A new sandwich shop is open in downtown. Why this couple moved to Fresno to open it

Garlishious Deli is a new sandwich shop opening to the public Monday in downtown Fresno — but there’s a lot more than slapping meat between two pieces of bread going on here.

Garlishious is the latest evolution of Garlish, a Fresno company that makes a garlicky spread and dip. The owners moved from Sacramento to Fresno to expand an already thriving business selling the condiment in grocery stores.

It’s a family run company (seriously, Karla and Jesse Lugo call each other “baby” and “Queen” and their teen daughters help peddle the product — when they’re not dipping Goldfish crackers in it).

You can buy the product in more than 80 stores, mostly in Northern California, including Raley’s and Bel Air.

Locally, you can buy it at both The Meat Market locations in Fresno and Clovis, along with locally owned grocery store The Market at Herndon and West avenues. It runs around $6.99.

The original has a lot of garlic flavor, of course. For people who really love garlic, there’s the amped-up Dracula Slayer version.

And the Dragon Breath version lets you taste the garlic before the taste of spicy habanero blooms in your mouth.

Garlish is vegan and free of gluten, nuts, dairy, cholesterol and sugar. At 30 calories per serving, it’s lower in calories than mayonnaise.

In addition to slathering on sandwiches, the Lugos say you can brush it on grilling meats, hot dogs, baked potatoes or grilled cheese.

The sandwich shop/menu

The sandwich shop opens at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 23 and is a way for the company to introduce its product to more people. It’s also a commercial kitchen where they make the orders for grocery stores.

“Why not?” said Jesse Lugo. “Let’s do a deli where we produce the product in the back and do a deli for our marketing.”

It’s on Fresno Street, near P Street, in the former Downtown Deli spot, not far from Fresno City Hall and Community Regional Medical Center.

They chose Fresno because rents are cheaper here.

The menu is full of sandwiches using the Garlish spread: pizza with it as a topping and salads with dressings made with it instead of mayonnaise.

Karla Lugo’s favorite is the “Salmonodon,” made with smoked salmon, Gouda, capers and the Garlish spread on rye.

There’s a “Rowdy Reuben” made with corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut.

And you can build your own sandwich with any type of Garlish. There are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options on the menu too.

Since the Lugos are frequently delivering to Northern California, they decided to use ingredients they say suppliers to Fresno restaurants don’t offer. That includes Oakdale Cheese and Hobbs’ Applewood Smoked Meats from Richmond.

There’s a seasonal Garlish blend, too — horsekicker, made with fresh horseradish.

“The horsekicker will throw a twist in your tastebuds” Jesse Lugo said. Taste all of the blends and “they’re going to be grappled and tackled by the garlic.”

Karla Lugo dons glasses and a mask for the eye-watering combo of garlic and horseradish when she makes it: “I cry and I cry and I cry.”

Garlish and the family behind it

Garlish was born in the late 1990s when Jesse Lugo, studying pre-med at Arizona State, created it for a food science class.

It evolved over the years. Last year, at the MADE Central California food expo, Sunnyside Deli used it on tri-tip, and the creation won the Foodie Favorite Award. The deli had planned to use it at the restaurant before it burned down.

As for the Lugos, this family was born when Karla, with a degree in business, came to Seattle to practice her English for business purposes. She grew up in Monterrey, Mexico.

The couple met at a warehouse and the rest was history. Twenty years of marriage later and they’re clearly still in love. Their 14- and 17-year-old girls are also part of the family business, helping sample and sell Garlish at events.

“They’re amazing sellers, right, baby?” Karla Lugo said. “They know how to talk to people and joke.”

Jesse Lugo is keeping his job managing the iPull-uPull auto salvage yard in Fresno, on top of the Garlish business.

Eventually, they plan to do catering, and get Garlish in more Fresno-area grocery stores. And they’ll continue to find new ways to use their product, testing it on customers at the deli.

“If there’s an experiment going on, it will be here,” he said. “You guys will always be my guinea pigs.”

Hours: Garlishious is at 2621 Fresno St. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.