Restaurant combines Cajun cuisine with New York deli sandwiches

LOS ANGELES -- A native New Yorker moved his family to Los Angeles to open a shop that combines two of his passions, deli sandwiches, and Cajun cuisine.

Sami Othman has been in the deli business for over 40 years. His daughter, Jasmine Summer, said he started working in his family's deli shop when he was 10 years old.

"My dad was raised in delis throughout his whole life, New York delis in particular, but we've always had a passion and love for Cajun-Creole foods," Summer said.

When Sami moved his family to Los Angeles, he took that passion for Cajun food and combined it with his love of delicatessens, and that's when Orleans and York were born.

"It truly has bridged Louisiana with LA," customer Arlise Emerson said. "So, it's both La's -- Louisiana and Los Angeles. The food is exceptional, good quality."

Sami opened up the first Orleans and York on Slauson and Overhill in 2013. They got such a good response, they opened up the second location in Inglewood a year later and now Summer is co-owner of the location.

"All of our spices are handmade, all of our ingredients are in the house-made, our Cajun potato salad, macaroni salad, potato salad, banana pudding," Summer said. "Everything is handmade."

Jasmine said working through the pandemic has been a challenge, but the Inglewood community has steadily been supportive. Jasmine said she's also currently serving as a member of the chamber of Inglewood.

"Being in Inglewood, it became like all of our customers have become family," Summer said. "Honestly Inglewood is one of the most supportive cities that we've been in."

"I'm from Philadelphia from the East Coast, and my best friends are from New Orleans," said another customer Richard Hanner. "So, I get both of them type of cuisine all the time, you know, so this is the place to be for guy with taste buds like me."

Orleans and York in Inglewood is located at 400 E. Florence Ave, Inglewood, CA and at 333 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013 in Downtown Los Angeles.