Midtown Lunch

This week,  Luncher John is at a Center City deli for big portions.

One block off Rittenhouse Square at the corner of 19^th and Sansom is Rachael’s Nosheri, a Jewish delicatessen serving breakfast and lunch seven days a week. Many restaurants and delis in Center City have come and gone through the years, but Rachael’s has been open since 1994. The secrets of how it’s stood the test of time: an enormous menu, huge portions, and really good food.

Rachael’s is very much a family-run business, owned by the parents of its namesake, Rachael Cohen. Oftentimes, Rachael and her mother work the cash register and oversee the establishment, all the while bantering back and forth. The servers reflect the atmosphere and are generally helpful and accommodating of your requests.
The lunch menu for Rachael’s is extremely extensive. You can choose soups, fish platters, salads, sandwiches, cold platters, hoagies, and wraps in addition to sides and desserts. Then, if you still can’t find what you want, there are daily specials, like gumbo.

My first selection was the Hot Reuben ($7.50). Having previously worked at a deli, the Reuben was always one of my favorite sandwiches, both to make and consume. The Rachael’s version did not disappoint and was expertly made. A heaping amount of corned beef was thinly cut and tender. Instead of just being spread on the rye bread, the Russian dressing drizzled down the Swiss cheese. All the components added up to one tasty sandwich.

Next, I tried a potato knish ($3.00). It’s served hot, and the portion is a good size. While the potato filling was good, I probably should have taken the cashier’s advice and added some mustard for even more taste.

I think the highlight of the Rachael’s menu is the selection of platters. This platter had egg salad, potato salad, cole slaw, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and a choice of bread (Kaiser roll) – all for $7.00. It’s a bargain. Both the potato salad and cole slaw were freshly made and hit the spot. There are big chunks of egg salad I served on the roll for a makeshift egg salad sandwich. Olive lovers will also be fond of the numerous olives on the platter.

Rachael’s has some dessert selections, including cookies, cakes, and ice cream. I picked up a Rachael’s loaded chocolate chip cookie ($1.50). There’s no doubt it was a big cookie with a lot of chocolate chips sprinkled throughout it. My only issue was that I’m a big fan of soft and chewy cookies, and this one was crunchy.

Still, the great thing about Rachael’s is that the menu has so many choices that if an item is not your favorite, there are plenty of other options to choose from next time.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Big sandwiches and huge platters
• Extensive menu and daily specials
• The prices are quite reasonable

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• The cookies weren’t very soft and chewy
• So many choices could lead to indecision of what to order