The Jewish Mother Backstage - Granby Street - Norfolk, VA

This is one of those reviews I keep putting off and putting off. Ever since I heard back in the fall of 2010 that The Jewish Mother was replacing the horrible Kelly's that previously occupied the backstage locale, I was excited. I have been a Jewish Mother fan since the..., well, let's just say a long time! Favorite sandwich? Mother's Mother! Favorite late night nosh? Crepes!
I was really looking forward to having them within walking distance from work.

We now return to our previously scheduled reality. They are not what they used to be. The Mother's Mother, my former love, no longer has "real avocado". Instead they have replaced it with what I like to call Wholly Quacamole. You know what I mean? That fake avocado spead. Let the sobbing begin. So, I no longer order it. We are offically broken up forever. Time to move on....


On a recent Friday Alex and I ventured out for lunch. We went out of our box by ordering the Jewish Mother Nachos, Latkes, and Hush Puppies (Alex's last minute addition). Our server was very good, and the food arrived rather quickly. As usual we dug in, forgeting about our "job" to photograph the food. We do this frequently, as we have hearty appetites! Intestingly enough,the nachos were hollow. As in, nothing in the middle. I immediately renamed them the Hollow Nacho, which I thought was hilarious. (Alex not so much). They tasted just okay. Cheddar is not a great melting cheese. It becomes oily when cooked and hardens quickly when it cools. A good nacho requirement is melted cheese that separates as you pull apart the tortillas chips. When the cheese is hard, the chips break apart and you cannot get a serving.

I like their Latkes. They are consistently good, and we have order them at least 3 times now. They are crispy on the outside and nicely seasoned, served with applesauce and sour cream. I like mine straight up.

The Hush Puppy is a misnomer at the Jewish Mother. These taste nothing like a traditional cornmeal Hush Puppy. They are large and round, with a soft batter-like inside and a crispy dark outside. The taste is definitely sweet. I realize that Hush Puppies are never considered a "light" menu item, but these sat in my stomach like a rock for the remainder of the day. At 8PM that evening I still regreted eating them.


Lastly, the desserts. This is the BEST part of the Jewish Mother menu. Don't bother reading the menu either. Get up out of your seat and walk over to the showcase. These cakes need to be seen to be fully appreciated. Alex and I will stand in awe, like kids in a candy store, trying to decide which one tempts us the most. Typically, we cannot chose just one, and either buy a couple to share, or buy some to take home. No self control! On this day we chose the Lemon Berry cake, and the Four Layer Chocolate. I thought the Lemon Berry was exceptional. After eating all that heavy food, it was light with just the right amount of sweet. Oh yes, Alex and I always have room for dessert!

I would be remiss if I failed to mention that the Jewish Mother is pricey. A lot of folks in my office won't go there because of this. Most sandwich and burger options start at $9.99, which is putting them in the $15+ lunch category when you add a drink, taxes and tip. As Alex also mentions, this is the Backstage for the Norva. I appreciate the ease with which you can get Norva tickets, and it keeps me from having to experience the bureaucracy and price gouging fees of Ticketmaster, LiveNation, etc. Don't get me started on these guys... Lastly, the Jewish Mother recently opened a new Hilltop location which also features live music. I have driven past the brightly painted building, but haven't paid a visit yet. There is some brouhaha over the ownership of The Jewish Mother which has resulted in a lawsuit you can read about here.
_Laine

I remember going to the Jewish Mother at the Oceanfront when I was in high school and during summer college breaks. It was always a fun place that showcased decent bands. The rumor started that the Mother was moving to downtown Norfolk and Laine and I were excited to have a new, old place to add to our lunch list. The Mother did not change much of what used to be Backstage Cafe/Kelly’s, but they did bring their enormous menu, which includes all day breakfast, tons of sandwiches, a few salads, appetizers and a plethora of delicious desserts.

For our first visit, I decided the Mamma Ada Avocado Muenster burger would be great with a veggie burger. I was glad when it came out like it did but the burger was not a veggie burger, but rather a large portabella mushroom, topped with avocado spread and muenster. I love portabellas, but not everyone does and then menu should let customers know that the veggie burger is in fact a big shroom. As I mentioned, the avocado is a spread, not slices, so it was a bit of a slippery sandwich. I did enjoy it, as well as the cole slaw I chose for my side.

