Zaftigs Delicatessen

Zaftigs big claim to fame is that it’s “not your grandmother’s deli.”  They sure got that right.  If you’re looking for a traditional Jewish delicatessen, or a greasy spoon type place, then keep walking.  However if you want unique food combinations, friendly service, and a hip environment, this is the deli for you.  Located at 335 Harvard Street, Zaftigs is the type of place you will always leave satisfied.

Food

When you first sit down you’re presented with bagel chips and schmear to munch on while checking out your options.  But don’t fill up on them, or you’ll regret it!  While Zaftigs has a large menu with plenty of options for lunch or dinner, I would recommend sticking with the breakfast menu, which is unparalleled.

Empire Eggs is, without a doubt, my favorite thing on the menu and one of the best meals I’ve ever had.  While the combination may sound a bit unorthodox, it’s absolutely worth trying.  The base is a crisp potato pancake, with a thick piece of smoked salmon on top.  Then on top of that is leafy spinach and two perfectly poached eggs.  If that weren’t enough, it’s then covered with Hollandaise sauce.  Clearly this item is not diet friendly, but I guarantee you won’t care.

If you’re looking for something a bit more decadent I would suggest any of the three French toast options.  The chocolate French toast comes with raspberry sauce, perfect for someone who really loves sweets.  The challah French toast is thick and fresh.  However the best of the three is the banana stuffed French toast.  It’s the perfect amount of sweetness since it’s cooked a delicious bourbon-vanilla batter.

Two omelettes were suggestted to me by the wait staff, but I would only recommend one of them.  They were the Macintosh Apple and Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese Omelette and the Tomato, Scallion, and Cream Cheese Omelette.  They were dead on with the apple and cheese one, the sweetness and sharpness contrasted nicely.  However the other omelette had far too much cream cheese, essentially taking over the flavors of the tomato and scallion.  If you’re looking for a non-traditional omelette, then definitely go for the apple and cheese one!

Complaints

If you want to go on a weekend either make a reservation a few days in advance, or don’t go hungry.  On any given Saturday or Sunday morning you’re looking at an hour to two hour wait, maybe more.  There’s a reason it’s so popular in Brookline, but that makes for extremely long waits.

My other problem with Zaftigs is they have no liquor license.  So while they can serve beer, wine and champagne, they can’t serve any hard liquor.  That might be ok if you’re looking for a mimosa, however you’re out of luck if you’re craving a bloody mary.

Rating:

3.5 out of 4 forks

If you’re looking for a break from the typical eggs and bacon breakfast joint, this is place for you.  Just don’t forget to bring your appetite (as long as you made a reservation)!

Parish Café

Parish Café claims to be the place to find “sandwiches of the chefs,” and it doesn’t disappoint.  Located at 361 Boylston Street, Parish took a simple concept and made a menu out of it.  It is primarily a collection of sandwiches created by famous local chefs.  The result is a restaurant serving unique, high quality, filling sandwiches for a reasonable price.

Food

The two most popular sandwiches are The Zuni Roll and Rowdy’s Famous Chicken Sandwich.  Both of these come with a choice of potato salad or cole slaw.  I’d get the potato salad unless you are a true mayonnaise lover.

 The Zuni Roll is basically Thanksgiving dinner leftovers in a wrap.  But trust me; it’s like no leftovers you have ever made before.  The turkey is moist, the havarti cheese is just strong enough, and the cranberry-chipotle sauce is served on the side for dipping.  It’s one of the only wraps I’ve ever had that stays neat and together the entire time you’re eating it, so none of it ends up on your lap or all over your face.

 Rowdy’s Famous Chicken Sandwich on the other hand is a huge mess, but the most delicious mess possible.  It’s a piece of breaded, baked chicken, smothered with melted swiss and cheddar cheeses, lettuce, tomato, and apple wood smoked bacon.  The best part of this dish however is the homemade chipotle aioli.  It’s creamy, spicy and full of flavor.  So if you’re not counting calories, I suggest getting it on the sandwich AND an additional side of it to dip your potato salad in (yes, it’s that good).

 Last but not least is the Mexican Meatball Sub.  This sandwich is not for the faint of heart or faint of taste buds; this meatball sub has some serious heat to it.  It has three huge meatballs, infused with cilantro, covered with spicy pepper jack cheese.  It’s also served with a delicious chipotle and jalapeño au jus on the side.  If you are a spicy food enthusiast then this is the dish for you.

Complaints

While there are plenty of choices for vegetarians, there are almost no gluten-free options.  I know it’s hard to do a gluten-free sandwich, but even all of the entrée’s and desserts have gluten in them.  Out of the entire menu only one appetizer out of five is gluten free and a mere two of the six salads are gluten free.

 It’s also in a popular location, so be prepared to wait for a table if you’re going for dinner.  There’s an outdoor patio on the smaller side, and the restaurant on the inside isn’t huge either.  I would suggest making a reservation because the bar is also small, so having a drink while waiting isn’t as easy as it sounds.  If you do get a bar seat then you will be treated to a large list of beers (over 100) and impressive house martinis.

 Rating:

3 out of 4 forks

 If you are in Boston, you like sandwiches, and you like them on the creative and decadent side, you’ll love Parish Café.