|
    |
 The
Deli Dilemma
Agoura’s Famous Deli & Restaurant
A major disclaimer is in order when I am asked to
review “ethnic” delicatessens. I have eaten in Chinese,
Italian and French restaurants perhaps 100 times more often than in an
ethnic deli despite the fact that I am actually a
notorious ethnic. Over the many years however, I have eaten in
every major deli first in New York and then in Los Angeles (usually against
my will and usually just one time.) so that may or may not qualify me to do
the review.
This is my deli dining experience list in somewhat
historical order: Lindy’s, Carnegie, Stage, Katz’s in New
York and Nate ‘n Al’s;Canter’s, Juniors, Langer’s,
Art’s, Jerry’s, ugh, Mort’s ugh, ugh, Brent’s, Roxy’s,
Oak Tree, Agoura Famous and Jack’s in California. The last one of
course does not really rate as a deli under any circumstances.
It is a coffee shop with booze. Of the entire group only those in bold type
still seem to provide a semblance of the complete and quality deli
experience as it existed during the peak Damon Runyon years.
|
|
|
You see, a deli is (was) only somewhat about the food
or its quality. It is (was) more about the entertaining personality of the
servers, male or female. That entertainment atmosphere is always furthered
with pix of Broadway and Hollywood celebrities on the walls with an
implication that they ate there. Then the encyclopedic and inexpensive
(portion size is a price factor)menus, plus the amount of
fresh rye bread and the number of pickles on the table kick in as secondary
issues.
The deli tone was immediately set with those wiseass,
often insulting, ethnic (older Jewish people) workers. They considered
themselves stand up comics in the Jerry Stiller, Sid Caesar, Shelley
Berman, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Phyllis Diller, Belle
Barth and Joan Rivers mode. They did not see themselves as lowly
servers of simple food. All humorists (see above) seem to live long lives
(think of deceased George Burns and Henny Youngman plus still
alive but non- ethnic Bob Hope). But the ravages of the time essentially ended the
comic deli era about 15 years ago.
Thus, all that remains of those good old ethnic days
are the low prices and big-portioned corned beef and pastrami
sandwiches, or the sometimes-wonderful “Chicken in the Pot with
noodles, kreplach, matzoh ball and vegetables”. The latter
is about $13 in most places. Unbelievably it can often produce 4 main
course servings, half at the deli and the remainder for dinner the next
night.
Marx Brothers
Must Be What Made
Agoura a Famous Deli |
Agoura’s Famous Deli certainly qualifies in at
least 2 ½ categories. First Category: The cheerful coffee shop
layout is enhanced by colorful pix of diverse entertainment
personalities such as The Marx Brothers and Frank Sinatra.
Maybe they made the deli famous. Although we are reasonably certain
none of them actually ever ate at Agoura’s Famous because they had never
been west of Malibu in their lives and Agoura may not have existed
during their lifetimes. |
Second Category:
Inexpensive is an understatement at Agoura’s Famous. The deli does shine
brightly and inexpensively especially in an Early Bird Dinner that
Seinfeld’s parents lwould have loved. For $7.75 from 3 to 6 PM, 7 days a
week you get a choice 11 entrees such as grilled liver and onions, homemade (?) meat loaf,
chicken fried steak (where did that come from?) and a single
ethnic bow to Stuffed Kishka which I love but makes me ill. Plus potato
and vegetable and starter of soup or salad and
dessert. For one $ more you can upgrade to 11 more entrees including
rainbow trout, skirt steak, angel hair pasta (?), spaghetti and
meatballs (??), Tacos (???), Burritos (????), and Roast Brisket (yea)
but thankfully no chow mein or sushi. I dread to think what they could
do to those two ethnically.
Third Category: Abundant pickles were on the table, but no fresh rye
bread was ever offered. I never noticed whether it was on other tables.
½ credit.
|
|
The regular menu is replete with more ethnic fare
such as large portions of corned beef, pastrami and Rueben Sandwiches
at typical deli prices plus the only thing that I can eat in a deli, the
above mentioned Chicken in the Pot. It won’t clog my arteries and is in
my opinion an overall test of some cooking skill.
|
Haven't You
Always Wondered How to Eat a Sandwich that You Can't get into Your
Mouth? |
My wife is a Rueben Sandwich ($9.45) aficionado and
chose that. My two friends went for the Early Bird of trout and brisket. I
was betting all of that would not be served but I was wrong. An adequate
portion of every thing promised was served. The brisket was fine as was the
flavor of the trout but it was slightly overcooked. My wife could barely
finish half of her gargantuan Rueben including a large portion of excellent
freedom fries along with cole slaw. We took the rest of the sandwich home. It seemed to taste
better the next day.
|
|
Fourth Category: No Score. The young server made it clear that the
old deli entertainment era was definitely over. My wife and friends were
half way through their main course food when she brought a bowl to the table
containing cold noodles, one kreplach and one matzoh ball for my meal. She
said that the hot soup and boiled chicken would be coming and would heat up
the other bowl. It showed up about 5 minutes later. Every body else had
basically finished their meal and were panting for dessert. I gave her a quizzical
look and she responded that she only served the stuff, she didn’t cook it.
That could have qualified as deli funny if she called me "Honey or
if she said it like Phyllis Diller but
she wasn’t kidding. The chicken soup was warm, rather than hot and certainly
would have never cured the common cold. There was a good-sized ½ chicken in
the pot along with carrots and celery. It too was better reheated the next
day.
|
|
The Agoura’s Famous Deli was jammed the day we were there and is clearly
a popular choice for many people in the East Valley.
Agoura’s Famous Deli 5015 Kanan
Road Agoura 818-889-9113
Easy Shopping Center Parking
Open 7 days Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Most Credit Cards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
