By: Angela Timm
The day I ate at The Kibitz Room in Cherry Hill I was enjoying a rare luxury, a lunch alone. There were no two year olds picking food from my plate and no 3rd graders with lunch detention. I was traveling for a workshop. I knew I was going to eat at The Kibitz Room as soon as I drove into town that morning. I knew what I was going to order as soon as I saw the truck in the parking lot.
The atmosphere was busy and fast paced at noon on a Monday. I felt as if I might be turned away for hesitating with my order. The employees are charismatic and the mood of the man behind the counter changed from near-impatience to delight when I asked for his advice on which meat to choose and explained that this was my first time….ordering a reuben. He suggested corned beef and I went with it, because when you’re in Rome, you do as the Romans.
This meal started with a trip to the pickle bar. The selection was delightful, truly. I chose pickle chips, hot cherry peppers and sweet mixed pickles imagining that I’d go back to try the cucumber and onion salad, pickled tomatoes, and health salad. I never made it back because my lunch arrived. To say that the portions were generous would be an understatement. Thank goodness I ordered the half reuben because the whole sandwich would have fed my family lunch for a week.
The buttery grilled rye bread was stuffed with a mountain of freshly cut corned beef. The sauerkraut was warm and plentiful, but not overwhelming. The swiss cheese was melting and the Russian dressing was light. Except for the rye bread, I’m not a fan of any of these ingredients on its own, but surely this is what Aristotle meant when he said, “The whole is better than the sum of the parts.” It all came together like magic. Served with fresh cut thick crinkle fries, it was by far the largest, messiest, and one of the most delicious sandwiches I have ever eaten.
My only disappointment was that I couldn’t eat more, more pickles, more matzo ball soup, more sweet desserts. Go there, eat, be full and happy.
BlueJeanFood 