One of the signature sandwiches at Bixby’s Brooklyn Deli
Culture Writer
When I heard Bixby Knolls was getting a New York-style deli, I thought, well it’s about time! But my excitement was guarded, as I didn’t want to set myself up for disappointment. As it turns out, I need not have worried.
When you enter Bixby’s Brooklyn Deli, located north of Carson Street on what I think we can now safely refer to as Bixby Knolls’ “restaurant row,” the first thing you will notice is that the establishment is clean as a whistle. The almost too-spacious room is filled mostly by dining tables, with a portion of one wall devoted to a cashier, a refrigerated beverage case, a small take-out pastry/bagel case, and shelves devoted to deli favorites such as Fox’s U-bet chocolate syrup— an item no deli worth its salt would be without.
Also notable are the cleverly Photoshopped black-and-white posters on the wall. I’m partial to the one that juxtaposes the oil derricks of nearby Signal Hill with a vintage billboard in Brooklyn, New York.
Sam and I paid our first visit to Bixby’s in the afternoon and ordered off the sandwich menu. We decided not to be purists and ordered one of the more complicated menu selections, The Bixby Special ($13.95). Our eyes widened when we received the visual masterpiece— a beautifully crafted pile of lean pink corned beef, a nice layer of perfect coleslaw, Swiss cheese and a spread of Russian dressing, all arranged between two slices of good, fresh corn rye.
I could quibble over the corned beef being too lean, as I tend to bunk with the camp who say, “It’s gotta have some fat!” But in this case, that degree of fussiness is probably a bridge too far. The sandwich was accompanied by a large helping of excellent potato salad and was just delicious!
Since Sam and I were sharing the sandwich, we decided to add a bowl of Matzo Ball Soup ($5.95) for good measure. It came with a side of fresh challah (egg bread). The soup, which was a good chicken broth loaded with thin noodles and a large matzo ball, was the real deal.
Unfortunately, I had to send my New York Egg Cream back to be re-made and helped our server with suggestions for getting it right. An egg cream, for those not in the know, is a much coveted carbonated deli beverage, made to order, and consisting of Fox’s U-bet, a little milk and seltzer. A glass of extra seltzer on the side— a must— dutifully appeared without my having to ask.
Sam and I both have healthy appetites, and we had arrived plenty hungry. Even so, the ample portions made us very glad we’d decided to share.
We returned about a week later to have a Sunday-morning breakfast with our friends the Friedmans. We ordered coffee and decaf all around, and both were good-tasting and full-bodied, which inspired confidence.
I’d had my eye on the Scrambled Lox, Onions and Eggs ($10.95), a favorite, and I was not disappointed. The dish was perfectly prepared, with the egg cooked through but not to the point of browning. Accompanying the scramble were very good hash browns and a toasted bagel with butter (cream cheese is a complimentary option).
Sam went for the Apricot Stuffed Challah French Toast ($7.95), which came as several lovely pairs of French toast triangles with warm apricot jam and cream cheese sandwiched between them, all dusted with powdered sugar and served with maple syrup. Comfort food.
Roberta’s choice was the Mediterranean Omelette ($9.95), which was a flavorful combination of Mediterranean veggies and feta cheese. It was quite good.
Harvey decided on the Pastrami and Eggs ($9.95), wherein the eggs and meat are served separately rather than scrambled together. The simple dish came as eggs any way you like them (Harvey had them scrambled) and a huge portion of wonderful pastrami. He mixed some of the meat in with his eggs and fashioned a sandwich from the rest, creatively putting the bagel that came with his breakfast to good use.
Bixby’s has made a worthy start by serving large portions of fresh, carefully prepared traditional deli sandwiches and breakfasts at a fair price. That said, there was more than one indication that the very friendly wait staff should be better trained.
Overall, I like Bixby’s a lot and hope the place is here to serve the neighborhood for a good long time.
Bixby’s Brooklyn Deli is located at 4280 Atlantic Ave. in Bixby Knolls. The restaurant’s phone number is (562) 426-6146 and its website is bixbysbrooklyndeli.com . Wine and beer are available. Restaurant hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 3pm.
