By KT Cunningham
Chompie’s Review – Deli Heaven
Geographically speaking, Phoenix, AZ is a long way from NYC, but if you find yourself in the desert dreaming of pastrami on rye from your favorite NY deli, look no further than Chompie’s. Opened in 1979, Chompie’s has been coined “Arizona’s New York Deli,” and for good reason. From bialys to matzo ball soup, corned beef to potato pancakes, Chompie’s has it all. So, when I learned there was a NY deli in Arizona that could rival the likes of Katz’s or Carnegie’s, I thought it was too good to be true — I had to check it out for myself.
Even during the lunch hour rush, my friends and I were quickly seated. Then came the first challenge: conquering the menu. Their menu is HUGE and right away they earned points with me for serving breakfast ALL DAY. The breakfast menu offers pages of omelets, scrambles, French toast (made with their fresh challah bread), and of course, a wide selection of freshly made, boiled-then-baked bagels with lox and schmear. A New York classic. But alas, it was lunchtime, so it looks like I’ll be coming back for breakfast.
While we were mulling over the menu, the waitress dropped off a plate of complimentary pickles to tied us over. Another point for Chompie’s. There is nothing better than a giant, juicy pickle, and these did not disappoint. Plus, when we asked for more, they kept coming! Bottomless pickles!
We finally made up our mind on the menu and started with the potato pancake sampler. After all, this is a Jewish deli and I wanted some latkes! The sampler offered (2) traditional potato, (2) sweet potato, and (2) spinach accompanied by sides of applesauce and sour cream. All 3 pancakes were quite good, lightly crisp on the outside, still warm on the inside, and not overly greasy, but the sweet potato was the winner. If you only have room for the 1 pancake, stick to the sweet potato.
The potato pancakes passed the test, but now it was time to see if the pastrami sandwich on rye and matzo ball soup were really up to Katz’s standards. The sandwich arrived and was stacked with enough meat to satisfy any starving customer. A good sign. The rye bread (baked in house) was delicious, and the pastrami flavorful. All it took was some deli mustard and the sandwich was a hit. The chicken matzo ball soup was equally delicious, even on a hot summer day in Phoenix.
Even with 4 locations throughout the Greater Phoenix Area, Chompie’s was a well-kept secret until 2010 when it was featured on Man vs. Food. The challenge? Eat 12 of their Jewish Sliders in 30 minutes. Now, I knew I wasn’t up for the challenge, but I did want to try their infamous Jewish Sliders. My order came with 3 sliders and a side of potato salad.
The pastrami sandwich may have “passed the test,” but the Jewish Sliders were OFF THE CHARTS GOOD.
Moist, lean, brisket piled high on their soft, homemade challah roll, a mini potato pancake on the bottom, with jack cheese, and a dollop of gravy. It’s like enjoying all the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner (if you ate brisket instead of turkey) in one bite. It’s no wonder they don’t allow for substitutions on this dish. It’s perfection.
Chompie’s also offers an entire case of baked goods. Freshly baked cakes, éclairs, cannolis, cookies, cheesecakes, brownies, cinnamon rolls, lemon bars, raspberry bear claws… much like the pastry case, the mouth-drooling list it offers is seemingly endless.
If you’re not sure what to chose, spring for the “black & white” cookie, or any of their famous rugelach (a traditional Jewish pastry in the form of a crescent made by rolling a triangle of dough around some type of filling). We sampled the chocolate, cinnamon, and raspberry rugelach and it was impossible to pick a favorite.
Whether you are craving a bagel and schmear, a corned beef sandwich, or just a little something to satisfy your sweet tooth, Chompie’s is worth the stop. It’s a bustling place (which adds to the NY feel), the portions are massive, and the food is excellent. You’ll step inside and forget you’re not actually in the Big Apple.