"GERTIE is a modern "Jew-ish" deli and appetizing shop inspired by New York's great bagel institutions. "
I AM a Gertie girl! I schlepped* from Bay Ridge to Grand Street numerous times to eat her chopped veggie cheese sandwich! What a sandwich, schlepping under the BQE to get to that sandwich.. worth it! Then, Gertie closed this past June looking for new home.. I stopped over the summer at Gertrude's* on Carlton to ask the Manager when the new Gertie's was to open. "Don't worry Fawn it's in the works!"
Well.. here I am standing in front of 602
Vanderbilt Avenue with a huge smile!
I opened the door to a packed house and pleasant order salutations: "Ernie, your schnitzel is ready!"
Gertie's menu is a bit short and sweet; bagels, latkes and sandwiches. Bagels your way, if you are a Yenta kvetch* there is the Yenta Sandwich and latkes with assorted toppings. I previewed the menu before coming in and was leaning heavy on the Tuna Melt but then.. I totally switched gears and did a Costanza* ordered the Egg and Cheese on a whole wheat bagel with Turkey pastrami and a house made Black Cherry soda.
There is only a small counter seating and that's it thus, when I heard "Fawn, Turkey pastrami egg and cheese.." I ate it outside.
*Nu, you ask? How was it? The egg and cheese on the sesame bagel was delicious, the pickled peppers added a kick in my touchas* and I loved the turkey pastrami but a tad salty.
The soda was lackluster and sorry to say, overpriced.
What I loved about the new digs: the customer service is still outstanding, the quality of the food is excellent and love the menu options.
I also loved the wall as you enter that is nostalgic to the Gertie's on Grand.
I do miss the size of the other location, I love to sit and enjoy my meal and even if I had a seat at the window, too packed.
The big letdown: no chopped veggie cheese. C'mon Gertie list it as limited edition..
How many *Mazel tovs: 5
602 Vanderbilt is bookmarked in my iPhone.
*** Jewish Glossary
*schlepped: move with effort
*yenta: a woman who is a busybody
*kvetch: a complainer
*Costanza: ordering the opposite from what you intended as in Seinfeld, George orders the opposite: chicken salad on rye, untoasted, with a side of potato salad and tea, which is the exact opposite of his usual tuna on toast
*nu?: Well?
*touchas: posterior
*Mazel tov: good luck or good fortune
Gertie's: 602 Vanderbilt Avenue
Take 2 train to Grand Army Plaza, exit at Plaza Street East/Vanderbilt
Walk @7 minutes read more