Friday, September 18, 2009

The road to Boston is a long one










When the fellas said we were going to try the Boston Deli today for lunch, I didn't realize that the establishment was actually in Boston. Then again, it could have just been that the excruciating twenty-block walk in the sweltering September heat made it seem that way. It's probably my fault for wearing a thick, long-sleeved shirt, but why point the finger at yourself when there are others around to shoulder the blame?

Back to the review. The Boston Deli is set up in the basement of an old building and has been furnished in the style of a disgruntled TGI Friday's decorator. But we didn't go to the deli for ambiance, we came to eat. And there's plenty to like at this subterranean eatery.

Three of us chose Philly sandwich — the daily special — in one form or another and it was actually very good. Mine came as a toasted baguette covered with beef, peppers and melted Swiss cheese. The flavor and texture of the sandwich were both excellent and I would definitely order it again. I chose the Ruffles potato chips and a soda to complete my meal and it came to under $7. And get this, you don't even have to tell them to leave off the sauce, because it comes without any.

I'm just glad we didn't go to the place that puts hummus on their sandwiches and went out of its way to say everything was "Organic" ... sounds creepy, eh?

Man-up possibilities: 8
Food quality: 8
Service: 8
Overall: 8

Quotes of the day
He is a good texter. I'll give him that.
I've decided I'm not going to hide what I'm really all about.
Liechtenstein.
I used to make funnel cakes.
We'd better get back if we're going to make it before dark.

4 comments:

  1. If there was ever a photo (Brady walking, in the heat) that better fit a headline for today's jaunt, I'd like you to find it for me.

    I used to be a regular at the Boston Deli, which happens to be appropriately located in, get this — The Boston Building, so I was happy for a return visit.

    While the jaunt is a bit long, the food, especially for its price, is rather cheap but solidly flavorful.

    The Traditional Turkey (yes, I eat turkey, and yes, I'm proud of it) comes with a cranberry relish and mayo. I pass on the mayo and make it a combo with the fresh fruit. Throw in a Sprite/Fruit Punch drink (I'm sure someone will comment on that) to chase it, and I have myself a solid $8 meal.

    The sandwich while good wasn't quite as good as say Toasters, but I can live with seeing Greg and Brady complain for the sake of a longer walk. I enjoyed my meal and I will always return to Boston for a decent sandwich.

    Man-up possibilities: 7.5
    Food quality: 8
    Service: 8
    Overall: 7.5

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  2. OK, so I was one of the complainers about the walk today. I'm completely with Brady on that. But I must admit that, in this case, my lunch was well worth the pioneer-like trek.

    I went with the Philly sandwich special, as did Brady and Big Red. But instead of potato salad or chips, I had the turkey noodle soup as my side. The sandwich was delicious, with the fresh, crunchy peppers serving as a nice offset to the savory beef. I'm a big soup fan, and Boston Deli didn't disappoint in this area, either. My bowl included plenty of turkey, vegetables and noodles. And, as I commented at the deli, both my sandwich and soup were served piping hot, which I like. Too often at restaurants, the food is luke-warm or cold by the time it gets to the table. So this earns Boston Deli an extra notch up in my book.

    The portions were also satisfactory, which was good, because I don't think I would have survived the long walk back to the office without sufficient sustenance. (I know, I know, my big blue belly in the photo of Brady walking seems to indicate that I could survive for weeks and walk thousands of miles without another meal. What can I say? I'm lazy and out of shape.)

    All in all, it was a delightful meal, although we did miss Wingnut.

    And hey, at least we didn't have to go to Toasters.

    Man-up possibilities: 8
    Food quality: 9
    Fizz-o-meter of Coke: 8
    Service: 8
    Overall: 8.5

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  3. i got nothing. this was a funny nfl forecast from the wires, though, with some boston relevance:

    NEW ENGLAND at NEW YORK JETS: The Mark Sanchez honeymoon is in full bloom right now with Jets fans. If he beats Tom Brady this Sunday, he'll get the full Joe Namath sainthood treatment. There are worse things. Jets 26, Patriots 21.

    just kidding.

    i really, really, really like the boston deli. gmac and i have been many times prior, so it was nice that the boys, ahem, manned-up and made the bipedal effort to get to the deli. total mileage: zero-point-six (0.6). i know.

    you can't go wrong with the sammies there, unless you are just not a fan of sandwiches in general. then you are just SOL.

    the philly was just phine, i went with sourdough instead of the baguette. as stated thrice before me, the beef, veggies and cheese are grand on this one.

    i opted for the potato salad, a variety that would likely win blue ribbons at the fair superscrunch will be attending this weekend. great blend of my favorite condiment, MUSTARD, and flavors of vinegar and onion. yum.

    add in a fountain lemonade, hand 'em a $10 bill and you'll get three $1's back and change. which you should leave some for tip.

    all in all, great lunch. the half-mile walk in the heat and all.

    Man-up possibilities: 7
    Food quality: 9
    Fizz-o-meter of Coke: sigh. i don't drink much soda.
    Service: 8
    Overall: 8.5

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  4. Boys...I wish I was there to enjoy Boston Market. I remember another location in the 200 Block of Main Street years ago that GMac and I would visit. There was some good food there.

    Good pictures on the blog too. Glad to see the onion rings are gone!

    Miss hanging with you guys. HK is good. Hot and steamy weather. I'll try to send some pics.

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