East Coast West Delicatessen   

1725 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-563-3542

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Walk into East Coast West's Polk Street digs, past the display of corned beef and Ba-Tamte sour tomatoes, and pick up the giant menu. Choose pickled herring, matzo-ball soup, chopped chicken liver. Bite into your Reuben, nibble the half-sour pickle, sip a Cel-Ray. You'll be convinced: This place is for real. Portions are enormous. The latke platter's two crisp, eggy pancakes are hidden under mounds of pastrami and corned beef, surrounded by tart, chutney-like applesauce. Sandwiches include the Reuben (pastrami) or Rachel (corned beef), piled onto rye with sharp Swiss and rich dressing. Salad platters (including whitefish, gefilte fish and chicken) are just right: Order an egg cream, and you're back in Manhattan. Only a dull potato knish disappointed. There's a separate brunch menu (try the corned beef hash and the blintzes) and items (cheese steak, turkey dinner) you wouldn't find in a typical deli. The purpose is comfort food, New York or otherwise. The chefs make everything from scratch, and it shows in the creamy rice pudding, moist meatloaf and crisp, airy fries. Everything is available for takeout. A welcome California touch is the table service, nicely presented on Fiesta Ware. Check out the family deal: From 5:30 to 7:30PM Saturday and Sunday, kids eat free from a menu of mac and cheese and the like. Try to find that in New York. -- Julie Ross