Mookie’s transports New York deli classics, and a legit Reuben, to the Triangle | Review
Ever since Mookie’s New York Deli opened mid-July in Cary, word of mouth has been spreading all over the Triangle about the restaurant’s Reuben sandwich. Even transplanted New Yorkers are saying this is the real deal.
Just how real? Owner Ron Didner, who says Mookie’s is inspired by childhood memories of his neighborhood deli in New York, explains in words that will be music to an aficionado’s ears: “We use the entire brisket, including the point and the flat, for our corned beef and pastrami.”
Both are cured in-house, then sliced by hand (and optionally trimmed of fat on request) and piled between slices of seeded rye with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, then grilled until the cheese melts and the bread is toasty. You can get either meat — or a 50/50 combination of the two — on a Petite (6 ounces of meat) or Full (a hefty 12 ounces) Reuben.
Or go all in on the Empire State sandwich, a triple decker loaded with 24 ounces (that’s a pound and a half of meaty goodness) for a jaw-dropping (and jaw-stretching) experience. Available with your choice of a dozen toppings and cheeses on rye, pumpernickel or sourdough, the Empire State isn’t a Reuben, technically speaking. But it’s sure to evoke fond memories for anyone who has eaten at Katz’s, the legendary Jewish deli in New York.
Not that Mookie’s is a traditional Jewish deli, strictly speaking. Didner describes the concept as “classic New York menu with Southern inspiration,” which translates to the likes of a goat cheese and Fox Farm & Forage mushroom salad, and Brussels sprouts with pastrami crisps in a balsamic honey glaze.
Monthly sandwich specials have included the Washington Heights, a Cuban-style sandwich featuring mojo-marinated brisket and tongue with pickles on ciabatta; and the Mount Sinai Angioplasty: fried chicken cutlet, bacon, fried egg, tomato, pickled onions and buttermilk Ranch dressing on a brioche bun.
That said, anyone looking to scratch an itch for Jewish deli fare won’t lack for options. Pretty much any craving will find satisfaction in a menu that covers the classic repertoire, from chopped liver (on a sandwich, or as a nosh with bagel chips) to potato latkes and knishes to the Mookie Wilson platter: lox, tuna salad, whitefish salad and egg salad, served with a bagel flown in from Long Island, and cream cheese or butter.
Craving matzoh ball soup? Mookie’s version is made from a family recipe — a matzoh ball nearly as big as a softball, in a chicken broth riddled with carrots, celery and chicken.
Pining for a black and white cookie? They’re baked in-house, as are the excellent carrot cake and New York cheesecake.
Mookie’s offers contact-free curbside takeout and delivery, both of which I’ve tried with excellent results. If you’re not lucky enough to be in delivery range, it’s still worth the drive. Just think of it as a shortcut to New York.
Mookie’s New York Deli
1010 Tryon Village Drive, Cary
919-900-7770
Takeout Tales
Send me your experiences with restaurant delivery and curbside pickup at ggcox55@gmail.com. I’ll publish as many as I can in this space, edited as needed for brevity and clarity.
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“Since the lockdown began, we have visited Coronato Pizza for takeout almost weekly to get their Family Night Special (Sunday-Thursday). For $65, you get three Roman-style, ultra-thin crust pizzas, a large chopped salad (with garbanzos, olives, artichokes and other goodies), six crunchy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside suppli and six cannoli. That does the two of us for three nights (not big eaters, but we usually add an extra appetizer).
“The vegetarian pizzas are all exquisite, our favorite being potato with chunks of garlic and liberally sprinkled rosemary. Occasionally a different pizza pops up. We loved a squash blossom one earlier in the summer — almost too beautiful to eat — and summer tomato. Chef Teddy Diggs and his crew are the best. It doesn’t hurt that next door is Craftboro Brewing Depot, where we pick up a growler of their delicious Ultisol Red IPA.”
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“I wanted to give a shout out to Heirloom Brewshop in the Warehouse District in downtown Raleigh. I always thought of it for its wonderful coffee and tea, but they also have delicious food and a seamless online ordering process.
“Make your selections online and select a pickup time, and they’ll notify you by email when your order is ready. It’s very fast and travels well. We’ve ordered lunch and an afternoon coffee several times. I’m a big fan of the Taiwanese Fried Chicken Sando between thick-cut shokupan milk bread, while my husband gets the same thing in a bowl form over rice and pickled carrots. They also do breakfast and sweets. Highly recommend.”