June 23, 2011
Today while Googling around I found a place that might be a second Fortress of Solitude. It’s a Jewish deli called, “Sarge’s” and it’s on 37th and Third Avenue which is just about ten blocks from where I work. And it’s open 24 hours, 365 days a year. Perfect for a place to go after a late night at work. From what I’ve read it’s an old school joint and they serve beer there. They probably don’t serve 32 ounce beers, but maybe Al will like this place better. But don’t worry, I’d never totally abandon the Papaya Dog, but let’s go check out this possible alternative Fortress of Solitude.
And we're off, it's a nice summer night out tonight.
Here's a person playing a pink piano in Greeley Square, part of the Pop Up Pianos Project.
I'm just going to ignore this scary sidewalk gum stain and keep moving along.
And here we are, Sarge's Delicatessen. It looks promising!
"Open 24 Hours" always the sign of an old school diner.
Here's Keith who was manning the front register tonight.
A refrigerated case up front houses vegetables and house-cured meats.
Pickles!
Wow, nice display of cakes.
Okay, time to find a seat, there's booths up front...
But I think I'd prefer a table in the back.
I grab a menu on my way back...
And I think I'll sit here at this cozy little table.
Gumby's all settled in at the table.
And I look up and see the mark of old-school excellence, a tin ceiling!
Colorful chandeliers hang from the ceiling and illuminate the diner.
And this is our lovely and friendly waitress, Kostastina.
An ice-cold bottle of Budweiser is immediately served up, beautiful!
I ordered the matzo ball soup and it was delicious.
My patented ebony and ivory shot.
And since this is going to be my alternative Fortress of Solitude, I had to try the hot dog. It was great and the mustard is spicy.
After I ate, I thought I'd check out some of the signed celebrity pictures on the wall.
Who love's Sarge's, baby? Telly Savalas, that's who!
A vintage shot of Larry Storch from back in the "F-Troop" days.
Here's a fuzzy shot of Professor Irwin Corey, one of my childhood heroes. Kostastina told me he lives in the neighborhood and comes in every day around 2pm and always has a joke or two. She told me another regular is Danny DeVito.
It's Kitty Carlisle, I tell the truth!
Okay, I settled up with Keith and now it's back out into the night.
Aaaaahhhh!
Sarge's Delicatessen
548 Third Ave. (Near 37th St.)
212-679-0442
Further reading: New York Magazine, NYC Food Guy, 10 Best and The Naked Potato.
You also might like: Plastic Hammers, Glass Rulers and Zircon Encrusted Tweezers.
Five Other Sergeants
Sgt. Carter
Sgt. Schultz
Sarge
No Time For Sergeants
Sgt. Slaughter
32 Comments
Reader Comments (32)
I had no idea there were so many scary faces out there...watching. Aaaa!
I have to say, every time I see Gumby take his seat, I crack up. He needs a series or a travelling-gnome-type picture book..."My Dinner with Marty" or some such thing...
Excellent 2nd Fortress of Solitude ! ..... and .... it probably smells better than the Papaya ....
Great new Fortress of Solitude, Gumby seems to like it there! Loved the surprise link today! You're not going to abandon the Papaya Dog though, right?
Very cool place...love the matzo ball soup-yum. Gumby looks cool and happy.
@Goggla: Love the Gumby book idea! I'll have to work on that!
@GENE: The aroma is a little better in there!
@Barfly: Nothing will ever take the place of the beloved Papaya Dog in Penn Station!
@Melanie: It's been on the block since 1964, very cool old-school joint.
What a great range of celebrity photographs! Book or not, Gumby will be demanding his own blog one of these days ...
I’ve been going to Sarge’s since I was a kid. Their chopped liver is second to none; I like it on pumpernickel with raw onion and mustard with plenty of half-sour pickles. Oh, and Beer, lots of Beer.
Yikes, Cardboard Box Man has a banana! Gumby better watch out, no really
@Goggla: Marty should take Gumby to a Cajun joint; I’m thinking:
“My Gumbo with Gumby”
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
That picture of pickles made my mouth water. Tin ceiling, cured meats, cake! What's not to like? I have to say, I was planning on penciling in Sarge's somewhere on my next to-do list, but after Harry mentioned the chopped liver sangie, I think I'm gonna have to move it to the top.
@onemorefoldedsunset: Gumby's lack of arms will make blogging tough for him. Maybe a Gumby telethon is in order?
@Harry: Sounds like a great sandwich and beer is definitely a must! The Gumbo with Gumby idea is a good one, but I fear the name Gumbo might scare Gumby away, it's awful close to his own and it might seem like cannibalization to him. And if he likes it he could turn into Dr. Hannibal Gumby, which could be more frightening than the Cardboard Box man!
