Sarge's Delicatessen

Posted By Bill Homan on November 27, 2007 10:09 AM

Sarge's is located in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan and was started by retired police Sargeant Abe "Sarge" Katz. The ceiling is tin and the booths are well worn; definitely a place without pretensions. One gets the feeling that the waitresses have been there for many years as well. When I went to take a picture my waitress was just inside the frame and said "You better not take my picture, I'll break your lens. I'm too ugly." You can't get that kind of banter at most places these days.

They start you out with a complimentary plate of coleslaw, and a sour and a half-sour pickle. The slaw is lackluster, mayo-based and a little too wet for my taste. The sour pickle is good, with a nice vinegary brininess. The egg cream is good, though I've had better, and I do love it in the traditional soda fountain glass. That being said, I saw my waitress make it and she certainly knew how to put a proper white head on it.

The pastrami sandwich comes on rye and is thinly sliced, moist and perfect with a nice schmear of strong deli mustard; a meal unto itself. A real winner at Sarge's are the french fries. Crispy on the outside and so utterly, incredibly creamy on the inside and not at all greasy. They are cut in the style of Nathan's Famous, but these are far superior. Probably my second favorite fries of all time.

They have a pretty big menu and are open 24 hours. All kinds of people show up at Sarge's and it's definitely worth the trip.

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