News about Down Home Delights first appeared on several county Facebook groups last year when they opened in the Village Buckhorn shopping center in Pioneer. My mother and I decided to try them on June 9 when I saw new pitas advertised on their Facebook profile page. She ordered a tuna pita, and I ordered a veggie pita.
I called a little after 3:00 p.m. and was told the pitas would be ready in about 20 minutes. After I drove from Jackson to the Village Buckhorn shopping center in Pioneer and entered the restaurant, I found the owner at the front counter and an employee making food; they were the only two people in the restaurant.
The owner gave me the pitas wrapped in foil, and the employee explained that even though she wrote chicken curry on my mother’s pita wrapper, the wrapper contained her tuna pita. I thanked them for the clarification and paid with cash.
I also asked how business was, and the owner said Down Home Delights has been busy since it opened, which was good to hear. She also asked about the company shirt I was wearing and when I told her about it, she invited me to tack up my business card on a corkboard provided for that purpose by the front door. I did, received my bag of food, thanked the owner and employee again, and left to drive back to Jackson. Once I got home, we found the pitas were being kept warm in a standard foil paper wrapper.
My Pita
From what I could see peeking out of the open side of the pita, there was spinach, yellow peppers, large pieces of red onion, and what looked to be mushrooms. When I took the first bite, my taste buds confirmed that those ingredients were indeed there as well as two others: caramelized onions and cream cheese.
The peppers, onions, and cream cheese took center stage. The caramelized onions brought a different onion taste that complemented the fresh onions well, and the cream cheese was a nice counterbalance to the taste of the peppers and onions.
The toasted pita bread was quite thin, so I didn’t feel confident in holding it as I ate. I used a fork instead and the pita bread cut easily except at the edges.
Mom’s Pita
The opening to the tuna pita had a lot of tuna salad flowing out. There were only a couple of bits of celery aside from the tuna salad, and my mother said it didn’t look that appetizing. She decided to eat her pita with a fork as well, and she said the tuna salad was good, but there were few chunks of celery to balance the tuna salad.
Once she got to the end of the pita, however, she discovered that the tuna salad disappeared and all she had to eat was lettuce. Though the lettuce still had the juices from the tuna salad, she was disappointed that her last few bites were only lettuce and bread.
The Verdict
I thought my veggie pita was flavorful and the lack of an herbed pita let the flavors of the vegetables and cream cheese take center stage. My stomach thought the pita itself wasn’t enough to satisfy it, so the veggie chips I had on the side helped fill the empty space. My mother said that overall, she didn’t her tuna pita because of how it was constructed. She didn’t eat very many Lay’s potato chips on the side because the tuna was filling enough.
So, we give a flashing green light for Down Home Delights pitas. They’re tasty, make for a decent lunch, and are a solid addition to their menu. However, if you don’t live near Pioneer, then they’re not worth driving up for yet.
Down Home Delights is best known for its comfort food, especially its pot pies and side dishes like macaroni and cheese. So, I bought two to-go, frozen individual chicken pot pies they offered on their menu board. They also offer family-sized pot pies, but the individual pies were both cheaper and better for only two people. My mother and I will try them soon, and I’ll have a review in a future issue of the Ticker.
Want to Try Them?
Down Home Delights is located in the Village Buckhorn shopping center at 26590 Highway 88 in Pioneer. They serve breakfast and lunch including coffees, teas, and frappés. Down Home Delights also offers food to go including pot pies, whole smoked meats, and family-sized side dishes.
They’re open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. Visit their Facebook profile page for their latest offerings and you can message them for more information. If you prefer to call them with questions and/or you’re ready to order, dial 209-295-8888.
Amador Business Ticker food reviews are adventures in local dining with Editor Eric Butow and his mom.
