Noshing in the Midwest: Cecil's

For a recent lunch visit to Cecil's, I brought along the experts: my parents. Saba and Safta (Grandfather and Grandmother in Hebrew) agreed, Cecil's certainly looks the part of a no-frills Jewish deli. Safta commented that the simple paneled walls and after-thought of art work reminded her of growing up in a Kibbutz. This is a compliment, just to be clear.

The service is also reminiscent of a visit to a Kibbutz dining hall. Short and to the point, don't expect to be coddled into a decision over which sandwich to order. A shoulder shrug and "they are both good" are about the best to hope for if you are wavering. But here is the good news: they are truly all good. And if the staff does make a suggestion, take them up on it. The coleslaw looked much better than the fries my dad ordered in spite of a none-too-subtle prompt from the server. But the sandwich he got was a glorious step toward a certain heart attack. Drenched in butter and grilled to a golden brown, the Monte Cohen featured a tangy mustard sauce, piles of tender turkey slices and aged Swiss. It was surprisingly light, considering it appeared to have been marinated in butter overnight. But I must admit I only had a bite, not sure I could have finished the entire thing without a trip to the E.R.

The obligatory matzo ball soup was a little watery but the the matzo ball, although tougher than some, was delicious and filling. My mom gushed about the sweet and sour cabbage borscht, and the woman knows her borscht.

The kids' sandwich meal was very generous, which is lost on a child like mine who prefers their meals in bird-size bites, but your child (and you) might appreciate it.

The stars of our lunch outing, however, were the perfectly cooked, light and sweet blintzes that I shared with my mom. Once again we were in agreement, they were by far the best we have had anywhere. Served four to an order, along side simple jam and sour cream for dipping, Cecil's blintzes were fluffy and creamy. Cecil's fries the blintzes lightly so that the tops and bottoms are slightly crunchy while the sides remind soft and chewy. These pillows of cheese and sweet dough are so lovely, so memorable, that I may very well head back next week and get a plate for myself. No more sharing these babies!