Feldman’s Deli

She said:

The one thing I first noticed about Feldman’s Deli is that it was a busy, bustling kind of place. The dining room was full. We were immediately greeted by the host and seated at the last open table in the restaurant. Talk about fortuitous timing! 😊 Once seated, I was very happy with the heavy, spacious, square table and the sturdy, white-painted chairs. I really appreciate non-wobbly furniture when eating.

Anyway, we were surrounded by walls painted a dark, sophisticated shade of gray, softened by rustically hewn plank baseboards and wainscotting, along with roughly cut beams crisscrossing the open ceiling. Framed awards and magazine articles adorned the walls, attesting to Feldman’s popularity and success.

Those accolades are well-deserved, as proven by my first bite of my sandwich. I ordered the “Rachel,” which was touted as a fan favorite, and with good reason! The rye bread was perfectly toasted, the pastrami was warm and tasted great, and the coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing added wonderful texture, enhancement, and flavor. I’d ordered my sandwich with a salty dill pickle and a scoop of the housemade potato salad. Can I just say, “Yum”? It was creamy, made with red-skinned potatoes, bits of boiled egg, and green onions. In a word, everything was perfect. I haven’t enjoyed such fare in a long time.

He said:

Feldman’s Deli sits on the southern edge of Sugarhouse, which seems apt. Feldman’s exudes a bit of chic hipsterism, with posters and newspapers sharing the local arts and music scene. Owner Michael Feldman is said to sometimes participate in the weekend live music by singing blues and playing guitar. Awards and positive reviews hang proudly on the walls, as Kathy says. I couldn’t read the articles from my vantage, but some of the titles stood out: “Soul Food,” “Deli Belly,” “Matzo Medicine,” for example.

Feldman’s Deli proudly offers “Authentic Jewish Cuisine”. I’m inclined to accept their claim. Their website says they offer traditional Jewish Deli Sandwiches as well as a variety of interesting-sounding, Eastern-European entrées. However, we found that their printed menu and their online menu both stuck to the sandwiches. Could this be a post-pandemic adjustment? I hope they bring back the greater variety of dishes. But if not, rest assured that the sandwiches by themselves deliver a fantastic meal.

I ordered the Sloppy Joe, Feldman’s signature sandwich. This was not a Manwich, nor did it resemble the bun topped with saucy ground beef served from an ice cream scoop that I remember from my Elementary school cafeteria. Instead, this was half a pound of Corned Beef and Pastrami stacked on double-decker Jewish Rye bread with Thousand Island and coleslaw.

This version of the Sloppy Joe traces its roots to Cuba in the 1930s. A man by the name of José García ran a nightclub in Havana. The club sold liquor and shellfish on ice. Patrons accused José of running a sloppy establishment, as the ice continually melted all over the floor. This became a moniker that stuck, so the place became Sloppy Joe’s Bar and Eatery. The bar served a popular sandwich made with coleslaw, ham, cow tongue, Swiss cheese, and lots of dressing stacked on thin rye bread.

Ernest Hemmingway, if you can believe it, was a frequent patron of the club, and loved the sandwich. He introduced it to his friend, the then-mayor of Maplewood, New Jersey. The mayor, having developed a fondness for the sandwich, returned to New Jersey and asked the owners of his local Jewish deli to replicate the recipe to serve at his weekly card game. Since kosher delis don’t use ham, they switched to corned beef and pastrami. It was a hit! Today, this sandwich is known as the king of New Jersey deli sandwiches.

The Feldman’s version was excellent. The Jewish rye bread was soft and spongy, with a chewy crust that defied my efforts to cut through it with a butter knife. (I tried to cut it because it was so thick and saucy that I couldn’t eat it normally without making a mess. Fortunately, my fork came to my rescue!). The rye was tasty but not overpowering. The meats were juicy and abundant, but not quite as flavorful as I might have wished. An over-generous pile of Jersey Fries (double-fried, boardwalk style) joined my sandwich, along with the obligatory portion of fry sauce. However, in Jewish Deli style, the fry sauce had little bits of chopped pickle in it. I enjoyed every bit of my meal, or at least as much of the large portion as I was able to finish.

Conclusion:

Feldman’s Deli is closed on Sundays and Mondays. They offer live music on Friday nights and sometimes on Saturday nights. Consider making a reservation, as the popular space is a bit small.