RESTAURANTS / Max Jacobson : Manhattan It Ain’t, but Arnie’s Is a Deli Delight

New Yorkers are nice people, but they can get awfully testy about their city. Take my cousin Bernie.

When I told him we would be having lunch at Arnie’s Manhattan, a classy new Costa Mesa deli, he said, “There ain’t no delis around here.”

I can sympathize a little on this point. Where but in New York would counter men who hand-slice to order get written up in magazines? And what other city has a single restaurant (Katz, That’s All) that sells more than 150,000 sandwiches a week? That’s a tough act to follow.

But I happen to know that Arnie’s is up to it. I know Arnie’s is one of the few area delis that smokes and cures its corned beef and pastrami on the premises. I know Arnie’s uses thick, hand-cut slices of rye for the sandwiches. And I know there are fat, garlicky pickles sitting in jars on every table, right next to little tubs of specially prepared mustard. I didn’t bother telling Bernie any of this. I thought it would be better for him to see for himself. Then he would remember.

As soon as we walked in to the large, bright dining room, I saw that Bernie felt somewhat at home. Murals depicting New York City life line the walls, and from the ceiling hangs row after row of track lighting, like the backstage area of a theater. “This is what I call off, off Broadway,” he deadpanned.

We sat in a thick, padded booth and began eyeballing the large menu. A waitress spotted us right away and dashed over, unfurling a pad in the process. We decided to begin with a fish platter for two, potato pancakes, and some Dr. Brown’s ginger ale. “That’s a lot of food, babe,” the waitress said to Bernie. Bernie seemed encouraged at being called “babe.”

“She’s all right,” he whispered after she left, “probably from New York.”

I watched in amazement as my cousin polished off two bagels with cream cheese, some kippered salmon, a chunk of whitefish, sable fish, and smoked salmon, a potato pancake, a heap of cole slaw, sliced onion, sliced tomato, two Greek olives, and an entire pickle. “How’s the fish?” I asked him. He nodded in encouragement.

At this point the waitress came back to check on us. “How about bringing us a combination corned beef and pastrami sandwich?” I asked her.

“You can have it platter-style for the same price,” she told us. “That way it will be easier to share.”

“Put some chopped liver on the dish,” Bernie said.

“Sure, babe,” she replied, “chopped liver.”

The plate arrived with the meat piled up in the center, surrounded by little mounds of potato salad and cole slaw, and a conspicuous-looking scoop of chopped liver. Bernie went right after the liver, smearing it on some bread we had left from the fish plate. I tried it, too. Smooth and oniony, we both loved it.

But when we got to the pastrami and corned beef, we were less impressed--the meats had been sliced by machine. “This is good meat,” Bernie said, “but in New York I usually slip the counter man an extra dollar or two, know what I mean?” He was right; hand-slicing makes a big difference, and the meats could have been a bit leaner.

But then, to my surprise, Bernie complimented the desserts. Arnie’s has its own bakery that makes a rich, moist lemon cake; a noodle kugel, just like my grandmother used to make in giant pans every Saturday; and even a wonderful Hungarian apple strudel--flaky, crusty, and filled with cinnamon-laced apple slices (later I found out that co-owner/chef Paul Hortobagyi is Hungarian-born).

Other good, authentic deli and Hungarian favorites are also available at Arnie’s Manhattan. Stuffed cabbage is made with real Szegedin paprika and is unequaled in the area. Matzo ball soup is superb: The matzo balls are fluffy, and the broth is enhanced by a heady pinch of fresh dill. There is even a surprise entry, a stand-out sandwich called Chinatown: six ounces of Chinese barbecued pork and stir-fried vegetables stuffed into a French roll.

All this should have had Bernie grinning ear to ear, but as we sipped our coffee, I saw that he was looking a bit glum.

“What’s the matter now,” I asked him, “didn’t you like the food?”

“It’s not that,” he shrugged. “It’s just that the Dodgers never shoulda left Brooklyn.”

Arnie’s is moderately priced. Early-bird dinner specials served from 4 to 6 p.m. are $4.95 to $7.50. Sandwiches are $4.75 to $5.95. Complete dinners are $8.95 to $9.95.

ARNIE’S MANHATTAN

2831 Bristol St., Costa Mesa

(714) 557-8646

Open Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 10:30 a.m. to midnight; Saturday, 9 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

MasterCard and Visa accepted.