Upon entering the Brookline restaurant named for the softest of euphemisms (Zaftig is a Yiddish word meaning pleasingly plump), the scent of pickles, lox and Brooklyn mornings filled my nose, leaving me powerless to fight the calories that seem to cling to your thighs just from reading about the many incarnations of the potato featured on the menu. It was my third time (oy vey!) trying to sit down for a meal at Zaftigs Delicatessen without a preposterous wait time. This popular Coolidge Corner eatery is a brunch haven on weekends, where brave friends and family tackle the hour-or-so wait to share some hearty kosher deli food.
Even on a Monday morning, the reasonably large restaurant was filled to capacity, feeding gluttonous Bostonians of all ages. Children are well-received with special menus and coloring books, and adults are catered to by several beer and wine choices. Traditional Jewish themes, colorfully painted by local artists, line the walls of the comfortable, casual and undeniably hip interior. The restaurant is split into a delicatessen bar and many booths, with few tables scattered throughout the restaurant. The noise of conversation slightly overpowers the subtle background jazz tunes.
My party was greeted immediately and soon we were munching on bagel chips, which were toasted to perfection. After learning the virtues of knishes, brisket and kugel, we were ready to order and were warmly received by the friendly, laid-back waitstaff, who mercifully anticipated our insatiable need for water to wash down the epic meal we were about to face.
We began with an appetizer of potato pancakes, which were deep-fried and heavy, but contrasted beautifully with their side of sour cream and cinnamon applesauce. I tried the chicken soup, in which a lone island of matzo ball filled the cup. The soup was good, but had less flavor than I am used to after years of homemade Jewish cooking being the honorary New York Jew that I am. This lack of ardent flavor also held true for the pickles and chicken throughout the rest of the meal.
For my main course, I tried the lemon garlic chicken sandwich with garlic aioli, which was reasonably tasty and thoroughly filling. My friend a self-proclaimed ‘Jewish food expert’ was raving over her whitefish filet, accompanied by bagel and greens, and was delighted that she could construct her own sandwich from the plate, since ‘most picky eaters have to spend half the meal deconstructing sandwiches.’
The third member of our table was delighted with breakfast being served all day, and devoured challah French toast with fresh strawberries, insisting we all sample the masterpiece on her plate. I was impressed with how fresh every food item was in all three meals. Most of the food we sampled was mild but warm and tastefully prepared and presented.
Despite our best intentions, the food was too filling for anyone to try dessert. We did, however, lust after descriptions of the Mandelbrot: Jewish biscotti with walnuts, dried cranberries and chocolate chips; the decadent brownie sundae; or the chocolate chambord torte, a cheesecake layered between chocolate cake and topped with chocolate gramache.
Among house specialties, there were many types of smoked fish for every meal of the day. The breakfast menu features such wonders as banana-stuffed French toast prepared in bourbon-vanilla batter with date butter, and potato pancakes with smoked salmon and dill lime sour cream. The bulk of the lunch and dinner menu features an array of salads, sandwiches and fried, smoked or grilled chicken, fish and beef options.
The food is somewhat Americanized, offering everything from quesadillas to Caesar salads and lacks the more formidable Jewish recipes (tongue sandwich, anyone?) reminiscent of the Coolidge Corner delis of the past like Jack and Marion’s, AJ’s or the Essex. Still, the menu is extensive and representative of many kosher treats and should appeal to a broad range of tastes.
Overall, Zaftigs is the wholesome good restaurant every neighborhood could use and it is within the price range for most college students as well as easily accessible on the C Line. I can see how it earned its numerous Best of Boston awards and means its motto: ‘Let us be your Jewish mother.’ The entire menu is available for take-out and they offer catering for a variety of occasions. I would definitely return with a mass of starving friends or homesick Long Islanders.