Fill your belly with Sandusky Bell and Deli

Editor's note: This article is sponsored by H2 Property Holdings.SANDUSKY — Servers could easily tell patrons enjoyed their first meals at Sandusky Bell and Deli.The initial indicator: Upon busing tables, all the plates felt light. That's because diners finished their meals of fluffy omelets surrounded by crispy hash browns, hulking deli-style sandwiches sprinkled with home-cooked potato chips and more.Dozens showed up to the Bell's grand opening Saturday inside The Marketplace at Cooke in downtown Sandusky. Going forward, the restaurant keeps hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m Mondays through Saturdays and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.The Sandusky Bell and Deli staff and management pose for a picture. The deli-diner restaurant debuted Saturday within The Marketplace at Cooke in downtown Sandusky.The more important measure came when management spoke with patrons and asked for their honest feedback."The Sandusky Bell and Deli was consistently steady from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.," said Meghan Hogrefe, who, along with her husband, Rick, own The Marketplace through their company, H2 Property Holdings. "With all the events going on in downtown, we were extremely proud of the flow. So many comments I overheard through the day regarding the deli: 'You will never leave hungry. The sandwiches are huge and so good.' That, to me, was success."The Sandusky Bell and Deli, located within The Marketplace at Cooke, hosted its grand opening on Saturday. Several dozen people showed up to eat there on its opening day.An offshoot of the Bay View-based diner, Bay Bell Restaurant, the Sandusky Bell and Deli plans to serve up two varying styles of food inside one location:• Mornings: Customers can expect a traditional breakfast menu, which includes signature Bay Bell meals, such as country fried steak and the Admiral's Omelet, four eggs blanketed by ham, green peppers and onion and stuffed with hash browns.• Afternoons: People can order a wide variety of sandwiches or choose a healthier option, such as filling up a bowl from the salad bar.Classic breakfast items, such as omelets with toast and home fries are among the many food options available at Sandusky Bell and Deli, located within The Marketplace at Cooke in downtown Sandusky. "In Bay View, everybody knows what we have, but, coming into Sandusky, we will be able to reach out to more people so they can experience our great food," said Judy Protzman, one of the restaurant's proprietors. She'll run the business with her boyfriend, Jim Johnson, an area firefighter. The two also oversee operations at the Bay Bell, which will continue operating in Bay View even with Sandusky Bell and Deli debuts.Protzman and the Hogrefes want to see many those customers return in addition to other newcomers."We will be continuing to bring new flavors and tastes to the menu," Rick said. "Stay tuned."Roast beef sandwiches and home-cooked potato chips are among the many food options available at Sandusky Bell and Deli, located within The Marketplace at Cooke in downtown Sandusky. Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.