For our next visit, I decided I had to try the Pita Pan, peanut butter, honey, bananas and raisins. I swapped the pita for wheat bread and nixed the bananas, being that I despise this fruit more than one can imagine (I cannot even smell a banana without gagging). The sandwich was exactly as described, but the bread was definitely pre-sliced loaf bread, of which I am not a fan. Bread can make or break a sandwich and this bread took the sandwich down a few notches. Jewish Mother’s potato salad is great though, so not all was lost. Our guest ordered Laura’s De”light”ful Wrap, with hummus, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, black olives, cucumbers and cheddar cheese. He was not impressed by the wrap but did like the potato salad. This visit we decided to try some of the homemade desserts that look pretty killer in the cases. One slice each of the Red Velvet and Florida Sunshine cakes. Both were fantastic, particularly the Florida Sunshine. It reminds me of an orange cake Laine’s friend had at a party we attended. Lights, summery and delicious.
On the third visit, I decided to try the Pita Pan again, but give it a go on the actual pita. Thinking this would make the sandwich better, I was dead wrong. The pita was definitely store bought and SMALL and dry. The lame wheat bread was better! A different guest of ours ordered Laura’s De”light”ful Wrap, with hummus, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, black olives, cucumbers and cheddar cheese and she received the wrap better and was pleased. We also ordered Mama Rachel’s Potato Latkes and they were divine. Always a favorite, latkes are potato pancake that is fried and the Mother serves them with applesauce and sour cream. If you have never had a latke, you must try one. Trader Joe’s does sell a version and honestly, they are not too bad for frozen.

On yet another visit, I decided to tempt danger and order a salad. BAD move. The You Asked for It - You Got It! salad with spinach, pecans, sprouts, chopped eggs and marinated vegetables seemed like a good idea, but I just do not think the Mother is a salad kind of place. The marinated vegetables were carrots and who knows what else diced up so small that you could hardly determine the vegetables’ identities and the marinade tasted like plain vinegar. For $11, this was lame at best. I was bugged big time. Boo on bad lunches.


Finally, another Friday arrived and I realized I had an online deal to use at Jewish Mother. Laine and I lost our minds and ordered Hush Puppies, the Latkes and the Jewish Mother Nachos. The puppies were like rocks (improvement needed there), the latkes were good as usual and the nachos were not bad. They had enough cheese but could have used more vegetables (I know you have olives!). If that was not enough (and it wasn’t to use our online deal), we ordered a slice of the Lemon Berry Cake and a slice of the Four Layer Chocolate Cake. The chocolate cake was good (chocolate cake - not a novel idea there), but the berry was superb and our favorite of the two. We clenched our hearts as we left and hoped we would avoid any afternoon cardiac arrest episodes back at the office.

Service on all occasions was always decent. The first time or two, things moved a little slowly, but the last few we were able to get there, eat and get back to work within an hour. I am not in a huge rush to hit the Mother again soon (my heart is still recovering), but I also appreciate that they are in Norfolk and they give downtowners another lunch option. Plus, if you are hitting a show at The Norva, you can grab something beforehand. I could see myself grabbing a dessert here and there from them because the desserts are one of their specialities and have always been worthy. Look at the case when you visit - the size of the eclair will amaze you. A last pro of the Mother is they sell Norva tickets at the bar for the same $2 fee the box office charges. You do not have to try to time when the box office is open (a mystery) and more importantly, you can avoid Ticketmaster and their outrageous fees, which Laine and I are still trying to understand.

~Alex

The Jewish Mother Backstage
320 Granby Street
Norfolk VA 23510
http://www.jewishmother.com/index

Gourmet Gang - Downtown, Norfolk, VA

March 25, 2011
Another weekly salad special. This is the Napa Cabbage Salad with chicken (it also came without chicken). The salad is advertised as featuring seasoned almonds and ramennoodles, diced red peppers, broccoli & spring onions tossedwith a sweet soy dressing for $7.25 or $8.25 with chicken. This was not one of my favorites. In my opinion, there were far to many ramen noodles. I didn't realize this at first, because they were all on the bottom of the salad. All the additional ingredients were chopped small, so it was impossible to avoid the noodles while trying to get a bite of the other salad parts. In retrospect, I now realize that the salad did not have the advertised seasoned almonds. Perhaps they ran out? On a positive note, the dressing was very good, and the chicken was moist and flavorful.
_Laine

March 17, 2011
This week's salad special is right up my alley. As you know from previous posts, I am a big fan of the Nicoise. I think GG (as Alex and I call it) did a great job with their version, which sticks closely to the traditional recipe;flaked tuna, red bliss potatoes, greenbeans, egg, olives and red onion on a bed of mixed greens withbalsamic dressing - $8.50. Unfortunately, Alex's sandwich order got botched, which never happens there. Apparently there was a big run on the Vegetarian/Vegan ruben; tempeh, swiss cheese, apple sauerkraut &dill pickle topped with vegan special sauce & served on softrye bread. Take off cheese and go Vegan - 7.95, They ran out of the apple sauerkraut, a key ingredient, but failed to mention it, and didn't serve it on her requested bread choice. Oops. No luck of the Irish for Alex today!
_Laine

