A visit to New York wouldn't be complete without the deli experience. Julian Tan cites some memorable munching.

Murray Hill

 

Sarge’s Deli

They say a hungry man is an angry man. Hungry though not angry, NYPD sergeant Abe Katz would have dinner at around midnight whenever he worked the late shift. He would find himself looking for places to eat, often settling for the short-order variety rather than a complete meal. After serving for over 25 years in law enforcement, he retired and decided to open a restaurant offering a friendly ambience and, most importantly, good food. And he wanted it open 24/7. In 1964, Sarge’s Deli – “Sarge” was a name given to Katz in the neighbourhood where he used to work – opened on Third Avenue, between 36th and 37th Streets. Today, the institution of New York’s East Side is run by Katz’s grandson, Michael, along with his children, Joyce (Michael’s mum) and Lenny Katz. Diners will be able to enjoy lunch specials, a weekend brunch from 1000 to 1700 and an all-day menu, along with a choice of juices, sodas, coffee and tea, beer and alcoholic drinks. Sarge’s Sandwich Board features corned beef, roast beef and pastrami sandwiches (US$9.95 each), chopped liver and salami (US$7.95 each) among others. There’s also a variety of noshes (an all-time favourite is the Deli Wellington or corned beef, pastrami and potato in a puff pastry, US$4.95), flame broiled burgers, cold cut platters, salads, soups, appetisers and side orders like onion rings and cheese fries, as are Combination and Triple Decker sandwiches that promise to satisfy your meat-and-carb fantasy. Those with an even bigger appetite can opt for heartier meals like salmon steak – broiled, poached or blackened – served with rice or potato and vegetable (US$16.95), or the one pound prime boneless sirloin steak served with potato and vegetable (US$23.95). CONTACT: 548 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (take subway 6 to 33rd St), tel 1 212 679 0442, www.sargesdeli.com  

Midtown West

Carnegie Deli

New Yorkers love their city as much as they love their delis. With the help of restaurateurs, writers, photographers, publishers and friends, the team at Carnegie Deli – which is close to the famed Carnegie Hall – put together, you guessed it, a book titled How to Feed Friends and Influence People (John Wiley & Sons, US$16.46, Amazon.com), recounting the story of the deli. And not just any deli, but one described as “more than a restaurant with a good gimmick – it’s a family business that succeeded thanks to tried-and-true business principles”. A vacation to New York is incomplete without a trip to the delis, friends had warned us weeks before we headed off. So a date was set, that we should dine at five, if not at least three, of the best delis around. Of all those we visited between late morning and mid afternoon, Carnegie Deli was the busiest. But that didn’t deter Sandy Levine, its managing director and son-in-law of the deli founder Milton Parker, from leaving his lively kitchen to introduce himself, when I revealed after settling the bill that I was a journalist and would be writing a feature. The jovial man grabbed the counter copy of the book about his deli and wrote on it: “To Julian, have a delicious deli day. Enjoy the best, Sandy Levine.” He then introduced his own son-in-law, Chuck, who took me on a tour of the place. This landmark institution and its food is a tourist attraction in its own right, which explained why the British family of four and Italian couple next to us gawked, as a black-and-white uniformed waiter served us our corned beef “stacked as high as a wad of my six months’ worth of grocery, shopping and ATM receipts” sandwich (US$13.95). Even the waiter who walked past with a mile-high cheesecake, smiled teasingly at us as we shook our heads indicating the cake wasn’t ours. Carnegie’s guest list is the Who’s Who of America ranging from Katie Couric to Larry King, Barry Manilow to Aerosmith, Halle Berry to Adam Sandler, George Bush to Al Gore, as well as other equally known names like Hugh Grant, Celine Dion and Bret “Hitman” Hart. And naturally, there’s a Wall of Fame to prove it. Says Chuck, who is being trained to run the family business that started in 1937: “I enjoy meeting people from all over the world.” He is referring, of course, to the privileged many, both locally and from afar, who have passed through the doors of Carnegie and enjoyed one of New York City’s best pastrami and corned-beef sandwiches and cheesecakes. CONTACT: 854 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019 (take subway A, B, C, D, 1 or 9 to 59th St-Columbus Cr), tel 1 212 757 2245, www.carnegiedeli.com Stage Deli A stroll from Carnegie Deli along Seventh Avenue is Stage Deli, which has been in operation for 70 years. It is said that Stage, touted as the favourite of Broadway patrons, “is notorious for employing waitstaff trying to break into the theatre”. We arrived at around 1.45pm on a Wednesday (shows mostly start at 2pm, 7pm or 8pm) – which was too early for anyone, let alone a theatre actor or even a Hollywood film star, looking for a bite after a show. But wait, my heart skipped a beat – was that Jack Nicholson at the cashier? It turned out just to be one of the waiters who bore a bit of a resemblance to the Academy Award-winning actor. Entering the deli, we realised how big a silver-screen fan Paul Zolenge and Steve Auerbach, co-owners of the deli, must be. The walls are decorated with panel after panel of photographic prints of famous names from the film and entertainment industry. And not just that, I noticed while skimming through the menu that both Zolenge and Auerbach also worship sportsmen, journalists and bigwigs in politics. Every dish under the Stage Triple Deckers, Hot Open Sandwiches and Heroes selections is dedicated to a celebrity – how would you like a Dolly Parton (twin rolls of pastrami and corned beef), a Donald Trump sliced steak or a Rudy Giuliani (corned beef and pastrami with muenster, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing)? I finally decided on the Joel Grey Broadway Salad (US$16.95), which was a huge serving of broccoli and lettuce garnished with tomatoes, cucumber and onions and topped generously with sliced grilled chicken breast. As they say, think bold and dream big – who knows, you could bump into Gloria Estefan or Aretha Franklin on your next visit? CONTACT: 834 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, tel 1 212 245 7850, www.stagedeli.com  

