March is always an eventful month for Benjies Deli, filled with March Madness, NBA basketball and St. Patrick’s Day festivities. But now April is here, and today is the first day of Passover! Passover begins today, April 6th, 2012 and will continue for seven days. In true Jewish fashion, we will be doing our part for Passover by offering a our celebrated Passover special and a traditional Seder plate for each table. (more…)
Go Lakers!
The 2011 NBA Basketball Playoffs are in high gear, and the Los Angeles Lakers have shifted into full throttle! Currently, the Lakers are leading 3-2 against the New Orleans Hornets. Benjies Deli admits we were feeling a tad worried after a rather atrocious Game 1, where front man Pau Gasol, who normally averages 22.3 points per game, only scored a meager eight points and grabbed only six rebounds on the offensive. The poor performance caused the Lakers, ranked number 2 team by the Western Conference, to lose to the seventh-seeded Hornets! Talk about an upset! Lakers made a comeback in Game 2, with Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest and Lamar Odom picking up on Gasol’s slack, though the Hornets remained competitive until the end and definitely gave the Lakers a run for their money.
Though the Lakers are off to a fumbling start, Benjies Deli still has faith in our favorite LA team! Come out to Benjies Deli tonight to support the Lakers and watch them defeat the Hornets and advance in the playoffs. Enjoy a plate of our Kobe Beef Sliders and watch as Kobe Bryant beefs it up with the referees. Or, try out the Benjie Special, a hot pastrami sandwich and coleslaw with Russian dressing on rye, served with potato salad. Longing for something even heartier? Don’t forget about our famous corned beef and cabbage plate, the best Orange County has to offer!
If you are just feeling snacky, grab a drink at the Bamboo Lounge’s fully stocked bar. There are six large screen TVs and an abundance of space to seat all of your friends. Dunk into a tall glass of ice-cold draft beer, and score big with our corned beef, pastrami and Swiss cheese triple-decker sandwich as tall as Andrew Bynum. Feeling the team spirit? Share a deli platter, like the cold cut buffet or the 16″ ring sandwich tray, with your friends. With our deli platters, no one has to worry about ordering, they can just grab a sandwich while they watch their favorite team—the Lakers.
If you want to enjoy the game in the comforts of your own home, Benjies Deli can still help out with your catering needs–All of our deli platters are available for home parties too! Make sure you call 48-72 hours ahead to order before your event. That way you can have Benjies Deli do all the work while you relax and take all the credit. Benjies Deli makes entertaining at home easy and delicious. For catering inquiries and ordering, please call Benjies Deli at (714) 541-6263.
March is always an eventful month for Benjies Deli, filled with collegiate basketball games and St. Patrick’s Day festivities. But now that the celebrations have subsided, we are gearing up for another big event: Passover. Passover will commence on Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 and will continue for seven days. In true Jewish fashion, we will be doing our part for Passover by offering a traditional Seder meal.
The Seder is traditionally a ceremonial meal consumed on the first night of Passover. The rituals and foods of the Seder all represent something symbolic; For example, the unleavened bread represents the urgency of the Israelites having to leave Egypt. An entire process of reading passages, singing, and drinking goblets of wine usually accompanies the meal.
During April 18th-19th after 4 PM only, you can come in to Benjies Deli and enjoy a traditional Seder meal for only $14.95. Or, if you prefer to have your traditional meal at home, you can call ahead to place a to-go order for only $15.95.
There are certain foods eaten during the ritual Seder family meal served on the first two nights of Passover. Although over time, family customs may have changed the items served at the Seder, the following foods usually appear on the Seder plate:
• Matzoh: Three unleavened matzohs are layered within napkins as a reminder of how quickly the Israelites were forced to flee Egypt, leaving no time for dough to rise. Two are eaten during the service, and one (the Aftkomen), is hidden during the ceremony to be later found as a prize.
• Maror: bitter herbs, usually horseradish or romaine lettuce, used to symbolize the bitterness of slavery.
• Charoses: a mixture of apples, wine, nuts and cinnamon, as a reminder of the mortar used in building by the Jews during their slavery
• Beitzah: a roasted egg, as a symbol of life and the continuation of existence.
• Karpas: a vegetable, usually celery or boiled potato, representing hope and redemption; served with a bowl of salted water to represent the tears shed.
• Zeroah: traditionally a piece of roasted lamb shankbone, symbolizing the paschal sacrificial offering
• Wine: four glasses of wine are drunk during the service to represent the four-fold promise of redemption. A special glass is left for Elijah the prophet.
To place your order for a Seder meal, please call Benjies Deli at (714) 541-6263.
An unlikely place to find a truly great New York style delicatessen, Benjies Deli in Santa Ana stands as a reminder to us all that some things get better with time. Benjies quaint 70’s New York diner ambiance has offered a unique experience for customers since 1967. Born in Brooklyn New York in August of 1921, Stan Weinstein, the founder, was raised with his younger sister Isabel during the depression era in brownstone apartment on Avenue K in Brooklyn. Graduating Boys’ High, he went on to college as a pre-med student. With his education being interrupted by World War II, he proudly served in the army as a radio and communications specialist in India. While serving in the military, he met the love of his life Eleanor Finegold and they were married in 1946.
With the new responsibilities of marriage and a new baby, he wasn’t able to continue with his education and became the breadwinner for his new family. Working for Eleanor’s family in the “needles trade” as a cloth cutter in a clothing manufacturing plant, Stan decided to pursue a better life for his family and moved to Los Angeles where he continued to work for relatives in the garment industry.
