Episode VIII: Goldberg's (ATL)

First off, Сәлем! to my readers in Kazakhstan. Web analytics are a great thing and it makes me happy to see folks from around the world checking the blog. This week we checked out Goldberg's Bagel and Deli in Buckhead. The place was packed when we walked in, always a good sign.


Brooklyn Reuben (Regular)"Lean Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese and Homemade Russian Dressing on Rye Bread"


Appearance - (2.9/5.0)
Not the most impressive thing to look at on a plate. Again, those toothpicks! There was a stray toothpick in MA's fries. Scary stuff. Also, check out that rogue fry on top of the sandwich. The pickle, I must say, is impressive and saved it from a lower score. Most of all, there is no marbling on the rye!

Quality of Ingredients - (4.8/5.0)
Maybe the folks at Goldberg's are not big on looks but they are on quality. The bread did not have marbling but did had great rye flavor thanks to the very visible Caraway seeds. The corned beef was tender and juicy. The dressing did taste homemade and mixed well with the flavor of the Swiss cheese.


Price - (3.9/5.0)
$10.95, Yikes! I guess this is the price you pay to have lunch Inside-The-Perimeter. It was a nice place and the portion was reasonable but for $10.95 they could have stacked a bit more beef on there. People seem to have no problem paying the price; we waited 20 minutes for a table. The guy in front of us in line knew the waitstaff by name.


Je Ne Sais Quoi - (4.7/5.0)
At first I was disappointed to not have marbling on the rye but the Caraway seeds made me quickly forget. What are those little things? Little flavor accents. What really boosted the JNSQ score was the fact that after the first bite, the sandwich was steaming. It was cold in there so that probably helped but it just looked like a pile of steaming goodness. I apologize for failing to document with a picture but I had my hands full with Danny Boy.


Taste - (9.7/10.0)
This sandwich really came together for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Almost all of the bites were perfect bites with a little bit of each component present. Each piece played its part. The taste more than made up for the look.


Overall - (26.0/30.0)
Getting to discover a sandwich and a place like this is what I had in mind when I started the blog. It was a classic Reuben with excellent execution. They did not have a high-chair, only a booster seat that Danny did not like. So I ate my Reuben one-handed. Other than that, I had a great time and  I will come back for sure to try the other variations of the Reuben.