The vegetarian Rueben sounded great - apple sauerkraut, tempeh, swiss, sprouts and pickles. Of course, after the last time, I am only ordering my sandwiches on multi-grain since that is my favorite (no wraps, please). This sandwich came on rye, but Gourmet Gang has never had an issue changing anything so I put in my request. They were out of sprouts, so I chose cucumbers as a substitute. This is the first time this has ever happened, but they made my sandwich on the wrong bread, the rye. When I saw it, I asked if it was too much trouble to change it and they said no problem. When the second version of my sandwich arrived, the apple sauerkraut was missing, to my dismay! That was the part about which I was most excited. When I asked if it had been left off, they told me they ran out. I asked if my original sandwich was still around and they had it, so I took that. I was pretty disappointed. We arrived at 12:15pm, which seems early to run out of two ingredients. They did have a regular Reuben on the menu as well, so I guess they had a run on these sandwiches. I was so excited about this sandwich, but the ordeal killed it for me. I hope they have it again, so I can try it with all of the ingredients (the way I want them, of course). I still adore Gourmet Gang, but was let down this time.
~Alex

Bobbie B's Deli - Granby Street, Norfolk

So many restaurants, so little time. How did we miss this one for so long? Bobbie B's Deli was a wonderful surprise. Located down at the "other end" of Granby Street, it's well worth the walk. They was not an empty table when we arrived last Tuesday at lunch time. A lot of folks get their food to go, and a girl parked at a 4 top while waiting for her order gladly gave it up. Bobbie B's is not fancy. I am pretty sure no one paid a designer to help with the decor. There is a little "shrine" to NASCAR behind the register, and a couple of bobble head figurines on the counter. You order at the register, grab a seat if you can, and they call our your number when it is ready. They use Dietz and Watson meats. All the ingredients from the bread, to the veggies, to the meat are very fresh. Prices in this place are beyond reasonable. And.....drum roll please...cheapest soda in town! (If you have reading us for awhile you know I have a thing about over-priced sodas. We non-coffee drinking people need our caffeine too!) $1.45 for a super-sized large with free unlimited refills while you dine in.

I ordered one of the daily specials, Ranchero Chicken Wrap, and it came with a side. I selected the cucumber salad. The salad was a little different than your typical cuc salad, adding red onion, pimento and chunky cucumber. I liked it very much. The wrap was wonderful. It had a sneaky hot sauce that I didn't really recognize until I was almost through the first half. By the end of the wrap I was really feeling it, but in a good way. I am not really a fan of "hot" spice, but I liked this wrap and didn't leave a crumb. Our Friend Brianna* ordered one of my favorite deli sandwiches, a Reuben, replacing the sauerkraut with Cole Slaw. Of course, this means it really wasn't really a Reuben anymore, but it still looked great. There was a nice, thick layer of corned beef. They didn't grill it either, another Reuben requirement, but toasted it instead. Brianna said it was delicious.

Once again, Alex and I got sucked into buying dessert. Why did they have to put cake, Red Velvet cake at that, right next to the register? I have no idea where they get their cakes, or who baked this but...WOW. Alex and I have been privy to some bad cake recently. It is such a let down. This cake was dynamite! The center layer was not icing, it was cheesecake, then the traditional white icing was on the outside. I couldn't even wait until after taking the picture to take a bite!

So two thumbs up, only because I don't have three thumbs. Print of their online coupon, bring it with you and a friend, and get half off the second meal. I also have to mention the menu typo (intentional perhaps) that lists "Cold Slaw" as one of their salads. It got a few good giggles in the office.

_Laine

I have passed Bobbie B’s without going in more times than I can ever count and now I am sorry I did not investigate sooner. Laine, Brianna* and I were leaving another restaurant in the vicinity and made a point to put this deli on our to review list. A day came when it was under one hundred degrees and we decided to make the journey down Granby Street.

