NOMADIC NIBBLER - Oakland Press Friday, October 12th 2007


Al's Famous Deli


Royal Oak spot's hardy lunch sure is "Love at First Bite"

Shouldn’t lunch sometimes be a celebration? As noon approaches, we should just shut down the computer forget about brown-bag meals or drive-thru mediocrity and head to an old-fashioned delicatessen. Patrons at Al’s Famous Deli in Royal Oak, in the

former Spanky’s Deli location, no doubt agree with me. Here at high noon on a recent Friday a 30-Something trim woman sits at the small counter overlooking Woodward Avenue, tucking her fork into a healthy salad of lettuce, - corned beef, turkey, eggs and cheese. The huge plate of greens, a newspaper and the goings-on outside the window make perfect lunch companions. Steps away, a small elderly woman donning a classic Burberry cap peers across a tiny table at her elderly male companion, catching up between sips of soup and Diet Dr. Brown sodas. Nearby a family takes over the counter stools that overlook hanging deli meats and busy staff. A carryout line begins to grow, filled with overalls-clad painters who crave a hardy lunch that will take them through the afternoon.

A slice of deli action at noon, in a place and time where all worries seem to have vanished. They do disappear, because patrons are enjoying the nuances of a perfect deli experience, thanks to co-owners Al Winkler and Craig Goldberg, both of West Bloomfield.

When you’ve been at something for 40 years, you pretty much know what you’re doing. That’s certainly the case for Winkler. who’s spent the last four decades running several Bread Baskets throughout metro Detroit (Warren, Redford, Livonia and Detroit). A true connoisseur of how to conduct the most enticing sandwiches, Winkler blends cordial service, a New York-style atmosphere and great food that all combine to live up to what is printed on the staff’s shirts — “Love at First Bite.”

I recently pulled up a bistro-style chair to a small table at this corned-beef lovers’ haven following weeks of hungering for a great big Reuben.

The combination of tangy sauerkraut, creamy Russian dressing and tender corned beef had been starting to play on my mind when I saw Al’s new sign.

Wood floors, three granite-topped tables and counters lining the front windows and deli area set the scene for good eating. While my dining partner and I waited for our fare, Winkler brought us a sample of a rich slice of warm, golden pound cake ($2.49) that had just been lightly grilled, giving it a crisp outside in which awaited sweet, moist vanilla-flavored cake.

“We sell pound cake by the slice and Al likes to throw some on the grill for his breakfast,” says Goldberg. “If there are customers around, he’ll pass out some to them, as well.” Sensational in every way.

The noodle soup, a blend of chicken broth with fresh noodles, was satisfying with that slightly fatty consistency that makes it SO real, so Grandma, so New York deli. Consider taking home a pint ($3.25) or quart ($5.99) for later The sandwiches? Well .. let’s just say the Reuben ($8.50) made us speechless for several minutes.

Downing the steamy kraut-topped beef, we tried to comment on how the rye bread’s flavors, the slightly sharp Swiss cheese and the sauce’s tanginess made this indulgence extra special.

“We cook about 200 pounds of corned beef every day,” says Goldberg. “And we try not to have anything left over at the end of the day so that it’s fresh again the next day We don’t cook, heat and re-heat the corned beef, we serve it fresh, just cooked, every time.

Consider splitting a Reuben with a friend so that you’ll have room for such enticing sides as the golden-crisp onion rings ($3.25) or potato salad ($1.95).

Other favorites here are the turkey Reuben ($8.50), identical to our corned-beef Reuben but made with turkey instead of corned beef, the Debra Beryle ($6.95). a grilled veggie sandwich with cole slaw Swiss cheese and beaucoup vegetables; and Lillian’s tuna melt, a tuna salad delight served open face with melted American cheese and tomato.

Deli standards include cabbage borscht (beet) soup ($3.25 pint, $5.99 quart), potato knish (fried dough stuffed with potato, $3.25), and the Seinfeld cheeseburger ($8.96), a bagel with Nova Scotia lox and cream cheese,
tomato and purple onion.

All of their pastries and baked goods a made from scratch. Favorites include the sweet-potato pie ($2.49), which oozes with harvesty spices, and the cheesecake ($3.49 for plain, $3.99 for strawberry and $3.99 for Oreo), which has a light, fluffy consistency that boasts only the freshest of ingredients.


While noshing away, our, waitress. the amiable Cheryl, flitted around the eatery making sure all was well in the deli world. As she stopped by our table, all we could do was nod, wave and smile

"Yes," we tried to tell our mouths bursting with quintessential deli delights, "we're more than fine."