma County's hottest fast-casual lunch spots, and now, it's growing. Set to open Aug. 18, the Local's second Petaluma location (229 N. McDowell Blvd.) will offer more space, an expanded menu and, most notably, convenience. A Petaluma native, Lopez was working at Californios when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the restaurant to temporarily close. 'For about a year and a half, I was out of the industry,' he said. 'I never thought I'd go back to it unless I owned my own space.' A cousin told him that the gym was leasing a spot, but it was tiny — just 160 square feet — and the kitchen was extremely basic. The only pieces of cooking equipment were a panini press and a countertop oven. Sandwiches seemed like the best option, said Lopez, who was adamant that he'd still apply his fine dining training to his menu by, for example, vacuum sealing fruits and vegetables in their juices to 'give them more flavor.' In his view, most Petaluma sandwich shops use 'mass-produced' ingredients, while Lopez has established close relationships with local farmers and only uses what's in season, making do without common sandwich ingredients, like tomatoes and pesto, during certain times of the year. For the first couple of months, the Local 'relied on gym traffic,' said Osborne, who met Lopez years ago when they were both working at a restaurant in Petaluma. But word of Lopez's sandwiches — often named after Sonoma County geographical landmarks, like the Petaluma, the 101 and Adobe Road — quickly spread. The Local's clientele grew beyond red-faced gym rats and hungry kids in bathing suits, dripping a trail of water from the pool. By the time the shop hit the five-month mark, a majority of its traffic was coming from outside the gym. 'We're a trek to get to, but people still find us six days a week, and we're busy all six days,' Osborne said. Lopez has made his corner of the gym work, but the new location — at a busy shopping center alongside a Starbucks, a bagel shop and a frozen yogurt spot — brings new possibilities. The space is nearly 10 times the size of the original. It has a full kitchen, including dry storage and a walk-in freezer. A new bread station will enable the Local to make sandwich breads in-house, though it will still source some from Petaluma's famed Della Fattoria bakery. Lopez said he'll finally have the tools to experiment with more high-end techniques, like water baths for a precise cook and foams to add new textures and flavors. 'Everything we've done we've had to do under these extreme conditions,' Osborne said of the original space. '(Raul) will now have all the equipment and toys that his heart can desire.' The expanded menu will break the sandwiches (also available as wraps) into two tiers: classic ($13) and specialty ($17). The classics all have a fancy twist, like a BLT with Havarti, avocado and Carolina barbecue aioli, or the pastrami sandwich with chimichurri, Fresno chile hot sauce and pickled mustard seed aioli. New specialty sandwiches include the Bodega Bay, a soft roll topped with braised chicken thigh, pickled vegetables, pepper jack and chile lime aioli. The Gold Coast, another newcomer, integrates bacon jam and Carolina barbecue aioli with chicken breast. Lopez said he's 'big on using the whole animal and having minimal waste,' which means using parts of a whole chicken for multiple sandwiches, including roasting the bones for sauces. The Local offers an unusually robust selection of vegetarian options, like the Helen Putnam; named after Petaluma's first female mayor, it features roasted beet hummus and artichoke hearts. 'When I thought about opening a sandwich shop, I ate at a bunch, and every time I got to the vegetarian menu, I realized there were only one or two options,' Lopez said. 'I was vegetarian for (a few) years, and working in fine dining, I learned a lot of cool techniques when it comes to vegetables.' The shop can accommodate most dietary restrictions — another takeaway from Lopez's years spent in Michelin-starred kitchens. The Local sources gluten-free bread from Mama Mel's in Petaluma and makes pestos without nuts or dairy. Like the gym counter, the new location will offer smoothies ($10-$12) and salads (from $13). Lopez has added a new section for seasonal bowls ($15), like a polenta bowl with braised chicken, fermented carrots, roasted broccolini and salsa verde. Drinks include specialty sodas, aguas frescas and shrubs. The menu will continue to grow over time, Lopez said, as he envisions adding flatbreads and sides, such as housemade potato chips and potato salad. The Local will be open Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., but Lopez has ambitions for a future dinner concept after hours that's closer to his fine dining roots. The new spot's interior is also a major upgrade from the gym's inconspicuous counter: Bright and minimalist, it features wood paneling, a classic sandwich board menu and fancy picnic tables, plus plants and flowers for decor. Windows provide a view into the kitchen and a side patio has additional seating. 'We're trying to make everything a little more elevated,' said Osborne. 'We wanted the dining area to match the food.' The Local. Opens Aug. 18. 229 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma.