54 Prince Street (near Lafayette)
New York, NY 10012
212-226-0211
Rating: Safe
Cuisine: American
Entree Price: $12-$27
Hours: Mon-Thur: 7:30AM-Midnight; Fri-Sun: 10:30AM-1AM
Most addictive dish: pancakes with apples and citrus cream
Review
If you’re a New Yorker who has ever missed South Beach, then Delicatessen might be the place for you. The ceiling is done in soft white cloth, and the dominant colors include beige and off-white. The chairs and booths are loungy complimenting a subtly sleek bar. In the summer, when the walls are removed, a breezy coolness sweeps through the place, and you might find yourself ready to dart to the beach right after your lunch. If you’re familiar with the shiny Chelsea restaurant Cafeteria, Delicatessen was created by the same people. Luckily, Delicatessen isn’t as annoying as Cafeteria. However, you will see the occasional waifish model and scenesters here, especially at night when it feels a little bit disco.
The food is not as enticing as the space. Everything does taste fresh, but it’s almost as if the food mirrors the surroundings too well. The flavor profiles are pretty mellow. Nothing really incites taste bud mayhem. The salmon with snap peas and carrot puree was very nice and well executed, but it was also a little boring. The same can be said of most of the fish dishes. The grilled chicken we had certainly tasted very healthy, and the salads were some of the best things on the menu. The food is good – but that’s it. Where Delicatessen does better, however, is brunch. The omelets have a bit more flavor and the French toast is tasty.
At the end of the day, Delicatessen’s breezy-cool atmosphere is reason enough to venture in. The food is safe, the bar is stocked, and you’ll be the cool kid in the crowd if you take your mainstream friends here for brunch.