all's fare
A brand-new old
BY DAVID MOSS 1 PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BARN
If you're ready for some comfort food that your
bubbie would approve of, look no further than Al's
Famous Deli, a friendly, limited-seating diner on
Woodward just south of 14 Mile in Royal Oak.
One of the kings of the Detroit deli scene, Al
Winkler, along with co-owner Craig Goldberg, has
taken his 40 years of expertise and established the
feel of an old-fashioned kosher-style deli, replete
with hardwood floors underfoot and hard salamis
hanging overhead. Al's offers seating for 18 at two
tables and a dozen bar stools — customers place
their order at the counter and the cheerful and
knowledgeable cashier rings you up, calls out the
order and then brings the food to your table.
We ordered the Turkey Club on an onion roll
(normally a three-decker on white toast), a pas-
trami sandwich, sweet-potato fries, a potato knish
and matzah-ball soup. Both sandwiches were piled
high, looking like about a half-pound of meat
on each. The pastrami was cut perfectly: Cutting
against the grain yields tender, juicy slices of meat,
which we thoroughly enjoyed. Cutting with the
grain, as some inexperienced counter people will do,
produces a sandwich that is stringy and tough.
The sweet potato fries were yummy. The knish,
shipped in from New York (and one of few items
not made from scratch), was nicely spiced and
crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. My
matzah ball–tasting panel (aka, my two daughters)
had mixed feelings about the soup. The broth was
tasty, but the matzah balls were Thready."
Al's offers the usual deli fare, including mush-
room-barley soup, Reuben sandwich (choice of
corned beef or turkey) and Seinfeld's Cheeseburger
—Nova lox atop a bagel with cream cheese, tomato
and purple onion. For a tasty change of pace, try Al's
Deli Sliders — with coleslaw, Swiss cheese, Russian
dressing and your choice of meat piled high on a
miniature challah roll. If you're in the mood for a
salad, you'll enjoy the Famous Special salad — with
corned beef, turkey, Swiss and hard-boiled egg atop
crisp lettuce. A Caesar salad (with or without grilled
chicken) and Craig's Cobb are also available.
Salads can be served chopped or tossed and come
with fresh double-baked rye. Beverage choices
include Dr. Brown's soda in cans as well as fountain
drinks. For dessert, don't miss the cheesecakes,
brownies and seven-layer cake showcased along the
front counter.
Items you won't find on the menu include potato
latkes and blintzes. But fans of the old Pickle Barrel
in Southfield will want to stop by for Al's "Week-
End Special" — thick and fluffy French toast
served on thick-cut challah for breakfast or brunch.
In spite of the small-scale operation, Al's Famous
Deli provides catering for parties of 10 or more,
with cold-cut trays, fresh fruit, deli sliders or dairy
favorites.
Along a high-traffic spot on Woodward, just
minutes from downtown Birmingham, Al's is a
hit with lunchers yearning for some old-fashioned
comfort food in a friendly atmosphere. 1
Al's Famous Deli
32906 Woodward
Royal Oak
(248) 549-FOOD; alsfamousdeli.com
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Soups/Appetizers: $3.25 - $9.50
Sandwiches/Sliders/Salads: $3.75 - $11.95
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• DECEMBER 2007 •
TN platinum