Martha’s Pick:

J. Gorat’s Deli & Market
1220 S 203rd St
Fare: Delicatessen
Cost: $32 for two sandwiches and one salad
Reservations: Not needed

Greetings, Eaters and Readers!

Getting ready to pick our spot for May, it dawned on me we’ve never reviewed a deli. What I had in mind was something with an east coast, New York deli vibe. I reached out to a friend who is also a bit of a ‘foodie’ and she mentioned a new deli in Elkhorn — and I figured it was a good place to start.

I mentioned my hankering for a deli experience to Jaclyn and she brought to attention that neither of us is aware of many deli-style shops in Omaha. We’re sure they’re out there – we just need to be better about finding them. Regardless of what we found at J. Gorat’s, I tucked it in my brain that I’d keep an eye out for more deli discoveries.

I picked Jaclyn up on a Tuesday after work (grumble grumble 5 o’clock traffic) and headed west. J. Gorat’s closes at 7 p.m. and driving all the way from Council Bluffs – and dipping into Central Omaha to pick up Jac – I had self-imposed stress about the timeline. But we got there shortly before 6 p.m. and that was plenty of time to have the full J. Gorat’s experience.

Taking over one of the former Burger Detour locations, stepping into J. Gorat’s feels more like stepping into a modern market – featuring a selection of high-end meats, cheeses and more – than a deli. There is an ordering counter and a generous sitting area, should you choose to eat in, but the numerous shelves of market items pull focus. Jaclyn and I ordered our sandwiches and then perused the selection while we waited. I planned to buy a few items after we were done eating.

Chicken Cutlet ($10.99) – Crispy golden chicken cutlet layered with provolone, roasted peppers, fresh greens, and herb garlic aioli on a toasted ciabatta.
Grinder ($10.99) – Layers of pepperoni, salami, and ham. Fresh greens, giardiniera, provolone cheese, and house vinaigrette on a fresh roll.

I opted for the Chicken Cutlet sandwich. Featuring a crispy, golden chicken cutlet layered with provolone, roasted peppers, fresh greens, and herb garlic aioli on a toasted ciabatta – I really enjoyed my sandwich. It was the right size – not too large or daunting. Everything was fresh and made to order – as a deli sandwich should be. It didn’t rival any east coast sandwich or deli experience from my past, but it was good. Considering the drive (for me) – I might have some small relief that it wasn’t a life changing sandwich that I’d HAVE to drive back for again and again.

Jac got the Grinder. Her first bite in was met with unexpected spice. She’d hoped the giardiniera mix would be on the milder side (the menu didn’t specify). She did her best to scrape them off, but the juices had already done their damage. She wishes she’d asked for no giardiniera, because she spent the rest of the time picking pieces and parts of her sandwich to eat.

Caesar Salad ($8.99) – Fresh greens, cucumber, cracked black pepper with a house-made Caesar dressing and croutons.

Looking at the small menu for anything else to try – my options were another sandwich or a salad. I ordered a Caesar, which came with homemade dressing. Jac and I agreed – the dressing was surprisingly horseradish forward. I didn’t hate it, but it’s not something I’d get again.

Final Bites

Before heading west, knowing that J. Gorat’s featured a very select menu (five sandwiches!) – Jaclyn and I both acknowledged that we respect a place that focuses on what they’re good at. In some ways, we were grateful for a short menu – we wouldn’t waste time pouring over a large menu or feel overwhelmed. But through no fault of J. Gorat’s – something happend to me on the journey west. In the end, I felt like I drove over an hour (multiple slow downs on I-80 and again on Highway 6) to ONLY have 5 sandwiches to pick from. I know that’s a me problem – but it affects how I think about J. Gorat’s and what I’ll inevitably tell someone if they ask about it.

Some aspects to our experience – suddenly made the small menu feel … limiting … once we got there. Neither Jac or I envision ourselves driving out there again anytime soon to discover the rest of the menu. And the $30 I spent on a bag of chips, a bag of pretzels and a small container of spreadable party cheese – won’t be enough pull, either. I told all of this to my friend who originally suggested it – and told her I can’t imagine her making the drive either. I’d only expect her to pop in if life very specifically took her to the area for another reason.

We didn’t get the east coast deli vibe and experience we hoped for. The menu is either blessedly small or underwhelming – depending on your perspective. The market items are a bit specialized and pricey – unless you’re wanting something for a charcuterie board, maybe. There are things J. Gorat’s is doing well. They just don’t seem to be the things that will keep us coming back for more. For those reasons – we both give our experience sideways forks.

Cheers!
The Good Bite Gals

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