Bellcrest Deli in Bellmore: Not juicy enough
A corned beef sandwich at Bellcrest Kosher Deli in Bellmore is ordered with "juicy" corned beef. (Aug. 29, 2012) Credit: Newsday Erica Marcus
I’ve been having a tough time with corned beef lately. Is it me, or has corned beef just gotten too lean? A few months back I ordered a sandwich at Regal Deli in Plainview, requesting that it not be extra lean. What I got might not have been extra lean, but it was pretty darn lean. I learned my lesson: if I wanted a fatty sandwich I was going to have to ask for it.
So last night at Bellcrest Deli in Bellmore, this is what I said to the waitress: “I’d like a corned beef sandwich. With fatty corned beef. What do you call that?”
“Juicy,” she responded.
My sandwich arrived, and it was good. But it wasn’t fatty. It wasn’t terribly juicy. It wasn’t even terribly salty. The only excess it could be accused of was that there was an awful lot of meat on it.
Look, I eat corned beef maybe four times a year. Is it too much to ask that it be an indulgence?
For all that, I was impressed with Bellcrest. The young waitress had that combination of generosity and authority that makes you feel instantly at home. The free pickles and coleslaw were excellent. And my placemat alerted me to an extraordinary dinner deal that Bellcrest offers Monday through Thursday nights from 5 to 7:30 p.m. (to 8:30 on Thursdays): Two full dinners for $25. Each dinner includes a cup of soup, an entree, two side dishes, dessert and coffee, tea or a fountain soda. The range of eligible entrees includes most of what you’d want from the regular menu: half a roast chicken, chicken fricassee, brisket, goulash, grilled specials (fat hot dogs), potted meatballs, etc. The deal is also available for takeout for an additional dollar.
Bellcrest Kosher Deli is at 2793 Merrick Rd., Bellmore, 516-785-8691.
Does this sandwich look fatty to you?
