Jewish Delicatessen opening in Rehoboth Beach
“It’s like déjà vu all over again,” is one of my favorite Yogi Berra quotes.
My second favorite from the Yankee legend? “No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.” That one always makes me chuckle because if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. Kind of. Don’t hurt your head thinking about it too long.
Sometimes writing this column seems “like déjà vu all over again.” Questions come up that I’ve answered before. But the beauty of repeats is the answers can change, even slightly, like today’s first query.
Keep the emails coming to me at ptalorico@delawareonline.com. I’ll try and respond, even if I heard the inquiry before.
As Berra once said: “If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.”
Will travel for pastrami
Where can I find great pastrami in my area? I live in Bear, but I will travel for a good sandwich.
Thanks.
Mary E. Stewart
Ah, the pastrami question usually leads to the deli question, a popular column query.
Delaware does many casual foods right – cheesesteaks, subs, crabs, and chicken and dumplings, among other things. But delis? Eh, not so much.
Every few years, someone, usually a newcomer to Delaware, asks where they can find an authentic, New York-style Jewish deli offering corned beef or pastrami.
And as a reader once wrote: “Delaware is not a deli state. Philadelphia is the way to go.”
Mostly, my answer has been there’s Bain’s Deli at 225 N. Market St., in Wilmington (which has received a lukewarm response from some deli lovers) or be prepared to go on a road trip to Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Maryland.
About two years ago, a reader shared that there’s a kosher deli, open to the public, at Lodge Lane Assisted Living, 1221 Lodge Lane, Wilmington, (302) 757-8100. It’s owned and operated by The Kutz Home, which welcomes residents of all faiths while celebrating Jewish traditions, culture and values.
I called Lodge Lane on Wednesday and a woman who answered the phone said while the deli doesn’t have sliced meats, they do make $8 sandwiches (corned beef and pastrami included) as well as $7 platters featuring egg salad, chicken salad, macaroni salad and potato salad.
The deli is open to the public for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call ahead if your party has more than six people.
And now for some more good news: Rosenfeld’s Jewish Delicatessen in Ocean City, Maryland, is planning a Delaware location in Rehoboth Beach by 2017.
If you’ve been in the resort area this summer, no doubt you’ve witnessed the construction on the site at Del. routes 1 and 24, on the northbound side of the roadway, next to the Wawa store.
Rosenfeld’s, which offers New York-style deli sandwiches as well as pickles, matzo ball soup, knishes, babka and New York-style cheesecake, is anticipating opening the Rehoboth eatery this winter.
The Rehoboth restaurant will feature a full-service deli area — three times the size of the flagship location in Ocean City — and an inside dining area with more than 70 seats.
“This is something I have given a lot of thought,” owner Warren Rosenfeld told Delmarva Daily Times reporter Hannah Carroll in August. “I believe another location will unlock a world of opportunities for us.”
Check out the Facebook page for more information.
Rosenfeld’s also operates a food truck. On Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., the food truck will be parked at Epworth Church on Holland Glades Road in Rehoboth, for its Food Truck Friday event. Cash, debit and credit cards are accepted. For more information about Rosenfeld’s, visit their website www.rosenfeldsjewishdeli.com
As for other area delis, you can visit Famous Deli at Fourth and Bainbridge streets in Philadelphia; Steve Stein Famous Deli on Grant Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia; The Kibbutz Room and Short Hills Deli in Evesham, New Jersey; or Hymie’s Delicatessen in Bala Cynwood, Pennsylvania.
Readers? More thoughts? Any place closer to Delaware you’d suggest for pastrami?
Looking for Vietnamese food
Where would you suggest for Vietnamese or Chinese food?
Diane Holtan
Chinese food, and where to find, was chronicled in this column several times in June.
Here were some of the suggestions: The Crownery in Hockessin’s Lantana Square Shopping Center; Kenny’s Pan Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar in the Governor Square II shopping center in Bear; the Orient Chinese Restaurant, 414 S. Broadway, Pennsville, N.J., Confucius Chinese Cuisine in Rehoboth Beach; Chef Tan at 108 E. Main St. in Newark; Takumi Restaurant in the Independence Mall shopping center in Brandywine Hundred; Bamboo House in Newark’s College Square Shopping Center; and Yi Palace in the Concord Square shopping center in north Wilmington.
But Vietnamese food? We haven’t touched upon this subject lately. While I’m still in mourning over the 2015 closure of Saigon Vietnam restaurant in Newark, I do like to get pho, or Vietnamese noodle soup, at Pho Cali at 4373 Kirkwood Highway in the Kirkwood Plaza Shopping Center. It’s a pretty humble establishment, but it often has a very good lunch crowd.
Pho Nhu Vu at 1146 Pulaski Highway in Bear is another thought. The menu can be found at www.phonhuvu.com.
I’ve also enjoyed the sandwiches at Banh-Mi Boy at 209 E. Main St. in Newark. It’s run by the same family who ran Saigon Vietnam for more than 25 years.
Several Vietnamese dishes can be found at Southeast Kitchen at 1901 Delaware Ave. in Wilmington’s Trolley Square. Readers? Where else? What am I missing?
Reader misses Newark Italian restaurant
I was very curious to know what happened to Soffritto Italian Grill in Newark. They have been closed for over a month. There is an Emory Hill Property management sign out front. This restaurant was thriving, but very expensive. If you could find out some information that would be great. We will miss Soffritto’s!
Thank you,
Marcus Fehl
Marcus, this same question came up in the Aug. 4 column. So, for anyone who missed it, here’s a rehash:
Soffritto Italian Grill at 1130 Capitol Trail in Newark had been in operation since 2005. In June, it was touting live music at the restaurant. In early August, I tried calling the restaurant, but no one answered the phone. I also emailed asking about the status of the eatery, but I haven’t received a reply.
The 6,600-square-foot restaurant, with seating for 235 people as well as a banquet facility, is listed for sale for $2.5 million on a commercial real estate website.
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 orptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter@pattytalorico