Carnegie Deli Las Vegas, Nevada Date of Visit: 12-20-09 http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/carnegie-delicatessen.aspx
This short trip
across the street in Vegas had me worried on more than one front.
First of all can you realistically take a New York landmark and
successfully replicate it in Sin City? Then I have never been to
that particular deli in NY, is it a landmark simply because it
hasn’t closed for so long, or is it that good? So much potential for
disappointment. The place was packed in the middle of the
night…promising. There is a very Italian looking gentleman madly
working the front of the house with a very Brooklyn sounding
accent…uh huhn. His frenetic pace got us to a two top much quicker
than expected and we ordered the Woody Allen (corned beef and
pastrami) and the brisket. Somehow we forgot the legend of where we
were and ordered fries as well. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
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Brisket Sandwich with Au Jus |
Amazing Pickles |
Our server brought pickles to our
table. They have to make them themselves, you aren’t going to find
them anywhere else. My wife wouldn’t eat them, you can actually
almost see a mystic haze of garlic and spice floating off of them.
If you enjoy pickles, what she hates about them will make them
special for you. Then came the sandwiches…you see the pictures…the
stories are true…this is wrong…but oh, so right. Not only are they
gargantuan, these monstrosities are delectable, highlighting the
great care with which they are prepared.
Read below about how I was able to
devour the Woody Allen, single handedly...like a very manly man... |
The Beast Looms |
Already stuffed...I won't accept defeat |
Take that...Now, I'll finish the fries... |
No!!! You can't see my to go box with 8 pounds of sandwich in it! |
...did I also mention that I devoured
it over a period of days? At one point, I thought, I should eat some
fries. They won’t travel and there is no way we are not walking out
of here without take-out boxes but the sandwiches were so good we
just left the fries sitting there like the smelly kid picking his
nose at the prom. If you are in Vegas and are interested in a
serious approximation to a NY deli, go anytime day or night, just
make sure your hotel room has a fridge, a pretty good sized fridge.
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Food |
Service |
Ambiance |
What's Best |
What's Worst |
Overall |
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A | B | C | A | N/A | B+ | ||
Pickles and Corned Beef | Nothing Horrible Yet |