rev:text
| - Until today, I hadn't been here in years. Since the widening of Independence Blvd has forced so many other businesses to close or move, I half expected Chris' to be boarded up, too.
From the looks of the lunch crowd on a Tuesday, they haven't got anything to worry about. Got there at 12:30 and moved into a just-vacated table (seats still warm). Only seats in the place.
I had pastrami on rye with potato salad. Wife had egg salad and slaw. I would have liked a little more sandwich, but she almost couldn't finish hers.
My pastrami was as good as can be expected without going to a full-kosher NY deli (which is an unfair comparison in CLT NC, I admit). Rye was fresh, with that chewy crust (same caveats apply as with the pastrami). Mustard was spicy enough. Potato salad was good, if suspiciously like something scooped out of a restaurant supply tub.
Wife raved about her egg salad. She's something of a slaw-snob, and she was impressed. I didn't try it (didn't get a chance, it disappeared so fast), but it looked good.
Pickle spears were worth an honorable mention. Next time, they'll be ordered as an appetizer.
Waitresses were great, in a "we can tell you're not a regular" sort of way. Helpful and talkative.
Note: the restaurant is on the **inbound** side of Independence, before Briar Creek. Since crossing over isn't allowed along that part of the highway, plan your route accordingly,.
If you're one of those folks who has to eat in a brightly-lit, corporate, tastefully decorated environment, keep on driving. There are Jason's, Subway, etc outlets further out Independence. This place is dim and well used. You can tell that in an earlier time, the cigarette smoke would have been thick and pervasive in there.
All in all. My kind of place. The next time I'm on that side of the world, this is where I'll be.
|