Glutton for Punishment

[rlibkind]

Yeah, after a large totally satisfying Thanksgiving dinner that lasted from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday, this morning, before returning home to Philadelphia, we jaunted three blocks from our hotel in Edison to another hotel in Edison, where we could indulge in brunch at Harold's New York Deli Restaurant.

If this action does not define glutton (literally) for punishment, I don't know what dpoes. To anyone unknowledgeable, Harold's offers sandwiches and platters that can only be described as exponentially excessive. I ordered a whitefish salad sandwich on a bagel. Well, it comes with six bagels and enough whitefish salad to feed three with ease. At $22, good value. And since I'm a glutton, I ate half the whitefish; the rest I packed into the cooler for the trip home. Breakfast tomorrow! The smoked seafood platter for $100 can, and does, feed a battalion.

Pancakes for breakfast are the size of medium pizza. (I advise ordering a single stack.) The 12-egg omelet is standard.

Sandwiches? You want a sandwich? The corned beef and pastrami are piled higher than any hominid jaw can open. You've got your choice of size: 13 ounce or 20 ounce ($12.95 and $24.45, respectively; a pound to take home from the deli, which I did, goes for $21.95. Oh, the "takeout" sandwiches come with four extra slices of bread with a small sandwich, six with a large one -- unless you order a triple decker combo (made to feed 5 or 6 people), which comes with 12 extra slices. Who needs a caterer? The pickle bar offers a nice selection of sour, half sour, kosher dill and tomato pickels, as well as "health" salad.

As Harold says: "Being that our sandwiches and dinners are of humongous portions, we encourage you to share at no extra charge." You bet 'cha.

One would think that with such an emphasis on size, quality would suffer. It doesn't. This morning's white fish salad had something you rarely see: real chunks of fish scattered about. And the corned beef and pastrami is as good as you'll find in the Garden State (and better than any I've found in Philadelphia), even though my heart and tummy really belong to Goodman's of Elmora in Elizabeth.

In the past, I've also eaten at a Harold's in the Parsippany area. Is that one still there? Is it the sameownership? It certainly looks the same inside as the Edison venue, and the food was similar in size and quality. I notice, however, that Harold's take-out menu and web site make no mention of the Parsippany locaiton.

Given at that the Edison Harold's is located within a Holiday Inn at Raritan Center, I wonder how often an unaware out-of-town business person checks into the hotel after a grueling flight to EWR and asks the clerk if there's a place nearby to grab a half-decent sandwich. And I'd love to be there when the sandwich arrives!

We did not bother with dessert, but they do feature the world's largest eclairs and layer cakes that reach for the sky.

[hitmanoo]

I've eaten at the Parsippany location recently, and I must say that I hope the Edison location is superior.

Much as you described, the portions are gigantic. The matzah balls are the size of softballs. A slice of cake is designed to feed a birthday party of 12. A sandwich is made to be split between 2-4 people, etc.

Unfortunately, the quality at Harold's--at least the Parsippany location--has deteriorated over the years. The motto seems to be: Dazzle 'em with quantity! I guess that the majority of the clientelle is so overwhelmed by the portion size, that they don't even notice that the quality is subpar.

I'm glad that you had a good meal at the Edison location. I just have fond memories of how things used to taste at the Parsippany location, and I'm disappointed with how things have become.

[Curlz]

I have fonder memories of how things used to taste at the original Harold's location, which was on Rt. 10 in Randolph...now something called An American Grill, iirc. Seriously, though--Harold's was decent food when they were in Randolph. I've only been to the Parsip location once, and it was probably over 10 years ago, but I don't remember being wowed. They have another one in (of all places) Lyndhurst--on the same road where Medieval Times is--in a Quality Inn, I believe. And since the Parsip one is also in a Holiday Inn, I have to believe that they changed their m.o. when they expanded. Don't know if they're under separate ownership, though...

[Rosie]

Two different owners now.

[richl2214]

I ate at the one in Edison a couple of months ago. Although the pastrami was good I felt it was easily a good notch below the famous places like Stage, Carnegie, Katz's. The knish was so huge I though it was ridiculous and definitely took away fromm the eating experience. Pretty poor representation of a knish if you ask me. I dumped it after a couple bites.

All in all I wouldn't go back again. The portions are "disgustingly" big and I think that isa big detriment.

Final analysis of Harold's in Edison: Pass

[howard88]

I had a deli party with 12 others at Harolds in Parsippany maybe eight years ago.

Yes. The portions were huge and the pickles abundant and the rye loaves they

throw at you for leftovers are nice.

The problem is the pastrami and corned beef (the primary reason I go to this type

deli) are inferior. Dry and hardly kosher style, and more or less tasteless. The reason I eat this stuff is just for

the fatty pastrami and corned beef. Its the reason it is so damn tasty and dangerous.

This stuff was closer to supermarket, plastic type deli. Never went back and never

will miss it.

The huge portions just aren't worth it.

[Lreda]

While on the topic of pastrami, my lovely Sue is throwing me a 40th birthday party catered by Katz'. What a great idea!!

Sorry, I'm so excited I just had to share.

[Rosie]

While on the topic of pastrami, my lovely Sue is throwing me a 40th birthday party catered by Katz'. What a great idea!!

Sorry, I'm so excited I just had to share.

←

A very Happy Birthday Lou.

[Sfuffy]

In the past, I've also eaten at a Harold's in the Parsippany area. Is that one still there? Is it the sameownership? It certainly looks the same inside as the Edison venue, and the food was similar in size and quality. I notice, however, that Harold's take-out menu and web site make no mention of the Parsippany locaiton.

←

Harold is something of a Johnny Appleseed of Jewish delis in North Jersey. He once worked for the legendary Claremont Diner (hence the health salad on the pickle bar is Claremont Salad) and also the Carnegie Deli. He started the Parsippany deli about twenty years ago, sold it, and then opened up the Lyndhurst deli, which he then also sold. He's had the Edison location for quite some time now. All of them (with the exception of the short-lived Randolph location) for some reason (perhaps it cuts down on the rent?) have been hotel restaurants.

Edited November 29, 2004 by Sfuffy (log)