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Of The Week
Ben’s Best Kosher Delicatessen Offers Tradition And Good Food
Friends, New Yorkers, countrymen, lend me your ears--and your mouths. Original Ben’s Best Kosher Deli has been a New York tradition for over half a century. No tourist’s visit to the Big Apple is complete without a trip to Rego Park, as evidenced by the pictures on the wall of famous celebrities, politicians and noteworthy New Yorkers alike. Two years ago, Original Ben’s Best was judged "Best of the Best" by Fox 5 News. Don’t take their word for it; come taste for yourself.
No one does real kosher deli like Original Ben’s. I’m talking pastrami and corned beef cured with secret recipes that came to this country at the turn of the last century. The Original Ben’s Best Kosher Delicatessen and Restaurant on Queens Boulevard in Rego Park has kept the art of deli alive and consistently delicious for 56 years. Not affiliated with other delis who use the same name, this is the real McCoy. Since it was opened in 1947 by Ben Parker, very little has changed to this day, which is precisely the secret to Ben’s success, according to son Jay Parker who has taken over the family business. And believe me, you wouldn’t want anything to change.
Behind the counter, deli men carve the biggest, tastiest corned beef and pastrami with surgical skill to create the biggest, tastiest sandwiches you’ll ever sink your teeth into. The Original Ben’s has been curing its own corned beef and pastrami for years, using the best cuts of meat and a secret combination of spices to provide the absolute leanest, most tender meat that melts in your mouth
There are a number of sandwiches named for the famous patrons who order them. For example, the Congresswoman Nita Lowey is roast beef, turkey and Bermuda onion on rye bread, while the Gary Ackerman consists of corned beef, turkey breast, Bermuda onion and Russian dressing. CBS has its own sandwich, as does Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Try one of their favorites or create your own.
Don’t forget the brisket, piled high on fresh baked rye bread with gobs of grainy mustard, homemade cole slaw and kosher dill pickles on the side. Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda or Celery Soda is the perfect beverage for this meal. According to the congenial Mr. Parker, it’s all about freshness and consistency. Starting in the early morning, the cooks begin the process of preparing soups, sauces and meats from scratch. One taste of the matzoh ball soup will cure whatever ails you and it is never greasy or salty. The mushroom barley soup is creamy and satisfying as well.
Besides the fabulous overstuffed sandwiches, Original Ben’s Best makes traditional entrees such as boiled chicken in a pot, chock full of chicken, noodles, matzoh balls and kreplach, a kind of dumpling. I love the stuffed cabbage, with rice and beef in a tangy sauce. Also exceptional is the Hungarian goulash, served on a bed of noodles with carrots and peas. Roumanian steaks and rib eye steaks are tender, smothered in onions and served with hand cut french fries.
Original Ben’s Best is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with free delivery available on take-out orders. Don’t cook in this heat; call or fax an order into Ben’s. As can be imagined, the Original Ben’s Best does a brisk catering business, whether it’s a sandwich platter for a business luncheon or dinner for 30 on Thanksgiving. Menus are customized to individual needs and everything is prepared fresh the same day. The Jewish holidays start very early this year. The first night of Rosh Hashana is September 6, so call Ben’s Best now to order your family dinner.
Their special catering menu includes roast turkey or cold cut platters, smoked fish platters, hot entrees or hero sandwiches by the foot filled with your favorite meats. Ben’s provides everything from soup to nuts. Save room for their homemade apple strudel and noodle pudding for dessert.
Visit Original Ben’s Best Kosher Delicatessen and Restaurant any day, for lunch, dinner or to snack on a knish or hot dog. They’re open from 9 a.m. until 9:45 p.m. Fax lunch orders in the morning for afternoon delivery. Call now for the Jewish holidays and leave the cooking to the experts at Ben’s Best.
The Original Ben’s Best
96-40 Queens Blvd.
Rego Park
1-800-BENSBEST
fax: 997-6503
