Moish & Itzy’s

This deli and restaurant in Langhorne, Pa., dishes out Jewish comfort food with heaping portions of personal service.

By: Lari Robling

Moish & Itzy’s

21-22 Summit Square Shopping Center

Langhorne, Pa.

(215) 860-4601
Food: Very good

Service: Efficient and friendly

Cuisine: Jewish delicatessen

Ambiance: Basic booth and deli

Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Essentials: Accepts all credit cards; wheelchair accessible; non-smoking; catering and take-out available.

Directions

   MOISH & Itzy’s Summit Square deli and restaurant is just outside Newtown in a sprawling strip mall. You’ll have to look hard, because the sign is small and undistinguished.
   For the curious, Moish is owner Larry Gropper’s father. Itzy is his father-in-law and the first Jewish ball player for the Philadelphia Phillies.
   Moish & Itzy’s is a casual place with people from all walks of life: residential students from George School looking for a meal more like Mom’s; senior citizens socializing; and young families with too little time to cook. Almost everyone seems on a first-name basis.
   The servers are skilled athletes, passing off plates like relay batons. However, if you find yourself in a quandary over the seven-page menu — as I did — you may find your waitress sitting in the booth with you coddling your decision-making skills.
   You’ll be asked right away, "You care for any pickles, Hun?"
   I did. A big bowl of half sours and dills appeared. The dill pickle was great and the half sour pretty good, but lacking the crispness I love.
   I started with a big bowl of matzoh ball soup ($4.60). The broth had a nice chicken flavor and was filled with fine egg noodles, garnished with big carrot chunks. Two giant matzoh orbs greeted me in the center of the bowl. They were firm in texture, yet light — and as comforting as mashed potatoes.
   An order of latkes ($4.50 for two) arrived with sour cream and apple sauce. The latkes had an enjoyable crisp crust and were quite tasty. However, they seemed more deep-fried than sautéed. They had a uniform shape that lacked a homemade pancake essence and instead had the appearance of a fast-food hash brown.
   Moish & Itzy’s is a great brunch destination, with omelets and waffles galore. My co-taster Bruno and I enjoyed the assorted smoked fish platter ($19.95). Jumbo whitefish, smoked sable, kippered salmon, Nova Scotia lox, whitefish salad and chopped herring came on a platter with lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, cream cheese, black olives and three bagels.
   The lox was of good quality, with no sign of excess oil or salt. The kippered salmon, which is hot-smoked, had a flaky texture, but I would have expected a little smokier overtone. I enjoyed the sable with its firm texture and slightly salty bite. For those, like Bruno, who enjoy a bolder fish taste, the jumbo whitefish fits the bill. For my tastes, it’s a little too much. The pickled herring was pickled just enough, and the whitefish salad was creamy and perfect on a bagel. There was more than two could possibly eat, and the platter traveled home for the next day’s lunch.
   The bagels were disappointing. The poppy seed bagel had a sprinkle of seeds, and the texture of the bagels lacked the good "bite" and "chew" of a bagel properly boiled before baking. Take these comments with a grain of kosher salt, however. Ever since I left Manhattan several decades ago, I have moaned that I can’t find a decent bagel or Danish cheese pastry.
   Sense memory is sometimes deceptive, but New York bagels seem better, and forget ever finding a truly great Danish. In trade, I’m darn happy about those cheese steaks.
   Speaking of sandwiches, Moish and Itzy’s has a number of hot and cold specialty sandwiches, as well as cold platters and dairy dishes. There are several healthy choices on the menu, although I certainly would have trouble bypassing the corned beef ($6.55) or pastrami ( $6.55).
   Dinner at Moish & Itzy’s is a lot to contemplate. The range of choices is lengthy. On Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., there is a full-course dinner special ($12.95). This includes a soup or small juice, tossed salad, pickles and tomatoes, two vegetables, bread and butter, beverage and a choice of chocolate or rice pudding, fruit salad, ice cream or Jell-O. Entrées run the gamut from plain broiled chicken to chicken Marsala or deep-fried deviled crab cake.
   I opted for one of the meat entrée platters, which can be upgraded for $2.50 to a complete dinner with all the choices described above. My roast brisket of beef platter ($12.95) came with split pea soup and choice of kasha and bowties or two vegetables. I enjoyed the kasha and bowties, which had the perfect ratio of pasta and buckwheat groats. The brisket was nicely moist, cooked to falling apart, served with a rich gravy. The little nugget of kugel that garnished the plate was a nice touch.
   For dessert, Bruno and I shared a piece of strawberry cake ($3.75). While not made in-house, there is a hefty selection of quality desserts. The cake was moist, layered with a cream cheese and strawberry filling. Since I’m not a frosting fan, the whipped cream frosting was ideal.
   Moish & Itzy’s also offers take-out as well as a full delicatessen. Next time I pass by, I’d like to try the cold borscht ($4.95 a quart) and the chopped liver ($6.99/lb).
   Moish & Itzy’s is a comfortable place to pause during the daily rush. Owner Larry Gropper says even mothers in labor often stop on the way to St. Mary’s Medical Center to grab a pastrami sandwich. Had I only known — La Moish birthing technique. Ess gezuntheit — eat in good health!
For directions to Moish & Itzy’s, click here.