Letter to Manhattan Deli

Owner
Manhattan Deli
5949 Balboa Avenue
San Diego, California 92111

Phone: (858) 715-0679

Dear Sir or Madam:

Today was our most recent of several trips to Manhattan Deli. In the past, we have been excited because finally somebody in Clairemont was making good deli sandwiches. We’ve had the New York Hero, the Reuben, the Club Hero and several others from the specialty sandwich menu.

The Reuben and New York Hero are our favorites. The corned beef and pastrami on the sandwiches were of a good quality. The Reuben (corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and 1,000 Island Dressing on toasted rye) tasted just like a Reuben should taste: savory, tangy, juicy and had just the right amount of crunch. The New York Hero (hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, Au Jus and spicy mustard) was juicy, peppery and meaty. We ordered it on sliced sourdough instead of the Italian roll and think that was a good choice.

Having had hot sandwiches at Manhattan Deli before, we were excited to try your Chicken Philly, which we had today. However, nothing about this sandwich was a Chicken Philly. It would have been more accurate for the sandwich to be called a pulled chicken sandwich. The thick, doughy roll (not our preference) was the best part. The shredded white meat chicken arrived with scant, undercooked onions and peppers and lacked sufficient cheese. I searched my plate for some sort of dressing or sauce because the Philly was too dry to eat as prepared. The chicken itself was very dry and lacked all of its own natural flavor and juices. I found myself filling up on bread at the end of my meal, leaving the chicken sitting on my plate. We suggest not using shredded chicken but rather chopped, grilled chicken and vegetables. At the very least, you should serve the sandwich with some kind of dressing or jus because the sandwich as a whole is too dry to eat otherwise.

We have also tried the Club Hero. We have no complaints about that sandwich other than the fact that it is served as a hero. The thick hoagie dominates the other ingredients and is simply too much bread. The bacon is the highlight: crisp, peppery and not greasy. This would be a very good sandwich if served on sliced sourdough or a thinner, crispier roll.

The Turkey and Avocado sandwich was decent but had way too much cream cheese and needed a little salt and pepper. However, the crispy cucumber and creamy avocado were fresh and brightened the sandwich’s overall flavor. The only thing missing was juicy tomato.

The sour dill pickle spears you serve with all sandwiches upon request are always crisp and refreshing, just like the produce you use. We look forward to ordering more specialty sandwiches and trying your salads as well.

Yours Very Truly,

San Diego Restaurant Review