Upper West Side

Zabar’s Café

The tagline on its website “New York is Zabar’s...Zabar’s is New York” says it all. And there is no stopping the locals from waxing lyrical of Zabar’s variety of meats, smoked fish, cheeses, bagels and gourmet coffees and teas – you can even have it delivered to your home by ordering online a gift basket of the deli selections, provided you live in the US. (Sorry guys, that doesn’t extend to those next door in Canada.) Back in 1934, and so the story goes, Zabar’s began as an appetising counter opened by Louis and Lillian Zabar in a Daitch Market. The counter selling high-quality smoked fish then morphed into a store, when years of hard work paid off and the Zabars took over the market, selling smoked fish and roasted coffee. Today, it measures over 1,858sqm and is a family-run business with more than 250 employees who help run the store, mail order division and office. A catering department is available to handle orders of Zabar’s favourites including double smoked Nova salmon (from US$22), platters, salads, appetisers and entrées. There is also a houseware section for purchase of kitchen utensils, cutlery and electrical appliances. CONTACT: 2245 Broadway, New York, NY 10024 (take subway 1 to 79th St), tel 1 212 787 2000, www.zabars.com

Lower East Side

Katz’s Deli

Everyone knows by now that Katz’s is where the famous deli scene in When Harry Met Sally was filmed. Count a field trip to Katz’s as part of a unique New York experience, one where you can step back into the Old World. This deli was founded in 1888 by a Russian immigrant family in the Lower East Side, where it still stands today. Its cheeky slogan “Send a salami to your boy in the army”, coined during the days of the Second World War when the owners’ three sons were serving in the armed forces, is still very much in use. Apart from the delectable sandwiches, platters and meats it serves, Katz’s prides itself on the loyal following it has built over the centuries – that the New Yorkers continue to spread the word about their deli to friends and other people from all over the world. Novelist and long-time Brooklyn resident, Sophia Romero-Schwartz, who recently organised a trip here for her daughter, Amalya and classmates, highly recommended the place to us. Even an acquaintance we met at an auction house event, who has spent several years of his career in NYC, swore by it. And it is easy to see why. Every good cut of beef is appreciated, whether it’s for the use of pastrami, corned beef or brisket, all of which Katz’s is famous for. Like the other delis, Katz’s has no lack of celebrity guests (Ben Stiller and Christy Turlington among others), and former presidents Carter and Clinton. CONTACT: 205 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002 (take subway F to 2nd Ave), tel 1 212 254 2246, www.katzdeli.com