The new Lansky’s Old World Deli on Columbus and 70th Street is a real winner! At last we have a pleasant deli on the Upper West Side. One of the owners, Robert Ross helped seat us, and our waiter Georgie, was welcoming, helpful, especially for a friend with special dietary needs,  friendly and charming. That itself is noteworthy and earns Lansky’s lots of appreciation. The decor evokes the “old times”, with tiled floors, flocked wallpaper, old time bread slicer, chain flushers in the (clean) bathrooms and a soft 40’s Jazz sound. Some food is on display in cases. Nice. Welcoming.

The really good news is the food. I always judge a deli by it’s corned beef on rye and the meat was beautifully flavored and smokey. A nice sandwich.  Others in our party had delicious chicken soup with matzah balls and the mavens at the table pronounced the soup to be really chicken flavored and not over-salted, as is typical to find in some other restaurants we know. Bubbe’s soup was never-ever over-salted. The baked salmon was excellent as was the unusual fish “schnitzel”. Not really a schnitzel, the fish was not battered and covered,  but quite a delicious dish which might need a different name or menu description. We also enjoyed the Kasha Varnishkas.

We enjoyed our food , talked and laughed throughout dinner, and the manager came by and introduced himself. We suggested that since this restaurant is named for Meyer Lansky, perhaps they should invite his grandson Aaron for dinner.

A friend was eating there at the same time and came by our table to schmooze a bit and said that this was his 4th meal there in a week…he said that he’s become a “regular” and is now totally hooked. This is a welcoming place.

The lovely desserts come from Magnolia Bakery and Citarella…hmmm…yummy and pretty.

They open very early in the morning, about 6 am, for breakfast, which includes eggs with turkey bacon, and they have a good brunch menu as well. The menu does not include any obvious treif (pork and shellfish).

And you will find this very hard to believe, but they are extremely reasonably priced. They are a really a welcome addition to our neighborhood and we all hope that they are a big success. Bring friends and family, we want them to succeed and be around in spite of the bad economy.

Mazal Tov to Lansky’s. Good Luck and congratulations.

Authentic New York City delis are now hard to find. Once there were so many of them that we could take them for granted. So here is a little list to help you know for sure when you are about to eat in a fake:

the menu lists a selection of “Reubens”

the menu lists a selection of cheese burgers

the daily specials are meat with melted cheese and fries. Clearly, you are in an American fast food restaurant, not a Jewish deli.

There are Borsht belt type jokes about Jews on the menu

We ate in such a place called Artie’s Delicatessen on Broadway and 83rd St, last night. Please try this kind of food somewhere else. The “Israeli Salad” was large chunks of tomato and cucumber  with dill and vinegar.  Edible, but not an Israeli Salad which is finely minced cucumber, tomato, onions or chives, herbs and lemon juice. The kasha was mostly giant farfalle with some kasha, missing  onions and mushrooms and it was a bit too greasy, the chicken was overdone and not tender, with no particular flavor. In the past we have been served  flavorless pastrami and bland corned beef,  so we skipped those this time.

The night we had bland meat, we saw a bus-load of German tourists drive up to Artie’s for dinner. I wonder what they thought about it.

Please go to the Second Avenue Deli instead, click and compare the menu. That’s a deli.  Glad they have re-opened and I wish them good luck in their new location.