Sandwich, anyone?

A review of the LEGO Creator Corner Deli (31050).

I am always on the lookout for new additions to my LEGO city. I really like the Creator theme for this not only because of the modular buildings, but also because they come up with little sets like the Corner Deli. My intention had been to buy the Toy Shop and Grocery (just because it is older) first. But, a few weeks ago, this one was on sale at the LEGO Store. I actually bought two of them so that I can make it modular. You can watch my summary review of it on YouTube, or continue reading the full review below.

Value: 90% (100% on sale)
The Corner Deli contains 467 pieces and retails at $49.99 in Canada. This means you are paying about $0.11 per brick. That is pretty average according to the analysis I did of the Summer 2016 catalogue. On sale, I purchased this set for $39.99. This means that I paid $0.09 per brick. At nine cents a brick, this is on par with larger sets like the Brick Bank and the Ghostbusters Firehouse. That would give it a 5/5 in my book. At regular price, the set is more like 4.5/5.

The Build: 65%
This set was a pretty quick, evening build. The longer the build, the better in my opinion. So, if you are in need of a short project, this one is good. Compared to other sets though, I give it 3/5 for length of build.

The actual building has some nice features. I like the exterior design of the windows, and the television antenna on the roof is a nice touch (even though there is no TV inside). The sandwich sign is a really nice mini-build as well. The inside of building is a bit bland though. There is a small cash register at the order window, and a stove/counter for making sandwiches on the bottom floor. On the top floor, there is not much room for anything. There is an armchair, and a small table by the window. It is not exactly prime living space. It does have nice roof access though.

The building is hinged so that it can swing open to allow you to play inside. I am not a huge fan of this type of design, which is why I bought two. I plan to rebuild it open, like it is seen in the pictures above, and then fill in the open space with the second kit. I will make the top floor removable in modular style, and get rig of the hinges. I do like he hinges more than the open back concept of some City sets though.

All in all, the actual set is okay. The exterior looks nice, but the interior is nothing special. I give it 3.5/5 here.

The Minifigures: 67%
There are only two Minifigures in this set. One of them is the sandwich chef. He comes with a nice green torso that has both front and back print. There are little grease stains on the shirt, which is a nice touch. I give him a full 5/5. The other Minifig is unfortunately an ape-child. I really dislike the stumpy legs and overly long arms of the LEGO children. These really need a redesign with shorter, more proportional arms and bendable legs. The ape-child has a nice torso with a jean jacket print that I will use for another Minifig. It is double sided, but not unique as this torso has been seen in other sets. I give the ape-child 3/5. Since the ape-child only counts as half a Minifig in my opinion, this set has a Minifigure ratio of 1 Minifig for every 311 pieces. I give that 2/5 since there are sets out there with more Minfigures per piece.

Enjoyment: 80%
I do really like the idea of this set. I plan to keep it for my city, but as I mentioned before, I will modify it. So, it loses points with me for not being a ready-to-go addition to my city. But, the overall design is still nice and I do like the exterior look.

Overall: 76% (78% on sale)
In summary, if you can get this set on sale for 20% off, you are getting a really good value in terms of cost per brick. At regular price, you are paying the current average cost of a brick, which is still not bad. The set itself is a short, but nice build. The outside is aesthetically pleasing, but the interior is a little boring. It comes with one really good Minifigure, but the other one leaves much to be desired. You also don’t have a very good Minifig to overall piece ratio. I do enjoy this set, and I plan to keep it built with a few modifications.