@Biff: How long is that list of yours now? You need to get out here soon!
I would absolutely love to sample some genuine New York deli...Sarge's looks like just the place to do it, some huge specialty sandwich or a signature Reubin....something like that.
Yes, I'm sure Gumby could type using some kind of custom made prosthesis. I'll throw in a buck.
I have an unnatural fear of larry storch...\
he gives me the willies.. like maybe he would smell like pee or something.
have had it since i was a kid too.. no reason why.. just freaky and weird.
the matza ball soup looks awesome
reminds me of a new york version of cantors.
I want to visit it...
Sarge's looks real old school,,,,unlike the dreaded "Papa Ya",,,,. Matzo ball soup is very special and dear to my heart, its the first meal I ate with my soon to be wife on a date,,,to a jewish deli,,,first date, can you believe it? No discos for me,,,,Jewish deli is a great first date. Larry Storch,,,I laughed when I saw his picture,,,,who had the biggest weenie in Hollywood,,,well Larry and Uncle Miltie did, legend says. Love this Fortress of Solitude. Next stop Katz.
@Jaws: Sarge's is the real deal alright!
@onemorefoldedsunset: Thanks for starting off the Gumbython! Somebody get Jerry Lewis on the line! We need a tote board, pronto!
@Gidgie: Your fear of Larry Storch cracks me up! He was my favorite on F-Troop!
@Al: Glad you like Sarge's! And a Jewish Deli sounds like a great first date, no wonder she married you! I will definitely be hitting Katz's somewhere down the road.
looks like MAD has found a great alt. FoS...should please Al....only problem seems to be that MAD will have to face more variations of CBM...damn MAD has generated and nurtured a fear of lookin' into the recylin' bin when i take it out to the curb...
The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude.
~Voltaire
rr
Sarges Deli looks like and excellent place to grab a sandwich and a beer, Love that ice cold beer and the food looks good. I am with Biff I love delui style dill pickles.
Great place Marty and I am so glad the food was as good as it looked.
@rr: I swear to God I get the chills when I see piles of recycled cardboard on the sidewalk now! Love the quote, perfect!
@Tiki Bar Susie: Good to hear from you! The place will become a new latenight stop the people are real friendly there.
To Sarges! Great fortress of Solitude!! Thinking you should write to Bloomberg to get the "problem" sorted : I
Correction,,,it was Forrest Tucker not Larry Storch,,,,sorry Larry you lost to Uncle Miltie and Tuck.
Marty i used to have a game to play when my friends were drinking or when we were bored at work.
its started with actors who do not know they smell.
then you add actors who do not know they are gay.
and then actors who smell like pee and do not know they are gay
to scientologists that are gay smell like pee and are having that fact hidden by the public.
Larry storch is just creepy.. and he probably smells like pee. greasy hair etc.. i put tony curtis in with him and elvis.
yuck
like f troop though:)
@Clacky: I think Bloomberg is "their" leader. He kind of looks like them. Scary times!
@Al: I've read stories about Uncle Miltie, but never Forrest Tucker! Sounds like there's some wood in that Forrest!
@Gidgie: Fun game! "to scientologists that are gay smell like pee and are having that fact hidden by the public." I'm guessing Tom Cruise there!
I think Biff and I have a lot in comment. I pretty much just Ditto her comment - and my list of things to do in NYC is getting much too long for how often we actually make it out there. Sigh. I'll have to live through Tom when he starts visiting for work again.
In COMMON, I meant. Dang it.
@Britta: "In comment" cracked me up! Maybe you and Biff will be in New York at the same time one of these trips and we'll see how much of them we can get through.
Wow. I haven't been to Sarge's in almost 20 years! Glad it's still there and still keeping that diner spirit alive. Nothing artisanal on this menu.
By the way, did you notice that if you take apart the word 'artisnal' it spells 'art is anal'? Just like the people who flock to that kind of food usually are! As Diane Keaton said to Woody Allen in the movies, 'Anal is a nice word for what you are.'
Ha ha ha ha ha
@dark1p: That "art is anal" is hilarious, I'd never noticed that before and I love to pick words apart too! Good one!
"You know, Pokey the horse once tried to test me....I ate his liver, with some gummie bears and a fine chianti"...Dr. Hannibal Gumby
@Jaws: Ha ha ha! Quid Pokey Quo!
I like it. Marty goes kosher. There's a sitcom in there.
@Fat Al: Let's pitch it to Comedy Central!
Isn't chopped liver used for something you would never want to eat? Can't say that is what I would try. But it does look like a nice place to be a regular at. Next time I visit Britta we might have to take a trip to NY without kids to try and mark off a few more places on our growing wish lists.
@kari: I know it sounds gross, but it's actually very good!