Nestled in a strip mall alongside stores ranging from Trader Joe's to Dairy Queen, Steve's Deli in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, serves up nostalgic Jewish deli fare with a classic touch. The restaurant might appear unassuming from the outside, featuring a couple of plastic tables with red-checkered tablecloths, but the interior boasts a sentimental vibe. A countertop full of fresh-baked goods, bright-red booths evocative of a 1950s diner, and TVs broadcasting various sports contribute to its charm. At around noon on a Friday, we were immediately seated, although the restaurant was nearly at capacity.
The extensive menu offers a variety of classic diner, breakfast, and deli fare, ranging from Reuben and Hot Corned Beef sandwiches to breakfast dishes like eggs, bacon, and pancakes, along with a plethora of soups, salads, and sides to please anyone. One member of our party ordered the Dinty Moore ($19.99), which features corned beef, lettuce, tomato, and Russian dressing served triple-decker style on white toast. She really liked it--the sandwich was generously stuffed with meat, and the bread was perfectly toasted without making the fresh vegetables too mushy.
Another member of our party chose the 1/2 Sandwich and 1/2 Salad Combo ($19.99), selecting a Hot Pastrami Sandwich on Rye and a Cobb Salad. The pastrami sandwich was well-stuffed with juicy, well-seasoned meat that wasn't overly greasy. The Cobb Salad was also a generous portion, featuring mixed greens, roast turkey, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, egg, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, and a balsamic vinaigrette. The salad tasted fresh and crunchy, and she appreciated the variety of toppings.
The third member of our party ordered the Bowl of Soup with 1/2 Salad ($19.99), opting for the Lentil Soup and the Steve's Gone Skinny Kale Salad. She appreciated that the soup wasn't overly salty, and the vegetables had a nice texture. The soup also came with a large, crispy bagel chip for dipping. The Steve's Gone Skinny Kale Salad, featuring crisp kale, golden raisins, quinoa, parmesan, pumpkin seeds, onions, and a rice wine vinaigrette, was fresh, though at $18.99 on its own without a protein, it felt overpriced.
Lastly, I ordered the Cinnamon French Toast ($14.99), which is listed as a Saturday/Sunday Only special but was available on Friday. The dish comprised six half-slices of dense challah bread soaked in a sweet eggy custard with a thick swirl of cinnamon sauce. It was almost bread-pudding-like in its density, though I wished it were more custardy, as some parts of the toast were borderline dry. However, it was served with a large pitcher of maple syrup and four pats of butter, allowing for customization to taste.
Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Steve's Deli, though the prices were steep, and we waited over 25 minutes for our food. It's a nostalgic, blast-from-the-past experience with large portions and decent food. If you're willing to pay a premium for it, Steve's Deli is worth checking out! read more