Is the Matzo Ball Soup at Lenny’s Deli as Good as Mort’s?

During the month after closed, Swarthmore seemed forlorn. The darkned windows of the Pantry and the Oak Room were sad indeed.

Given all the stories about the increasingly charged for the storefronts on the block, many in town feared that this was the beginning of the end.

Luckily for everyone, Lenny’s Deli took up the challenge. 

With a large menu, Lenny’s offers something for everyone, including soups, salads, deli favorites, sandwiches, full entrees including pastas, grilled meats and fish, and plenty of desserts (always remember, Lenny started his career as a baker!).

As was expected, , February 28th was chaotic. Curiosity coupled with an offer of 50% off enticed a thousand people to pack the restaurant--breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

On that crazy first day, manager Alby Fuentes worked hard to ensure that everyone enjoyed their first experience at Lenny’s. His friendly demeanor and high energy filled the gap as staff and cooks struggled to get customers seated, orders taken, and meals served as expeditiously as possible.

By the opening day dinner rush, the kitchen had run out of pickles and rye bread and the only corned beef left were a few dried out slices. 

Over the next week, customers were heard to complain about over-salted food and the size of the portions, relative to the price.  (Is $2.95 for a cup of coffee too much?) At breakfast, pancakes sometimes were served cold rather than butter-meltingly hot.

Everyone knew that there would be a shakedown period. Staff needed to be trained. The kitchen needed to find its rhythm.

There were quality controls issues to resolve.

The fresh Atlantic salmon with pesto, brown rice, and steamed vegetables is a good choice for a diet-conscious diner.  The steamed vegetables balance the richness of the pesto sauce.

Unfortunately, on a recent visit, the vegetables arrived barely warm, with the carrots over cooked and soggy. The salmon filet didn’t taste fresh and the pesto was splattered on top.

The pizzas are a standout.

The grilled vegetable pizza with a chewy whole wheat crust, a popular item, has a wonderful garlicky fragrance that would make any Tuscan momma feel proud. The cheese less pizza comes covered with thick slices of grilled zucchini, yellow squash, Japanese eggplant, carrots, bell peppers, and green onions.

Another good pizza, the vegetarian pizza comes with different vegetables--artichoke hearts, sliced black olives, chopped tomatoes, brown mushrooms, onions--and drenched in warm melted cheese.

So far customers fill the deli -- breakfast, lunch and dinner – proving that Palisadians are happy to have a new Mort’s.

An especially good sign for many residents is the fact that the matzo ball soup is as big a favorite at Lenny’s as it was at Mort’s.  Served with two bagel chips, the matzo ball soup is full of flavor, with a delicious, large matzo ball dominating the bowl.

Harriet Leva, a long-time Palisadian, excitedly emailed her friends this week with a link to Groupon where $15.00 buys $35.00 of food and beverage at Lenny’s Deli, good until July 24, 2011.

She bought three of the coupons.

That’s a good sign too.

Follow David's Palisades Food Adventures every Thursday. David Latt's blog, Men Who Like to Cook, can be found here.