We’ve long maintained that Harold’s New York Deli in Edison, NJ serves New York’s most consistently delicious pastrami. In the latest issue of Saveur, Laura Hoffman takes a closer look at the famed Jersey deli, and its owner Harold Jaffe. What strikes first-time visitors immediately are the comically large portions. What surprises most of those fressers is how the quality surpasses the size. The great pastrami is made and smoked in-house, the matzo balls are as light as they are enormous, and even the coleslaw is top-notch.
The giant kasha knish is filled with well-onioned and oiled smooth-textured cereal. True Jewish soul food!
We’ve long maintained that Harold’s quality rye bread is an important part of the pastrami sandwich’s success. It’s far superior to the crappy bread used by Katz’s in NYC, and even a bit better than what we use at home. Guess what we learned from Ms. Hoffman’s story? Harold’s uses bread from Pechter’s of New Jersey, same as we use at home and same as Katz’s! Clearly, Pechter’s makes a wide variety of rye breads because Katz’s dry and dull bread is nothing like the Russian rye we have in our freezer which is nothing like Harold’s crusty slices.
A serving suitable for a family; the terrific kasha varnishkes are loaded with deeply browned onions.
Prices are high at Harold’s, but sharing (encouraged by the house) brings the cost back into line. Or do as we do, and order a sandwich for each of you. Then bring home leftovers to last through the week, capped off with a Harold’s ‘n’ Eggs Sunday breakfast!
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