A sandwich shop in the South Bay really needs something special to separate itself from the herd. Danny Orozco, owner of Genuine Heros, thinks he has that something in the signature recipes he’s been developing the past 15 years.

In-house slow-roasted meats, house-made sauces and Italian sausage make the menu skew toward an East Coast Italian deli.

“Italian-American food has always been a part of me in some shape or form since I was a kid of 8 or 9 years,” Orozco says. “That is when I had my first heavenly bite of pepperoni.”

The menu is straightforward and the sandwiches are served simply: bread, meat and a minimal amount of toppings. There will be “no masking of our traditional offerings with crazy sauces, crazy ingredients, crazy combinations, crazy names, etc. for our sandwiches,” Orozco says. With that in mind, the boys and I ordered up a nice selection that including the Roast Pork ($9.25); Roast Tri-Tip ($9.75); Meatball ($9.50) and the Italian Special ($8.25).

The tri-tip was tender and beefy, but it would’ve been nice if it had a bit of a crust. The au jus sauce was so delicious my cohort couldn’t help but slam it down like a shot of tequila when we were done. Homemade all-beef meatballs and marinara were an excellent pairing by themselves, but the creamy provolone and parmesan put the sandwich over the top. The Italian comes fully loaded with ham, soppressata, capicola and topped with mixed greens that are lightly drizzled in a balsamic dressing. I was afraid that the balsamic would overpower the meat, but I found that it actually enhanced the sandwich, giving it a nice tang.

The real star of Genuine Heros was the Roast Pork, with its thinly sliced, herb-crusted, juicy layers of pork cloaked in a bed of wilted spinach. This sandwich is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It also came with pork au jus that someone else may, or may not, have guzzled down.

Genuine Heros is still a new kid on the block, and they’ll be expanding their menu in the future with more vegetarian-friendly options, breakfast sandwiches and traditional deli items. Hours will also expand to Saturdays, as they’re currently only open Monday through Friday. While a little off the beaten path, Genuine Heros is worth a foray to the Edenvale area for sandwich lovers.

Genuine Heros 
5978 Silver Creek Valley Rd #30, San Jose.
408.960.8438