Kensington Kosher Deli & Panchos Border Grill: No Frills Deli Done Right & Quality Tex-Mex Shine in Great Neck, NY

February 9, 2008

It’s time for you to take a trip to Great Neck, New York. Why? Because once you arrive you can head over to Kensington Kosher Deli for one of the most delicious sandwiches you’ll ever eat. You’d never think the sight of men in aprons would be relieving, but you know they wouldn’t be wearing them if they weren’t damn proud of their food. You can’t go wrong with the standard fare of steaming, fatty pastrami, cut thin and piled high but trust the NYC Food Guy and go for Brisket with fried onions and gravy on a club roll and an order of steak fries, well done, as seen below….

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Great Neck is 40 minutes from the city on the LIRR. Learn the essentials at Kensington Deli and Pancho’s (closed) after the break.

I’ve been eating at Kensington Kosher Deli for almost 13 years and it has never disappointed. Before I discovered the brisket sandwich, I would always be satisfied with the usual deli fare.

Here’s a Turkey/Pastrami combo on rye which my brother ordered, he likes his pastrami lean.

The meats are all spiced and steamed on premises. Every choice ranging from Corned Beef to Tongue is fresh, moist, and delicious.

Back to the brisket.

Let’s breakdown the deliciousness…

The beef brisket is moist, fatty and delicious
The generic beef-stock gravy only enhances the overall gluttonous nature of the sandwich, but adds a textural layer that brings the entire meal up a notch
The thinly sliced white onions are fried quickly in the deep fryer, taking on nice charred edges while holding onto their onion flavor
The club roll is thick enough to compensate for the wetness of the gravy while supporting the weight of the brisket, rye bread would not be able to handle this sandwich
A nice schmear of Russian Dressing on the bottom is highly recommended
Fries, which must be ordered well done, are an essential complement to any meal at KD, particularly this one

Other great choices at Kensington Kosher Deli…

Plump, juicy, and fat Hebrew National hot dogs slathered in mustard, ketchup, onions in sauce, and some sauerkraut
Hearty and crispy potato pancakes
Famous Knish Nosh Knishes, brought in fresh daily. Ask for your Knish deep fried, it’s potato heaven.
Pastrami, Corned Beef, Roast Beef, and Turkey are all moist, flavorful and delicious
Chicken Noodle Soup is hot and full of nice sized piece of chicken and plenty of spiral noodles, carrots, and celery

I’ve been eating at KD for almost 13 years and it has honestly never disappointed. What it lacks in ambiance and atmosphere (the place is about 10 feet wide with a long counter with stools and 5 tables) it makes up for with hearty deli whose authenticity is rivaled only by its deliciousness.

Pancho’s Border Grill is another great food option in Great Neck…

Quality Tex-Mex and house made salsa in a laidback atmosphere provided by the Grateful Dead playing over the speakers. The best appetizer option is the buffalo chicken fingers ($8.95).

While it’s gone downhill over the years, as long as their steak fajitas are sizzling, you can’t go wrong.

They come served with as many tortillas as you need and a side guac, sour cream, cheese, pickled jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, and refried beans. At lunch, you can get all that for just $9.95 ($18.95 at dinner).

The Combo Plater is another good option at lunch ($9.95 with two mains and one side) and dinner ($14.95 with two mains and two sides). I went for Grilled Chicken and Steak Quesadillas, both of which were undercooked and ordinary. The salad however, is delicious, great house vinaigrette.

How to get to Great Neck…

Just a 40 minute trip on the LIRR from Penn Station. You can find out the time tables here.

Once you arrive at the station, both Kensington Deli and Pancho’s are 1 block north of station plaza. Call either place for directions.