Bobbie B’s is a no frills type of locale but the kind of establishment that has regulars; businessmen and other office folks, police officers and some young adults who live downtown. Bobbie’s has sandwich selections along with a build your own variety. I had previewed the menu online, as I usually do with a new spot. This prevents me from dawdling in my decision making. We approached the counter and I knew I wanted the vegetarian sandwich with avocado, sprouts, tomato, onions, cucumbers and provolone on wheat. Sandwiches come with a side and between the Cole slaw and the cucumber salad, the nice girl at the counter preferred the cucumber salad and I went with her recommendation. As I waited, I contemplated some of the other downtown deli vegetarian sandwiches, which have not always impressed me. I have to say I did not have high expectations and was waiting for something mediocre. Fortunately, I was proven very, very wrong. My number was called and my sandwich looked like a picture, the ones that never match the actual food you receive. The bread was toasted and the vegetables fresh, even the tomatoes. So many times, when I order a sandwich, the tomatoes are so pale and tasteless. I was tickled with the cucumber salad as well. Homemade with just the right level of tang, this side was an excellent choice. All sandwiches come with a pickle as well. For $5.25, that is a steal. The large sodas are $1.45 and you can have all the refills your heart desires. This price is the best yet.

Laine and I saw slice of homemade red velvet cake and decided we must split a piece. I think is the best red velvet cake I have ever had. It had a layer of cheesecake in the middle and then the cream cheese icing. The cake was moist and we both could not believe the price, $3.

I am very excited to have Bobbie B’s as another casual option where prices are more than reasonable and the food is solid. This strikes me as the place where a take-out would be as good as a sit-in meal. They have soups and salads, which we spied on other diners’ tables and which looked like something we will try the next time around. Sandwiches come ‘double-stacked’ for a small fee, if you are ravenous and other sides include potato salad, mac n’ cheese and fruit salad. Desserts are homemade and change daily. While Bobbie B’s does not have servers per se, the staff there is friendly and fast. The gentleman who refilled my drink three times did not seem annoyed at all.

The group having lunch around us included office types, a few police officers and a young couple, who gave us the table they used to wait. Bobbie B’s is small, so you may have a wait a few to grab a seat, but this is the type of place that moves patrons quicker than other establishments. I would imagine they have a lot of to-go and catering business and Bobbie B’s also serves breakfast until 11am.

~Alex

433 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510-1913
(757) 623-7444
(Look for the chef statue out front.)
Breakfast
7:30 AM until 11 AM

www.bobbiebsdeli.com

East Bay Deli, Charleston, SC

Needing a quick bite to eat after a visit to the Charleston Aquarium to see the not outstanding Penguin Exhibit (three Magellanic Penguins looking very bored and in too small of a room), Chas* and I stopped at Charleston's East Bay Deli. Busy but fairly quick, East Bay offers a slew of sandwiches and wraps, a few salads, giant spuds and three major desserts, a five-layer chocolate cake, a five-layer carrot cake and a cheese cake that had to be two inches tall. Had I not been going out for a great dinner, I would have ordered dessert for lunch! Back to reality, I selected the Portabella Mushroom Wrap and Chas* ordered the Chef's Salad. The wrap was good, but the Swiss cheese was not melted as the menu states and the wrap itself should have been heated. That would have made it really good. The chips were ruffles and that was fine and the pickle was fresh. For Chas, meat salad would have been a more appropriate name for his meal. I have never seen a salad with that much turkey and ham on it. He noted the meat but was not dissatisfied with his choice. After all, it was a salad, right (channeling the Real Men of Genius 'Taco Salad' commercial - 10,000 calories but its still a salad!). Because I could not have the cake, I had to have a blonde brownie, which was a little dry. I guess that is what I get for succumbing to impulse. The cake is better...I am certain.

The decor is deli, black and white tile floors, big meat display counter and servers and line cooks in action. Lots of College of Charleston students already gearing up for the upcoming school year and a good number of families catching a meal before their next Saturday activity, East Bay has a nice hustle and bustle and prices are pretty reasonable. I would dine there again, but just ask for my wrap heated and of course, order the chocolate cake.

East Bay Deli is located at 334 E Bay Street, Charleston, SC 29401. Just walk on in.

~Alex
http://www.menuism.com/links/show/aYC8SejWWr3BqKaby-t3N_

21st Street Deli…they make a mean sandwich!

If you want an authentic, delicious, high quality deli sandwich that isn’t “nouveau’d” or “metro’d” or reduced calorie or in any way, shape or form sissy-fied, grab your hearty appetite and go to 21st Street Deli. This was Alex’s suggestion for the week, and I have to say it is a bright spot in an otherwise lack luster week for me. The restaurant is bright and inviting, decorated in a cheery yellow with lots of old Norfolk B&W photos on the wall. Everything is very clean and organized. You grab your chips from the rack, your drink from the cooler and step up to the counter to place your order.

