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This is a restaurant review written weekly by veteran restaurant critic Suzin Odlen. Be sure to check back often to find some of the culinary delights in the Atlantic City area. Also check out our archive of past reviews
New York's renowned Stage Deli opened last October at Trump's Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino. The Stage Deli of New York has a place in Broadway history. Sixty years ago Walter Winchell, Milton Berle and George Burns joked with Stage owner Max Asnas about the size of the sandwiches. All kidding aside, their "regular" sandwiches are the biggest you'll ever eat. If that's not good enough, order a Stage Specialty Triple Decker. Legend has it that in 1937, Max Asnas invited his famous clientele to the carving board to create their favorite combinations. Today's menu lists eighteen combination sandwiches priced from $12.95 to $14.95 with names like the Joe DiMaggio and the Barbra Streisand. They also serve gargantuan open faced sandwiches, heroes (hoagies) and hamburgers. In a lighter vein, the menu includes a nice selection of salads as well as eggs and omelettes which are served all day. We started our meal with a complimentary dish of Jewish pickles and sour tomatoes. Our server, Toni, asked us if we'd like another helping but we declined her offer. My luncheon date, Kevin Kelly, ordered a Corned Beef Special ($8.95), one of their "regular" sandwiches, and enjoyed every bite. Not only was the size noteworthy, the meat itself was lean, tender, moist and delicious. I opted for a Bacon Cheeseburger ($11.95) and can honestly say it was the best I've ever eaten and undoubtedly the biggest (10 oz.). It was served with a large order of fries and tomato, lettuce and onion. The dinner menu is enticing as well. The appetizers are priced from $3.95 to $6.95 with many good choices such as Chopped Liver, Stuffed Cabbage, Creamed Herring and Knishes. They also offer a nice selection of homemade soups including matzoh ball and borscht. The entrees are priced from $8.95 to $18.95. There are four house specialties: Sliced Beef Brisket served with a potato pancake and brown gravy, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Chicken or Beef in the Pot and Roumanian Tenderloin which is their famous skirt steak with garlic. Other good choices included Roast Chicken, Beef Knockwurst, Veal Cutlet and Hungarian Goulash, to name just a few. Save room for dessert at the Stage Deli. Their cakes and pies are larger than life, as well. There are six varieties of Cheese Cake alone including strawberry, cherry, blueberry, pineapple and chocolate marble. You'll also find Chocolate Layer Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Carrot Cake, N.Y. Blackout Cake, Apple Crumb Pie and Pecan Pie. They serve ice cream, too, along with floats and sundaes. In addition to this, they offer specialty goods like apple strudel, rugelach, pound cake, brownies and rice pudding. We passed on dessert and truthfully, I've regretted it ever since. The Stage Deli is an attractive restaurant that seats 350 people. There's a full bar, as well, for enjoying your favorite cocktail. Another great feature is the soon-to-be Stage Express for take-out only; a great idea for our daily visitors. I can't rave enough about this restaurant and the service is fast and friendly. This is the quintessential deli - all that you'd hope for and then some. 1000 Boardwalk at Virginia Avenue, A.C. · 449-1200 located on the 2nd floor, opposite the Grand Ballroom at Trump Taj Mahal |
