Two weeks (or so) to kosher deli in Fulton -- and the early signs look good.By early signs, we mean "pickles." Pickles are a quick way to see whether a deli is aiming for excellence, and Pita & Rye's don't just look good. They taste good -- correctly sour and smacking of New York, not a food court.
I'm still trying to tamp down my expectations, but Pita & Rye sold sandwiches Sunday after the half marathon in Maple Lawn. It was $8 for corned beef or pastrami, $6 for salami and a few others. We split a corned beef on a bench, and the details were good -- good meat, good bread, good mustard, good pickles.
They're aiming to open before Memorial Day -- maybe in two weeks. I know that restaurant owners can't pinpoint their dates as they balance contractors and inspections.
Pita & Rye is trying to be something special. They're already unique since they'll be the county's only kosher restaurant, but the owner Jay talked to us at length about his plans to bring stuff from New York and Baltimore, including bagels, breads, meats and more. They're even going to make their own turkey and corned beef, which sounds terrific.
Their purchased corned beef was really good. Very lean and thin-cut. I often think of New York corned beef as heavily spiced like Harold's. This flavor was more meat than "corned," but it went perfectly with soft rye, the zesty mustard and lettuce. I'm soft-selling because this was a single sandwich sold from the sidewalk, and lots of people have commented about how a deli needs to sell great food to really stand out. Give Pita & Rye some time to open and work out the kinks before people make up their minds.
Pita and Rye is going to be a lunch and dinner spot with a deli menu along with shish kabobs, falafel and other Middle Eastern items. That'll be regular meals, along with takeout and catering.
On top, they're hoping to offer some off-the-menu items like selling bagels or loaves of bread. Jay clearly hopes to have some unique items to make sandwiches, and he wants to work with people who might want to pick them up in bulk. They also hope to have a kosher shopping service where you could order meats or other items on-line, then pick them up at the store.
16 comments:
Did either of you run the 1/2? The hills at the end were insane.
Stopped by for a corned beef sandwich yesterday and to wish my friend Jay the best. Corned beef was nice and lean, fresh bread, crunchy pickle...off to a great start. Can't wait for "opening day!"
Lettuce and tomato with corned beef? Feh! And, at the risk of being too picky so soon, the rye bread looks suspect.. like brown white bread.Also, for $8 , the sandwich should be thicker.
Sigh.. it looks like another weak attempt at a NY deli. Maybe they should call it a Towson style deli.
@K8teebug -- I have to admit that walking to get the sandwich qualified as exercise for us. We so did not run the 1/2.
@Deliless -- The bread was actually good. Light-colored, but definitely rye. But you're right that the sandwich should have been thicker. I gave them a pass because this was a special event. But a sandwich would need more meat to really encourage me to come back regularly.
I'm encouraged because I liked the sandwich even though it did not play to my bias. I like spice-heavy beef and dark rye. So I noticed that this sandwich was good even though it was a different style.
Keep hope alive. You have to give a place time to open and run for a bit. But "Towson-style deli" is a brilliant way to describe a Jewish deli that tries, but doesn't deliver the actual New York goods. (No offense to Towson. Could be "Rockville-style" too.)
rats! we were there yesterday for the half marathon - we walked by pita & rye on the way to sidamo for coffee but they didn't appear to be open - and we (and by we i mean by SO) got a coupon for finishing the race but i never saw where they were selling sandwiches - grrrr!
i gotta agree with deli-less, wtf is deal with that sandwich!? if that thing walked into a ny deli it would surely be beaten to a sandwich pulp! i will withold final judgement until the place opens but that looks like pre-packaged supermarket deli meat! burn!
Thanks for the update. I can't wait to try a turkey sandwich there.
I called today and they confirmed they are opening Sunday May 29th.
I just had dinner at Pita & Rye and it was quite good. For about $7-$10 you get a deli sandwich hot or cold, one side and a pickle. They have about 10 different meats, 10 different breads, the normal fixins, about a half dozen sides, and your choice of sour or half sour pickles.
I had a hot pastrami on seeded rye with deli mustard, onions, and a side of potato salad. I tried both the sour and half sour pickle; they were both good, but I couldn't really tell them apart. The meat was really good. It was hot and juicy and spiced nicely and there was enough of it that it made my sandwich nice and filling. The bread is fresh from a bakery in Silver Spring and the mustard had a really great tang to it. I might have liked a little more potato salad, but everything was really good and I left feeling very satisfied. I can't wait to come for lunch and try some of the other deli meats and middle eastern food.
We went today. They opened with a limited menu, which included corned beef, knishes, and chopped liver. No felafel or shwarma yet. The food was tasty. The corned beef exceeded expectations. Some issues, but all within expectations for a place that was newly opened. We will be going back.
I visited Pita & Rye yesterday during their soft opening. Overall, it was good experience. My husband wanted so much for it to be like an old school New York style deli, it's not. He had the classic pastrami on rye and a potato knish. The sandwich was good, but he felt he could have made the same thing at home. I really enjoyed the two types of pickles that were offered, along with the turkey pastrami with deli mustard, but agree with other comments that the sandwich should be thicker. Highly recommend the P&R Cannoli for dessert. Will definitely go back and give it another try.
I just finished my lunch from Pita & Rye. It was nice to see that they had a steady flow of customers, especially since they were still very quick to greet and serve everyone. It looked like about a 50-50 mix between the "kosher crowd" and people that work nearby. The fresh corned beef was great. I brought it back to work and as soon as I opened the container, my office was filled with the smell of pure deliciousness. A few of my coworkers seemed upset at themselves for eating in the cafeteria when they saw what I was eating. The rice pilaf was a good side. It tasted fresh and a little smoky with some grilled veggies in there. I gladly would have eaten more if the size was larger, but again I feel completely satiated with the portions.
We went again on Sunday at about 6p. More menu items, particularly falafel. No shwarma yet. They'll be closed Tuesday afternoon through Thursday for a religious holiday.
I had lunch at P&R on Monday. As a mother of young children, the first thing I noticed is they do not allow outside food into the restaurant. It is noted on the door, and they do have baby food if you need it. I was also asked to not use my own sippy cup for my 1-year-old, though they are working on getting disposable sippy cups for customers.
I had a turkey on multigrain, which was fine, but to me a bit pricey. My husband had pastrami on rye, which he said was better than one he had in a New York deli! The owner was mingling with customers and offered my girls a free Italian ice and chocolate chip cookie, so they of course give it a thumbs up.
The reason they do not allow "outside food" is because they maintain a strict kosher standard, they cannot allow any outside food as it cannot be verified as kosher and as a meat restaurant they cannot allow any dairy products in the facility.
I just finished up my lunch from Pita & Rye. The sandwich was delicious, as were the Mediterranean Salad & sour pickle! The chubby kid inside of me would have liked a larger portion, but the healthier side of me says that the portions are probably more along the lines of what we SHOULD be eating, verses the super unhealthy helpings we are used to. With that being said, the pricing probably seems high, with respect to the serving size, but Maple Lawn is a pricey area to run a business in and being the only Kosher place around, their prices are reflective of their market and overhead costs. I will be a repeat customer and can't wait to try the dessert!
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