Of course, you’d expect noon to be a busy time at a sandwich joint, and the deli staff was jumping. We were greeted by the owner (my guess) and politely told he would be right with us. ***Note***This guy looks like an ex-marine. Big, muscular, shaved head, serious (no-joking ) attitude. Popeye on steroids, minus the pipe, plus a goatee. In-between greeting us and taking an order over the phone, he is yelling at the employees. I can’t remember the specific reasons why, but it was really intimidating. Next he put the phone customer on hold because “they don’t know what they want” and came to take our order. For a moment, I was speechless. Luckily my buddy *Brianna, who is a take no prisoners Philly gal, wasn’t phased a bit. She ordered the Sloppy on rye (pastrami, Swiss, cole slaw) and I recovered enough to ordered my all time favorite deli sandwich, the Sailor (pastrami, knockwurst, Swiss). When Alex came in, a little late due to an encounter with a moronic driver on Princess Anne, I warned her about Mr. Friendly. Alex loves to special order. She lives to reinvent the recipe and I just knew this was not a guy who was going to follow that flow one bit. He was a little curt with her one simple question, so she opted for the safe Turkey sandwich and returned to the safety of our table.

The sandwiches really were outstanding. The deli uses Dietz & Watson meats and cheese, and they slice it when you order it. I don’t know what kind of bread they use, but it was some of the best rye I have had in a long time. Very fresh, very flavorful, no hint of dryness that some rye’s get. The portions were big too, but not crazy, insane large. Some places are all about quantity and the sandwich gets so big that you can’t fit the darn thing in your mouth. These were reasonably stacked full of meat. I noted some of the other orders around us too. The subs looked to die for. My only disappointment was that the sandwich was not heated. In all the times I have ordered a sailor, it was always grilled. I didn’t even think to make the request.

For future reference, you can view the menu online and call in your order to have it waiting for you when you arrive. The tables filled up while we were there, but no one lingers and no one had to wait for a seat. The customer demographic was a mixed bag of a folks, a typical Norfolk group.

_Laine


No sandwich for you!

A new old place. The 21st Street Deli has been a fixture in Ghent for some years now and I had never been prior to today! Unbelievable. Laine and I wanted a new spot and we were rewarded this week. It is exactly what it says, a deli. No frills, but good, solid food at reasonable prices. Be prepared when you go in or take a few minutes to peruse the menu. I thought asking the man at the counter for a suggestion for a newcomer...he was not too interested in offering advice. He simply told me 'its personal preference'. So, of course I jumped to the first item that I knew I would like and did not take enough time to look at all of the interesting sandwiches. As assertive as I am, I shied away from this guy's gruffness. My choice, the honey turkey and cheese was still a good selection though. I went with Muenster cheese, as it is my favorite and wheat bread.

After you place your order, you sit down...without paying, that's the kicker. For this type of restaurant, they usually ask you to pay when you order. Trusting, these people are in this era. Laine and our friend, *Brianna, had already ordered, so I joined them at the table to wait. Very shortly thereafter, our sandwiches arrived. My two wishes were that I had asked them to toast the bread or heat the whole sandwich and that they did not use shredded lettuce (honestly, I hate that). There was a lot of meat, no scrimping on the ingredients here, but I think it would have been better hot. You also get a snack-sized bag of chips with your sandwich. I was very satisfied with the quality of the food as well. Apparently, they cut your meat when you order your selection, not hours or days beforehand. The menu has many, many kinds of sandwiches and as many kinds of cheese and meat you can imagine. They offer various breads, white, wheat, sourdough, rye and pumpernickel and also have canned sodas and bottled water. They sell Dr. Brown's soda which is one of my favorite lines. Canned sodas are $1.25 and bottled water is $1.75. The sandwiches range slightly in price and are all reasonable. For under $7, my meal hit all of the marks. As I mentioned before, take a little time with their large menu before you order and remember to ASK if you want your sandwich heated. I do not get the impression they will offer a 'would you like your sandwich heated'. The demeanor reminds me a little of the soup Nazi from Seinfeld, except 21st Street would say 'no sandwich for you!' Even I was going to ask a lot of questions, which is a once in a lifetime experience for me.

This is a back to the basics kind of place, but the food is good, the portions are generous and service is fast.


~Alex


21st Street Deli
222 21st Street
Norfolk
VA 23517
Deli Hours are:
Monday - Friday 11:00am - 7:00pm
Saturday 11:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday Closed
or as their website says 'Open when we get here, Closed when we leave ...'