Ben's Kosher Delicatessen

A sandwich, or maybe half a sandwich, is the way to go.

For a large group on short notice, this large if somewhat impersonal restaurant fills the bill. Ben's pickles their own tongue (below, on club bread; $11.49) and corned beef ($10.49), and the better-than-average sandwiches are well-stuffed. I especially liked the PLT (grilled pastrami, lettuce, and tomato; above; $10.99) that arrived across the table — sharing with your fellow diners is where the half-a-sandwich approach kicks in.

Entrées that issue from the kitchen are less reliable. On an earlier visit, a pair of stuffed cabbages ($15.99) were filled mainly with meat, but they needed some sort of savory kick; the tomato sauce was far too sweet.

Ben's Kosher Delicatessen
209 West 38th St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.)
(one of several locations)
212-398-2367
www.bensdeli.net

Comments

[Elise]

I go to Ben's all the time with my apparel friends. I'm not a huge meat person in the middle of the day, so many times I get their egg salade on toasted rye. This is pretty good. My friends always get the pastrami with hot dogs on the side. Everyone leaves very happy.