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Health & Fitness

Deli Restaurant Organization Plans to Open "Ben's of Scarsdale" in First Quarter of 2014

 Ben's Kosher Deli Restaurants and Caterers will open "Ben's of Scarsdale" during the latter part of the first quarter of 2014, Ronald (Ronnie) M. Dragoon, the CEO and founder of the restaurant organization, told Patch. "We are in the demolition stage," he said, "which will continue over the next month."

The new Scarsdale restaurant will be located diagonally across the street from the Greenburgh Fire Department station on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. The building had been occupied by Spiga Ristorante (now closed).

The number of Jewish deli's in the New York area has dwindled over the years. But Ben's is bucking the trend with an extensive menu that offers both a broad selection of traditional Jewish specialties such as hot corned beef on rye and Matzo Ball soup coupled with contemporary American fare including ribeye steak and chicken fingers.

The new eatery will be the company's seventh kosher delicatessen; all but one are located in the metropolitan New York City area (Manhattan, Queens and Long Island). Ben's of Boca Raton is located in southern Florida.

The first floor of Ben's of Scarsdale will seat approximately 145 patrons in the restaurant and bar, Dragoon said. An 80-seat, party-and-dining room will be constructed on the second level.  

"In addition, we will have a full-height, lower level where much of our homemade salads will be made and our produce, meats and groceries will be stored," he said. "The main dining room will be bi-level with a wine and liquor bar and our retail takeout counter will be situated close to the restaurant entrance."

Typical Ben's menu items:

  1. Traditional delicatessen sandwiches. Corned beef, pastrami, brisket of beef, tongue, Hebrew National salami, roast beef, turkey and chopped liver 
  2. Combination deli sandwiches. Multiple meats. Can be accompanied by cole slaw and Russian dressing between the bread slices 
  3. Two super-sized hot dogs. Known as "Specials," these quarter-pounders are served with baked beans and French fires
  4. Specialities. Stuffed cabbage (cabbage leaves with chopped meat, rice and seasoning), chicken fricassee, Hungarian goulash and gefilte fish platter 
  5. Three-egg omelette. Choices to go with the eggs include corned beef, pastrami, salami or Nova Scotia salmon. Served with potato pancake or French fries 
  6. Other dishes. Rib-eye or hanger steak, grilled fillet of salmon, hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot open sandwiches, a variety of salads, wraps and sandwiches such as tunafish salad, chopped chicken or chopped egg
  7. Sides. Potato pancakes, various knishes, kashe varnishkas, stuffed derma with gravy, fried kreplach, and more 
  8. Kids' menu. Smaller portions and a lollipop. Baby food and free Cheerios for toddlers
  9. Desserts. Chocolate babka, rugelach (pastry), apple strudel, halvah and lots more
Rye is the traditional bread of choice for deli sandwiches but other breads including whole wheat and club are offered too. Beer is served in frosted mugs and wine can be ordered by the glass or bottle. Dr. Brown's soda, sold in every Jewish New York deli for generations, is available in Cel-Ray tonic, cream or black cherry flavors.

Locations of Ben's eateries
  • Bayside, Queens. 211-37 26th Avenue. At Bay Terrace Shopping Center, located cllose to Throgs Neck Bridge (Queens side)
  • Boca Raton, Florida. 9942 Clint Moore Road. Near Routes 441 and 7
  • Carle Place, Long Island. 59 Old County Road. Slightly northwest of Roosevelt Field Mall (in Garden City)
  • Greenvale, Long Island. 140 Wheatley Place. Near intersection of Northern Boulevard and Glen Cove Road
  • Manhattan. 200 West 38 Street. (Seventh Avenue). Six short city blocks north of New York City's Penn Station
  • Scarsdale. 718 Central Park Avenue. Now under renovation with opening planned for early 2014. Diagonally across the street from Greenburgh Fire Department station (at location previously occupied by Spiga Ristorante)
  • Woodbury. Long Island. 7971 Jericho Turnpike. Slightly east of Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (Route 135) northern end
Dragoon opened his first deli in Baldwin (now closed) in 1972 at the age of 23. The restaurants are named after his father.

Ben's Restaurant Group,140 Wheatley Plaza, Greenvale, New York 11548, 516-933-9200, www.bensdeli.net 
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