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Out to lunch: River Street Deli’s bagels and lox close-to-authentic New York treat

By: Anne Braly
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By: Holly Leber
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ANNE BRALY: In this second installment of Out to Lunch, I thought it’d be a good idea to introduce Holly to one of the most, if not the most, authentic New York delis in town. After all, Holly, a native New Yorker, must be longing for a taste of home.

As for me, well, my mouth has been watering for a River Street Reuben. Or maybe the Elana Ruz, one of the most delectable sandwiches in town.

But when owner Bruce Weiss said he had a good sandwich — in this case, tender roast beef, tangy Dijon mustard and grilled onions on crispy bread — I just had to say yes. And boy, I’m glad I did. So, Holly, what about you?

HOLLY LEBER: Well, first I have to say I took an immediate liking to Bruce. Since Anne is the foodie queen of Chattanooga and knows everyone it seems, I think we got a bit of special attention. And we’re both fans of a pretty famous New York deli. So at Chattanooga’s incarnation, I decided to take a risk on the bagel and lox; risky because I’ve got high standards, but it was better than I expected.

I’m not the world’s biggest cheerleader for my birth city, but I do like the food, and no place can compare to New York when it comes to bagels. That’s just a fact. This one was too chewy; you’ve got to have a crisp outer shell to make it really work, but I am biased.

Was my meal as good as it would have been in New York? Definitely not. But I can’t say I was disappointed.

ANNE: Well, I’ll say I learned a little bit about New York City bagels while dining with Holly. Her bagel, topped with cream cheese and thinly sliced salmon, looked delicious. Though I did find it strange that Holly said no when Bruce asked her about adding capers. He didn’t seem surprised. I guess capers must be a Southern thing.

Bruce knows a good bit about Southern food, too. The pimento cheese in the salad case looked outstanding. And it must have been, since a good bit of it was gone. The place was packed on the day of our visit, though. In the summertime, there’s nothing better than a cool pimento cheese sandwich.

Bruce really knows how to please a range of palates. In fact, on Friday nights, he offers a special, reservations-only dinner featuring an international menu, such as a recent Brazilian dinner.

Holly, you’re lucky to live right across the river from River Street Deli. Just a brisk walk across the bridge, and you’re there.

HOLLY: Capers are actually pretty common, just not my taste. I feel like this is kind of an unfair judgment call for me to make; there’s pretty much no way I’m going to find a better deli here than I would in New York. Bruce said the lox was flown in from Brooklyn, but the edges dried out a bit in transit, and the sandwich was heavy on the cream cheese (though to be fair, this is the case anywhere I’ve been).

I’d do it again though, and I’ll definitely go back to try some of Bruce’s other selections. I can’t quite call River Street Deli a true taste of home, but it did remind me of another reason I’m looking forward to visiting my parents and sister in a couple of weeks.

And I’ll take my uncle there when he comes to visit next month. I spotted an artichoke and chickpea-looking salad in the display case that I’m eager to try.