There's Ben's Deli NYC and There's Ben's Deli Long Island and Florida
Written: Mar 17 '06 (Updated Mar 17 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The NYC Ben's has that real Deli feel and taste, as do the other Ben's.
Cons: Their soup wasn't all that flavorful
The Bottom Line: Ben's offers many Eastern European foods I don't usually see on other menus on Long Island. The are fast in service and fresh in food. I always leave happy.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Ben's Deli |
I've been to Ben's Deli both in NYC and Long Island. They have branched out with a total of nine locations with most on Long Island and one in Boca Raton, Florida.
The New York Ben's is well located just a couple of blocks from Penn station on the way to the Times Square area. I don't remember much detail about that one except for the fact that it's the large dining room of theirs I have been in. I also remember comparing the sizes of the Pastrami and Corned beef sandwiches with NYC landmarks like Katz Deli, The Carnegie Deli and the Stage Deli. The sandwich wasn't as big as any of the others, but it didn't cost as much either. I'll tell you about taste in a bit.
I've also stopped by one of their Express delis at the Roosevelt Field Mall Food Court. I just went for some quick hot dog or two and a knish as I would be doing some rare shopping on my own. It seems I always have to stop at the food court for energy. Ben's satisfied me at those times. There was a Ben's express deli in my town of Freeport for a while but the small strip mall they stepped into isn't a high volume place and they were on the quieter side of the mall. The truth is, I don't think there were many people in the area that appreciated the Kosher style eastern European foods they offered. I used this one as an energy stop like the one in the big mall. Maybe I'll be able to get to the Boca Raton Ben's one day to check them out.
Ben's of Baldwin
From what I read, the original Ben's is from Baldwin, NY. While in there I never did ask if this was the original site. This is in a strip mall and it's a good size stating they can accommodate 150 people. That seemed to be stretching it, but maybe I'm looking at 150 people my size. Baldwin is just one town away from me so it's a pretty quick ride to it and the large mall parking lot makes parking a snap.
Walking in you immediately see the counter with all the salads and such on display. My mouth starts to water immediately. A plant topped counter divides the serving counter from the sit-down dining area. It's all done in light colours with a very contemporary feel. The room consists of two rows of booths that seat four to six. I suppose a family with young ones might even be able to squeeze eight into the larger booth. The floors were what I first looked at. They were squeaky clean looking and that was in a place that had a good amount of traffic and my last stop was after the noon rush.
Contemporary lighting adorns the far wall of the restaurant.
Menu
This is a full service delicatessen that has all the foods you would expect in a Kosher deli including matzo ball soup, beef brisket, Hungarian goulash, chopped chicken liver,potato pancakes, beef tongue, stuffed cabbage, and of course a good pastrami or corned beef sandwich on rye. Many other meats are on the menu too. Hot open sandwiches and steak and turkey burgers are also available. They serve Hebrew National Hot Dogs and you can put Hebrew National Deli style mustard on them. They also advertise they use Hellman's brand Mayo.
Ben's also have a very complete menu of wraps. A list of the different soups of the days of the week is in the menu. I noticed the menu had seven different salad offerings. A children's menu is also available.
Their pastrami sandwich that sells for $9.00 is a good size that comes with a couple of pickles. I would estimate about two inches thick of meat that is tasty and lean between the slices of rye. It's much more lean than I remember at Katz and the Carnegie Deli in NYC. Now that for me can be good and bad. I happen to like fattier meats and the flavour that comes with it. Hey it's not good for me but it sure tastes fine! I know Katz also goes through a thirty day process of flavoring some of their meats. The sandwiches in the two places I mention are about $12. Let me just say that Ben's is just fine when I'm out on the island. There's really not much to bicker about. They do make an excellent overstuffed pastrami sandwich.
My Latest Experience
Before writing this review I thought it important to give them one more visit and I did. It was a bit after the lunch rush. I arrived about two. I was immediately seated in one of the booths and two pickles and a huge bowl of coleslaw were on my table just seconds later. The coleslaw is flavorful and not drenched. I liked it once again. I ordered a fountain cream soda. It's the best. I suggest your trying it. It's not too carbonated and they use a good amount of syrup. You can go with Dr. Brown brand bottles too.
Just FYI they also offer domestic and imported beers. They have a limited wine list too. The fountain sodas are $1.99 for the "bottomless glass".
I ordered a lunch special of Sauteed Chicken Liver. It took a while to come out but was well worth the wait. It was in a wine based gravy smothered with mushrooms. That's the way they have their mashed potatoes too. No mushrooms but sitting in the middle of a bowl with gravy.
I should mention that the $8.95 special also included soup. I had the lentil something or other. They also had a mushroom barley that day. The soup wasn't impressive. It didn't have much flavour and certainly didn't need any more salt. I'll have to try another type another day. I have had their Matzo ball soup another time and it was just fine.
I was watching the orders coming out and how timely they were. It seems that my chicken liver was the only thing that took a little extra time. Everyone else was getting served in a timely manner. My waitress, they were a bit shorthanded but hustling, also ran the register. The gals working that day were literally running to get orders. They made sure we were all well attended. I knew that my liver order problem was in the kitchen and not the gals. It's good to have someone let you know, they know, you are waiting. That's important and I like that kind of attention.
Ben's has many desserts but I never get to them. They have all kinds of cakes, cookies, brownies, fruit pies and such. Apple Strudel and Rugulach is more to my taste. They have much more too. I never have had anything after eating in any of the Ben's I've been to. I always go out full before dessert.
Last Thoughts
I can tell you that the service, though a little slow in getting my order out was very attentive and friendly and most important looking out for me. The food at Ben's is extremely fresh tasting and I like their sandwiches. The chicken liver I had on my last visit was to die for.
Though I do grab a quick knish and hot dog at the malls at times it's the sit down times that I really like. Ha, I can't get chicken liver at home so a steal away my opportunities at Ben's for lunch at times.
No matter what I have at Ben's, the end result is that I always go home happy.
The Carnegie Deli
Stage Deli
Katz's Deli
Freeport Nautical Mile Many Seafood Restaurants and things to do.
Recommended:
Yes
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