" A 'PECKING ORDER' FOR DELI S??

.....would enjoy hearing if many, or any, have a favorite Deli?? (and, perhaps comparable or exceeding NYC s Stage, or Carnegie) - too, is there a number 2 and 3 you might have in mind??

Furthermore, it would be useful to know if you have a favorite item or so in 'any' Deli !! ...

Thanks in advance,

JJG

[Robin Garr]

.....would enjoy hearing if many, or any, have a favorite Deli?? (and, perhaps comparable or exceeding NYC s Stage, or Carnegie) - too, is there a number 2 and 3 you might have in mind??

Furthermore, it would be useful to know if you have a favorite item or so in 'any' Deli !! ...

Jim, Louisville doesn't really have New York-style delis ... they just don't seem to thrive here.

But Stevens & Stevens is certainly a great Louisville-style deli, and I'm just as happy with that.

Morris Deli out at Bardstown and Taylorsville has excellent food, too, although the very small, crowded quarters leave something to be desired in the comfort department.

And now that Lotsa Pasta has a sit-down dining area, I'd qualify it as a decent Italian deli. It's always been my favorite Louisville specialty-food store, and now you can get a muffuletta or sub and sit down and eat it on the premises.

The corned beef, pastrami and chopped liver offerings at Stevens & Stevens are as close as one is going to get to NYC style deli in Louisville. The Mark's Special and Phantom of the Opera are both good sandwiches in the tradition of NYC deli. However, you are not going to find any half-sour pickles, hand-cut extra fatty pastrami, sable, bialy, etc.

I've seen delis come and go in the Ville. Steven's & Steven's is my long time fave and seems to have passed the test of time. This is a good reason for this.

I find it funny that most deli's are judged on how close to NYC they get?

While I love a good NYC-style Corned Beef of Patrami, sometimes I'm not in the mood for a big monster heavy sandwich like that.


One of my 'sleeper' things to judge a good deli is their Chicken Salad.

[Robin Garr]

I find it funny that most deli's are judged on how close to NYC they get?

Personally, I'm not a great fan of NYC deli, not even after having lived there and eaten a lot of it. Frankly, I find it heavy, greasy and coarse. (Let the flames begin!) Stevens & Stevens, however, is not like that. They manage a pastrami that's rich but not greasy.

But when somebody asks a deli question, I assume they're looking for NYC deli in general and NYC kosher deli in particular.

^ I agree. That's kinda what I was getting at, that most people seem to associate Deli = NYC Deli.

Might as well be two completely different categories if you ask me.

I love a good Pastrami on occasion, but I have to be in the mood.

Stevens & Stevens is definitely the best all-around deli in town. Still, sometimes I prefer a good. light Turkey on Wheat from a place like Deebs or Thornberry's.

There's nothing within 350 miles that can compare to the Carnegie! (And at the 350 mile mark is Slyman's in downtown Cleveland, which can't surpass but comes close with corned beef). (I'm not counting the Vienna plant restaurant in Chicago, which - while it has the best corned beef in the world - doesn't do the overstuffed sandwiches that the others do)

As a long-time deli afficianado who loves the stuff - unlike Robin - I'd recommend trying Jason's. I know, it's (shudder shudder) a "chain", but it's the thickest heaviest around, the only deli sandwich in town where my wife and I can split one sandwich and both be happy!

As a long-time deli afficianado who loves the stuff - unlike Robin - I'd recommend trying Jason's. I know, it's (shudder shudder) a "chain", but it's the thickest heaviest around, the only deli sandwich in town where my wife and I can split one sandwich and both be happy!

I have to agree, Jason's has about as close to a New York deli sandwich as you can get in Louisville (their salads aren't bad either) of course they're not Kosher if that matters to you. Here's a link to their Menu for those of you who aren't familiar with the place. Their only location in Louisville at the present time is located at 410 N Hurstbourne Pkwy, just North of Shelbyville Road.

I prefer Jason's deli, but like Stevens and Stevens as well.

I really like Giacomo's in Lexington. It may be my current fave.

Hmm is there a Jason's in Louisville and I am just not aware of it? I do not see one on their company web site either. May have to try it the next time I am in Nashvegas.

A 2nd Louisville Jason's Deli will be opening up in St. Matthwes in the Shelbyville Road Place (by the old Wild Oats).

In my opinion, the best deli anywhere anyhow is Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, MI. I've never had anything that wasn't exceptional there. They've expanded a lot and now have a bakehouse as well that makes some of my favorite artisan breads. The chocolate cherry bread is to die for.

As far as Louisville, I need to try Jason's Deli. I usually hit Stevens & Stevens when I get my deli craving though.

Hmm is there a Jason's in Louisville and I am just not aware of it? I do not see one on their company web site either. May have to try it the next time I am in Nashvegas.

Check out http://www.jasonsdeli.com/location/LKY

It's sort of next to the Bristol on Hurstbourne just East of Shelbyville Rd.

This thread provided the motivation for a visit to Stevens & Stevens today. I had the Mark's Special -- corned beef and pastrami with grilled onions, mustard on wheat bread. Wow. The sandwich was huge. I like the less fatty meat they use, and the grilled onions weren't too greasy for my taste. Not a big fan of the pickle -- the pickle is a quibble.