In 1967 along with two partners, Stan purchased Squires coffee shop here on Tustin Avenue where it was remodeled and opened as Benjies on October 8 of 1967 where it exists today. It is now run by his son and daughter-in-law Lloyd and Noriko Weinstein where it has remained as an icon for 40 years.
Luckily Benjies has been able to balance the difficult task of keeping its wholesome ambiance while adapting to the times. The restaurant features The Bamboo Lounge with a full bar and several flat screen TV’s that cater to sports enthusiasts. Karaoke nights at The Bamboo Lounge have become a Friday night institution in Santa Ana. Perhaps the most fascinating feature of this retro joint is that many of the staff working at Benjies has been there for 30 years or more. There are even photos of these employees on the wall at the restaurant commemorating the years gone by.
However, it’s clear that the strongest aspect of what Benjies has to offer is its unreal food. Benjie’s has something to satisfy every appetite, from fresh-cooked savory soups, to tender brisket with potato latkes (pancakes), unbelievable stuffed cabbage rolls, and the most delicious pastrami sandwiches in town. And don’t forget the most important meal of the day. That’s right, Benjie’s also serves a delectable breakfast selection, all freshly made and at unbeatable prices. When was the last time you had a huge omelet complete with all the fixins for $5.95? The full seven page menu is sure to have something that you will love.
To experience a true New York Style Deli right here in Orange County, drive or walk straight to 1828 N. Tustin Ave, Santa Ana (714)541-6263. The restaurant is open 7 days a week 7 AM – 9PM, and Karaoke is 9PM- midnight Friday night.
Although it was one of the ugliest games of basketball I’ve ever seen the Lakers prevailed. As Phil Jackson said, “Well, it’s done. It wasn’t well done, but it was done. And we did it with perseverance.” It couldn’t have been more dramatic either with the Celtics pushing their lead to 13 in the third quarter and the Lakers showing no sign of a run. Finally the Lakers started to chip away at the Celtic’s lead in the fourth. With Artest, finally showing up offensively, hitting a crucial 3-pointer at the end of the fourth the Lakers came out on top. Miraculously the Lakers only had a shot percentage of 32.5 and were 67.6 percent from the line-statistics that aren’t indicative of a win. However they pulled through with the win and avenged their 2008 loss to the Celtics.
Now with the basketball season over I feel a little lost. Luckily the FIFA World Cup is in full swing and we have another reason to go hang out at Benjies Deli. Come on down to the Bamboo Lounge at Benjies Deli, where we have six large screens of sports on display every day of the week. There’s also a fully stocked bar and an abundance of space to seat you and all of your friends, plus a regularly updated menu of bar snacks that will keep your tastebuds happy for every game. Come down and watch the U.S. play Algeria on Wednesday the 23rd at 4:00 PM. Baseball is also here for us to soften the withdrawals were having from basketball season. So come watch the Angels take on the Dodgers on Tuesday the 22nd, Wednesday the 23rd, or Thursday the 24th, all at 7:00 PM. Enjoy one of Benjies world famous Francheesy dogs and feel like you’re at the game.
Want to watch one of these games at home? All of our deli platters are available for home parties too! Make sure you call 48-72 hours ahead to order before your event. That way you can have Benjies Deli do all the work while you relax and take all the credit.
If you want to hold a private party, contact Benjies Deli to reserve the Bamboo Lounge and discuss ordering food for the event. Call (714) 541-6263 and ask for Lloyd Weinstein, whether you want to book a private party or have your home event catered.
Although we’re still reeling from the St. Patrick’s Day festivities at Benjies this past week, especially being named as one of the 8 best ways to celebrate it in Orange County. Now we’re looking ahead to Passover, which is coming up on March 29th.
It’s no surprise that Benjies Deli would serve a traditional Seder meal, and we do! On the first and second eves of Passover (the 29th and 30th), Benjies Deli will serve the traditional meal, complete with Seder plate, for $13.95. Our full menu will also be available during this time, so everyone is welcome!
Don’t forget that Benjies Deli will prepare Seder meals to go for only $14.95. Please call ahead so that we can have them ready for you to pick up: (714) 541-6263. (more…)
The 2010 NBA Playoffs started yesterday, and Los Angeles Lakers fans will be watching to see if their team can take the championship again this year. One of the best places to watch the NBA Playoffs outside of Staples Center is in Benjies Deli’s Bamboo Lounge, located in Santa Ana.
Not only do fans enjoy the wide screen TVs and the full bar, but they’ll be eating the best pastrami sandwich in Orange County. Other menu favorites during sporting events include the Francheesy, a delicious combination of grilled knockwurst sausage, crisp bacon and cheese on a grilled onion roll and served with french fries and coleslaw. Although the food is so good it can make it hard to concentrate on the game, try the Coney Franks Platter or the Cold Rare Roast Beef Plate to eat while cheering on Kobe, Shannon, Lamar, Gasol, and the entire Lakers team. Stop by on Sunday for the Lakers game against the Denver Nuggets that starts at 12:30PM, or Tuesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers, starting at 7:30PM.
Tonight is also Karaoke Night at Benjies’ Bamboo Lounge, so come on down to belt out your favorite tunes, enjoy a drink at the bar and something from Benjies extensive deli menu. We’re open til 1AM tonight!
Benjies Deli is now on Facebook and Twitter. Become a fan or follow us on Twitter (@benjiesdeli) to find out all the upcoming events and specials for Benjies Deli—the best and oldest New York Deli in Orange County, California.
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