( 2:01 PM )
Liberty Deli
I hate New York City. It’s crowded, it’s noisy, it’s smelly. It’s too hot in the summer. It’s too cold in the winter. The subway stations smell, the train stations are hot, the people are rude and everything costs more than it should.
Except a sandwich at Liberty Deli on 49th and Madison.
I work on Park Avenue and rarely leave my building during the day. There’s no such thing as a nice quiet lunch in the park. If you’re not fighting off pigeons trying to pick up crumbs under your feet, your fighting off business suits trying to invade your space on the steps or a bench. So I usually bag my lunch and sit at my desk. But on occasion I need to buy my lunch. The options are limitless – restaurants and delis on every street, food kiosks on every corner, or the subsidized cafeteria in my building. But even at subsidized prices, a pre-made cafeteria sandwich can cost you $7. Then there’s those gourmet delis, like Au Bon Pain where you can get tomato, basil and brie on a croissant for $9. But I’m not really a croissant sandwich type of guy. Or how about a $12 salad at Fresnos? I don’t think so.
Recently, I was wandering around outside my building on my lunch break, looking to widen my search area for food. I wandered about 3 blocks south – really out of my territory, but I was feeling a bit reckless – when I came across a tacky, neon lit sign above a non-descript door that said “Liberty Deli”. There was nothing appetizing about the window display, but the bevy of construction workers pouring into the place gave it credence. If anybody knows where to find a good sandwich, it’s a heavy-set Italian construction worker.
When I walk in, the place is mobbed, and I almost turn around and leave. But the smell keeps me. It’s a good sized place, but smaller than it looks. Floor to ceiling mirrors make it look twice as big and twice as crowded. The deli counter runs all the way from the front to the back, with hot and cold displays of pre-made dishes and sandwiches available. Behind the counter must be a dozen guys and gals – in a fury of activity – taking orders and building sandwiches.
I’m only standing there, looking around to see if there’s a line to wait in, when someone yells, “Yo, buddy. Whatta need?” I look around, thinking he can’t possibly be asking me, as I just got here and there’s a least a dozen other hungry-looking guys in front of me. “Yeah, you,” he says. “You’re next.”
“Oh, okay.” I say. “Uh…Do you have liverwurst?”
“Of course I got liverwurst. I got everything.”
“Okay, gimme liverwurst, American cheese, tomato and lettuce on rye. With mustard.”
“Yellow or brown?”
“Brown.”
“Toasted?”
“Yeah, sure, sounds great.”
“You got it, buddy.”
Two minutes later he shoves a plastic container with my sandwich, a pickle and a bag of chips at me. “Here ya go,” he says, then looks over my shoulder. “Yo buddy. Whatta need?”
I grab a bottle of water and check out at the door for a grand total of $6.75. A bargain in any city. Maybe New York has a bright spot. If you ever find yourself in mid-town and hungry – make the extra effort to hit the Liberty Deli on 49th and Madison. Your stomach and wallet will both thank you.
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