This is not so a much a restaurant review as it is an article about a local Deli I frequent. The Deli is the Captree Gourmet Deli located at 426 Union Blvd, West Islip, NY. 11795. I have been going there for years to buy breakfast and lunch.

        I have been going to New York Deli’s since I was a young whippersnapper. I went with my mother and she was very particular about the cold cuts and the salads she purchased.  The last Deli I remember her shopping at was a huge place that was two towns away from where we lived. This Deli was where she would buy all her salads (macaroni, cold slaw and potato salad) and cold cuts.

        When I was older and owned my owned house, I could never find salads as good as those salads I had as a kid. Therefore, I started my quest to make my own. Yet, even my own homemade salads were never as good as those salads that were made in those old German style deli’s i went to as a child. Until, recently when because of shear laziness I purchased potato salad at the Captree Deli. This salad was delicious as was the roast beef sandwich I had with it!  

        The next time I visited the Captree Deli for lunch it was to purchase all three of my favorite salads, potato, macaroni and cold slaw. All three tasted just like those delis’ of my childhood. I thought perhaps maybe it was wishful thinking so the next time I went to a friend’s house for a barbeque I would bring these salads for a second opinion.

        Sure enough, everyone at the barbeque loved these salads from Captree. Not only that but now every time I ask what I can bring to their barbeques, they request those salads! So much for making my own anymore!! At least for the time being.

        So if you are ever in the neighborhood of West Islip New York like those great men and woman who work at Good Samaritan Hospital stop buy and get lunch or breakfast at the Captree Deli you won’t be disappointed.   

The Drunken Chef Russ

© Russ Ahrens and The Magic of a Perfect Pairing, 2022