Carnegie Deli at Sands Bethlehem Review and Giveaway

I'm writing up this review the morning after my visit to Carnegie Deli at Sands Bethlehem -   and while finishing up the second half of my hot pastrami sandwich from last night. Yes ...  for breakfast. I don't often take home a full half of a sandwich including a bit of the other half, but the food at Carnegie Deli is just that big. I'm starting to think a Carnegie Deli in Texas, where everything is over-sized, would make sense.

I have wanted for years to stop in at Carnegie Deli in New York City, but was always rushing  here and there and never had the chance. How awesome is it that there's a Carnegie Deli in my  own neighborhood? There is nothing better than a really great Kosher-style deli and Carnegie more than fills the bill.

If you follow this blog at all, or my Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram, you'll know that we suffered a fire recently at the home of my ex-husband. My children live primarily with me, but one of the older girls lived with him full-time and many of the children's belongings were there at the house. Everyone but one of the cats made it out safe and that day all the children were with me. I've acquired a dog, a turtle and my second-oldest daughter is also now staying with us for an indefinite amount of time until things can be worked out. The stress of this has weighed a little on Dave and I and getting out for a night was a very welcome distraction.

We went on a Wednesday evening and it wasn't too busy, but had steady traffic and a line at the door, a true indicator of good food. We were seated quickly and our drink orders  taken right away. We were handded 3 separate "menus", the main menu, specials for the day the  Early Bird special menu. I already knew what I wanted from perusing the menu online beforehand. You can view that for yourself HERE. 

On to the review. 
Each restaurant is scaled according to the type of restaurant it is. In other words, I  wouldn't use the same gravity of point for a fast food restaurant as I would for fine dining.  That's comparing apples and oranges. Scaling is 1 for Poor and 5 for Excellent so the total  Perfect Score for any restaurant would be 25.  

*Please note: I was given a gift certificate directly from Sands Bethlehem specifically for  the purpose of reviewing the restaurant and I was more than happy to oblige. Please note that  the benefit of having my meal paid for does not in any way influence my review. 

Parking- 5 There isn't any other score possible for this because there is valet parking at  all of The Sand's should you so choose to make use of it. Even so, there is ample parking  near the event center and everything is tied together inside so walking to the restaurant is  simple.

Ambiance- 5 This is just what a deli should be. Austere but interesting decor, comfortable  seating and appropriate lighting. Everything was clean and easy to navigate. The walls are decorated with famous patrons to the Deli and photos of NYC. 

Food- 5 I wouldn't expect any less from Carnegie Deli no matter what the location. We had two  appetizers, two sandwiches and shared a dessert. Here are the photos and descriptions:

Three menus for all your dining needs. The main menu, early bird specials and daily specials. We were also given a plate of Carnegie's famous half-sour pickles. Yum! 

We started with the potato pancake, which is served with sour cream and applesauce. Perfectly crispy outside and tender inside. 

This is the Carnegie Deli Potato Knish. Dear me, I would go back just for this! Crisp exterior and soft, beautiful potato inside. Seasoned perfectly and also served with sour cream and applesauce. This is one thing you MUST try when you visit.

David had the "Woody Allen", which is billed as "lotsa pastrami plus lotsa corned beef". He added lettuce and melted American cheese. Totally tender and delicious. Nobody can eat the whole thing, so be prepared to ask for a box!

I had the classic Hot Pastrami, which Carnegie Deli is famous for. I added melted Swiss cheese to mine and it was absolute perfection. 

I think this is illegal in several states just because of the sheer size ;) This chocolate behemoth cheesecake was so delicious it was hard not to eat the entire thing alone. Like much of Carnegie's menu, though, it was too large for one person and even though Dave and I shared it, it was still hard to finish. Another must-have when you visit.

I plan on trying more things the next time I go, like the matzo ball soup, which looked like baseballs being served in chicken broth, or "Milton's Smorgasbord" which looks like it could feed an entire family, or more sandwiches or the GINORMOUS pies we spied in the front dessert carousels. Lots left to try.

Service- 5 Our server was not just knowledgeable and efficient, he was fun. There wasn't a  question we threw at him that he couldn't answer and by the end of our stay we had gotten  used to saying to one another, "Just ask him." He knew what the best bread was for each  sandwich, what the pickles were brined in, whether or not the deli was kosher, what other  diners were eating (we had questions about everything that passed us by!) and if he didn't  know the answer he didn't say so, he simply went about finding out the answer for us. 

Pricing- 5 While the sandwiches seem pricey, they really aren't. Each one is the equivalent  of two sandwiches (and then some!) and they're just so good it's completely worth it. The  Early Bird menu features 3 courses for a mere $15 - you really can't beat that for food  that's as good as this. 

Total score for Carnegie Deli at Sands Bethlehem is 25.

Now, I want to share this experience with you and pass on $100 worth of Gift Certificates to Carnegie Deli at Sand's Bethlehem. This means you must live nearby or be planning to visit in  order to use the certificate. U.S. Residents only.

PLEASE follow directions for entering the contest below, and GOOD LUCK!


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