We weren't sure where to go for dinner tonight. We were in the mood for either some kind of Asian, or a giant pastrami sandwich. I got a tip awhile back from wanderingjew that Jack's Deli & Restaurant was an even better find than Corky & Lenny's, another deli both ChiTownDiner and I had visited a couple years back, although not at the same time. Both CTD and I were duly impressed with C&L's, so if wj says Jack's is better it must be some kinda deli.
Appearance-wise, Jack's is pretty typical of the urban Jewish deli model; big carry-out counter in the front and a wide open dining room in back, loaded with free standing tables and a handful of booths along one wall. The three big-screen TVs showing a Browns pre-season game was a bit of a surprise, but didn't do much to detract from the atmosphere.
We're staying in a hotel with no refigerator or microwave for storing and reheating leftovers, so we agreed to split a Reuben and augment that with a couple bowls of sweet & sour cabbage borscht. A couple minutes after we placed the order, our incredibly helpful and very competent waitress came back and told us that a number of customers had complained that the cabbage borscht was too salty, so the kitchen took it off the menu and dumped the rest of the pot. I'm not sure what was less of a suprise; the fact that something in a Jewish deli was too salty, or the fact that a number of people had complained about it.
No matter, we switched to the "hearty" chicken soup (thicker broth than a normal chicken soup with broad, flat noodles, big chunks of chicken and
very tender carrots), while Dad opted for the split pea. The chicken was really good, although (surprise) it was just a tad salty. No matter, I loved it and slurped it up, down to the last molecule of chicken. Pea soup ain't my thing, so I have no idea if it was any good or not. Dad seemed to enjoy it though.
We ordered the Reuben as a "split meat" sandwich; half corned beef and half pastrami. Very unique preparation, at least for a Jewish deli; the sandwich bore grill marks clearly indicating it had been toasted in a panini press. Not bad really. The extra crunch made for a nice added layer of texture. The meat was excellent and amply piled on the bread, although not
quite up to Manny's in Chicago size standards. They must have given the pastrami an extra griddling because it had some outstanding crispy edges, adding even more flavor and texture. Sort of like Jewish burnt ends. Yum.
The sandwich came with a side of slaw and we ordered an extra side of potato salad. The slaw was actually rather bland and had kind of a "grassy" taste. Not my fave to say the least. Even Dad, who always prefers cole slaw to any other side when ordering a sandwich, said it was "uninteresting". The potato salad looked beautiful; slightly yellow, like a mustard style version, although there was scant mustard flavor to be found. There were tiny flecks of orange carrot and green onion adding to the colorful serving, but even that didn't raise the potato salad to the high quality standard of the sandwich.
Because we didn't pig out on the main course, we were able to squeeze in a rare dessert. Jack's cheesecake is dense and creamy while still retaining a certain lightness. As far as I'm concerned, it was the perfect cheesecake. We got a generous ladle of blueberry compote, beautiful in both color and flavor, topping it all off.
We were surprised that they served hard liquor, although it took some doing to get our drinks. Apparently all the hard booze is locked up in the manager's office and he had stepped out for a few minutes. Once he returned, the gin was once again free flowing and we were able to relieve the stresses of the day.
Back to wanderingjew's original recommendation of Jack's over Corky & Lenny's. As I said, we had an amazing waitress, a young African-American woman who was as knowledgable of Jewish deli food as any west side
fresser. She told us that she used to work at C&L's and that she thought the food at Jack's was better. She gave us the whole rundown on the history of the two places, and as it turns out, due to some Romeo & Juliette type relationships and marriages, both Jack's and Corky & Lenny's are now part of one extended family, although not owned by the same person.
So, that's two Cleveland recommendations for which I owe thanks to wanderingjew. First, several years ago, Sokolowski's, and now, Jack's. Thanks wj! Got any suggestions for Cleveland's western suburbs so we can grab a bite on our way out of town Sunday night?
Buddy
Jack's Deli & Restaurant 14490 Cedar Road
University Heights, OH 44121
(216) 382-5350
<message edited by BuddyRoadhouse on Sun, 08/29/10 1:13 AM>
