What Could Be Better Than Zingerman's? MORE Zingerman's

[filkertom]

The best deli on the planet has permission to build an expansion. Man oh man. They've been working to get this for awhile now, and the plan looks superb. I know the neighborhood very well (I was living one block over when the deli opened), and this will really liven things up nicely.

It's been awhile since we discussed this, so: What's your favorite deli meal? I'm fond of a huge lean corned beef sandwich with a few slices of Emmentaler (actual, Switzerland-made Swiss cheese) on a good hearty rye with a touch of honey mustard or Dijon, some thick-cut, crunchy potato chips, and (if the deli has them) some thin, crispy onion rings. Starter of chicken noodle soup optional but very much appreciated.

Comments

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

Katz's. Ludlow and Houston.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

oh, my. You got the Real McCoy there, dontcha? How many meals could you get out of one of those sandwiches? :)

I don't know how they do it in Ann Arbor, Tom, but this gentleman will tell you, in Noo Yawk they pile it on like tomorrow is the zombie invasion and you might have to eat on this one sandwich for a while... if they're good they'll use Boar's Head (or something better I ain't heard of, but that's what I remember from being there)... along with bags of kettle-cooked chips and a bewildering array of choices in the soda case.... unlike Philly, the desserts weren't particularly memorable (though there was this one place up in Midtown that had fudge)... but still. You weren't gonna want dessert after this.

Here in the Emerald City you can get something vaguely resembling New York deli food... Buffalo Deli in Belltown has a good pastrami on rye, you can get it hot, with provolone... I'm not a fan of the ruben, given I'm not a fan of thousand island dressing, but a good hot pastrami... and the chicken matzoh soup, oh, my. (How come I never stumbled across the matzoh soup in NYC I dunno, wrong neighborhoods?) But I have braved quite a few storms to trudge up the hill, grab my soup and my sandwich and a cookie and a Dr. Brown's (black cherry if they've got it) and scurry back down through the wind and rain and still get back to my desk while this goodness is still warm....

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

Me, one meal per sandwich. But then, I'm kind of a big eater. Normal person, two to three meals at least.

Some notes:

Boar's Head? Pshaw. The good places--like Katz's--make their own corned beef. (And everything else.)

Reubens don't actually use Thousand Island, they use Russian dressing. It's an understandable mistake, though, as the differences are very subtle. Or possibly nonexistent. We're not entirely sure.

Matzah (Matzo, Matzoh...let's just go with מַצָּה) ball soup: wait, you lived in New York and didn't encounter it? "Wrong neighborhoods" barely covers it. Sounds like you never set foot in the Upper West Side or the Lower East Side of Manhattan, let alone the various outerborough communities...

But at least you have the soda right. *grin*

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

make their own corned beef

True dat. What's that place on Roosevelt Island, IIRC, starts with a Z?

Right. Russian dressing. Still don't want it on my sammich. :)

(The diff, AFAICT, is Russian has more spice and no pickles. An improvement? yes. On my sandwich? no. On yours? up to you. :)

Upper West Side, once I did, but it was this diner... closest I got to the Lower East Side was Halloween in the Village. Man, what an experience! But no soup. Outerborough, a lot of time around Brooklyn Hospital... which, yeah, is odd I didn't run across the soup, because I remember seeing a fair number of Jewish folk, even Hasidim, coming and going... but no soup. Ah, well. As for the soda, how could I forget? :)

If I ever go back, though... I shall consult the natives!

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

It's not on Roosevelt Island, it's on the upper west side of Manhattan and it's called Zabar's. Already posted about it below. :)