Benjie's
Simply the Best
I'll admit it up front -- I'm originally from New Jersey. And that means that any Italian food, Chinese food, bagels, pizza and deli that might originate anywhere west of Newark are all immediately suspect. On the other hand, I'm an eternal optimist. And so, no matter the glaring number of culinary disappointments suffered over a lifetime, I continue my decades-long exploration of the Left Coast in search of great Italian, Chinese, deli....well, you get the idea.
So you can imagine my surprise when it became clear that the best deli that I've ever walked into that was more than an hour's drive from the Jersey Shore was located in Santa Ana, California. And yet, that is the news that I am compelled to share with you today. Benjie's is simply the best deli on the West Coast.
Benjie's may appear to be more diner than deli, but don't let that fool you. It's all about the food. Whether you're in the mood for the best pastrami sandwich you'll find outside of Manhattan, a patty melt that weighs in at a full 1/2 lb., chicken in the pot (for two!) or their Lox Platter, you really can't make a bad choice here. Everything is top-notch!
And if you're looking for more than just a nosh, Benjie's doesn't disappoint. Their extensive menu includes prime rib, brisket of beef with potato pancakes and applesauce
and even noodle kugel! You'll want to finish your meal with a black & white cookie, or perhaps wash it all down with an egg cream (which I've never seen on any menu beyond the East Coast!!)
Of course, just as you're ready to swear you've somehow been transported 3,000 miles east, you'll notice that Benjie's has an adjacent tiki lounge. I'm pretty sure it's there just to remind you that you're really still here in California!
Stan Weinstein and his wife, Ellie, opened Benjie's in 1968, naming it after Ellie's father, Benjamin Finegold. How or why they somehow decided that Santa Ana was the perfect location for this shining example of a real New York deli, we may never know. But don't let that stop you. Go there once, and you'll return a regular. Benjie's is just like that.
And if you're wondering what a nice place like Benjie's is doing in the pages of Long Beach Jewish Life, that's easy. It's worth the drive!
CULTURE FOOD
LBJL March 2014 | www.lbjewishlife.com
Benjie's
1828 N. Tustin Ave.
Santa Ana, CA
(714) 541-6263
www.BenjiesDeli.com