385 replies to this topic

[Sneakeater]

David's Brisket House is an old skool deli in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn (Nostrand Ave., just above Atlantic across from where Herkimer Place butts in).

Why Brooklyn Is The Greatest Borough In The World

David's was, of course, originally Jewish owned. Maybe 10 years or so ago (when you get to be my age, you lose all grasp of time), it was bought by an Arab. Who has totally and completely kept up standards (and of course is a great guy to boot). This is still one of the best Jewish delis in New York.

Back To The Food

It's called David's Brisket House, so what they feature is: brisket, cured brisket (corned beef), cured and smoked brisket (pastrami). The brisket is, I feel safe in saying, the best of its kind in New York (its kind being Jewish deli brisket: I'm not going to get into a debate about whether Texas barbecued brisket is a superior product). Juicy, beefy, great. The corned beef and pastrami are near the top -- the pastrami being almost as good as Katz's. And now that the Carnegie has fallen, maybe the corned beef is the best in New York. I don't know. I live in the (approximate) hood, so I'm prejudiced.

One good thing is that they serve "small" sandwiches for reasonable prices (used to be $5, now $7). So if you don't feel like pigging out on a $12 sandwich that no reasonable person could finish, you don't have to.

Unless, that is, you want one of the great sandwiches in New York: David's pastrami/brisket combo. The combos are sold only in "large" size, which means you have to fork out $12 and gird yourself. This is one fucking fabulous sandwich.

[Daniel]

awesome.. you scooped me.. i been waiting to post this for some time.

[H. du Bois]

I've never even heard of it before. There shoulda been a thread.

[Steve R.]

This place was in Jim Leff's original book, the one that advertised the start of a new food board and listed "eclectic" best places in NYC. It was already not Jewish owned back then, but (if I remember correctly) owned by a Caribbean guy who worked for the old owners and bought it when they retired. However, since that time, I believe it changed owners at least twice and was closed for a substantial amount of time. Always been good.

[Sneakeater]

I'm not claiming this as a new discovery or anything. I've been going there for years and years and years.

[porkwah]

thanks for the report. i've driven by and been incredulous as to its existence. now i'll have to go.

[Wilfrid]

Never heard of it. A well kept secret.

[H. du Bois]

I'm not claiming this as a new discovery or anything. I've been going there for years and years and years.

Sneak, you should write about places like these more often. All of us are attracted to and distracted by the shiny new places, but few of us really know old Brooklyn. I know you must know lots more places like this, and a lot of them are worthy of rediscovery, or discovery, for those of us who are ignorant. (Although I'd rather not see places like Tom's crawling with hipsters.)

[splinky]

I'm not claiming this as a new discovery or anything. I've been going there for years and years and years.

Sneak, you should write about places like these more often. All of us are attracted to and distracted by the shiny new places, but few of us really know old Brooklyn. I know you must know lots more places like this, and a lot of them are worthy of rediscovery, or discovery, for those of us who are ignorant. (Although I'd rather not see places like Tom's crawling with hipsters.)

then we need a thread that's invisible to hipsters.

[Sneakeater]

Actually, with this, these, and the hardly-unknown Tom's, I might have shot my wad.

[Sneakeater]

Oh, and Leske's Bakery in Bay Ridge. (This place is a VERY big deal. Best Danish pastry -- I mean real Danish pastry [from Denmark], not "danish" -- in New York.)

And the hardly-unknown Mill Basin Kosher Delicatessen.

[H. du Bois]

I'm not claiming this as a new discovery or anything. I've been going there for years and years and years.

Sneak, you should write about places like these more often. All of us are attracted to and distracted by the shiny new places, but few of us really know old Brooklyn. I know you must know lots more places like this, and a lot of them are worthy of rediscovery, or discovery, for those of us who are ignorant. (Although I'd rather not see places like Tom's crawling with hipsters.)

then we need a thread that's invisible to hipsters.

Who here is good at technology?

[Sneakeater]

Oh, and I know this pizza place on Ave. J.

[splinky]

Oh, and Leske's Bakery in Bay Ridge. (This place is a VERY big deal. Best Danish pastry -- I mean real Danish pastry [from Denmark], not "danish" -- in New York.)

And the hardly-unknown Mill Basin Kosher Delicatessen.

leske's was great in it's day. everything made from scratch. i think recently not as many things are made from scratch in-house. i hope the baker was just on vacation.

[Sneakeater]

leske's was great in it's day. everything made from scratch. i think recently not as many things are made from scratch in-house. i hope the baker was just on vacation.

I haven't been there in several years. If what you're saying is true, then what made it so great will have disappeared.

Their almond paste -- I know there's a name for it -- was like heaven.