The following “CHEW THAT!” column originally appeared in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News”. Check their websites for further information.
“CHEWTHAT”
Shapiro’s Deli
Blaise Doubman
Have you ever been to Shapiro’s Deli? I, personally, had always heard great things about it but never actually went. Well, recently, that changed. I went and I am in love! Picture an updated MCL, in a “how you get your food by standing in line and picking” type scenario and also imagine Gray Brother’s and their stand in line method and the cozy fireplace themed seating. I love both places to eat but depending on where I am in the state, I will usually pick MCL. Which, if you have followed any “foodie news” this year, you will have already learned about Gray Brother’s being bought out and closed. I am not sure the future of MCL. The Munice Mall, where, MCL is still located, has plans for a demolition and building new “outside / inside” space/ Hopefully, this restaurant be there for many years to come, offering up the good times and memories it has for years. But, we are not talking about the restaurant today. We are talking about Shapiro’s Deli!
Shapiro’s is actually considered a “delicatessen and cafeteria”. This is obvious just as soon as you walk into the place. First, you see, on the left, their deli case and their “to-go” offerings. Which is a lot! They offer a lot of offerings that you can just walk in, order and take with you. Plus a lot of fresh breads, pastries, packaged lunchmeat and cheeses, jams, sauces and so many other options. The cafeteria style deli is set up like Gray Brother’s used to be. If you have never been to a restaurant like this before, it can be a little jarring at first. Just follow the people who are in there with you. Chances are, they have been there before and know what they are doing. You grab a tray, your silverware and right up first for you to pick from is all of their fabulous desserts! Cakes, fruit pies, cream pies, cookies, cheesecakes, brownies and on and on. I love it, personally, that you get to pick “dessert first” before even thinking about what you are about to eat for your meal!
Carrot cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, regular cheesecake, cherry cheesecake, Oreo cheesecake, chocolate chocolate chocolate cake, carrot cake, poppy seed cake, marble cake, lemon cake, chocolate layer cake, German chocolate cake, black and white cookies, chocolate rugelach, cinnamon rugelach, raspberry rugelach, apricot rugelach, eclairs, cream puffs, cream horns, cannoli, coconut macaroons, triple chocolate chunk cookies, snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin cookies, Reese peanut butter cup cookies, chaos cookie, sugar cookie, Mexican wedding cakes, palmiers, baklava, cake pops, lemon bars, strawberry bars, espresso bars, cream brûlée bar, butter brickle bar, pecan bar, caramel brownie bar, chocolate iced brownie, raspberry almond bar, berry cheesecake bar, apricot bar, mocha crunch bar, key lime pie, coconut cream pie, Boston cream pie, lemon meringue pie, cherry pie, rhubarb pie, pecan pie, apple pie and on and on. Now, if you can not find something in that list that you love, like or at least would like to try, there is something wrong with you! I had the marble cake with the chocolate icing and it was delicious. The cake part was a little dry but overall it had good flavor. The chocolate icing was scratch-made you could tell and really wonderful.
You go down the line and they have their regular offerings as well as specials. They have anything and everything from sandwiches, entrees, soups and stores, salads, it really is endless. They are “known” for their sandwiches. Corned beef, pastrami, Ruben, beef brisket, corned beef and brisket, pastrami lettuce and tomato, pastrami and turkey, peppered beef, rare roast beef, salami, roasted and or smoked turkey, chopped liver, beef burger, chicken salad, tuna salad, grilled cheese and even hot dogs. Whole sandwiches are enough for feed at least two people, maybe 3. Half sandwiches are also available and pretty big too. They offer lots of fresh, made and baked in house, breads such as hand cut rye, sourdough, white, wheat, marble rye, pumpernickel, onion, egg, poppyseed and bagel. They also offer croissant and gluten-free bread. Toppings and cheeses for the sandwiches are endless.
Their entrees are served after 4:00 and consist of corned beef dinner, brisket dinner, meatloaf dinner, chopped steak, stuffed cabbage, stuffed pepper, baked chicken, beef Manhattan, fried chicken, spaghetti and meatball and a vegetable platter. I had the meatloaf dinner with the mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs and cottage cheese. It was by far one of the best meat-loafs I had ever had! The flavor was spot on, the texture was perfect and it was hot and fresh and served in a thick slice and covered in the delicious basting juices. I loved it! The mashed potatoes and gravy were deliciously homemade as well with good flavor. The macaroni and cheese, I would have to say, was extraordinarily delicious and tasted like the old-fashioned macaroni and cheese that my Grandma used to make. The deviled eggs were different. Now, they were good but just not the style or the taste I am used to. I believe the filling had celery, which in my opinion, could have been left out. The cottage cheese was good as well.
They also offer soups throughout the day such as vegetable, chicken noodle, chicken broth, matzo ball, cabbage borscht, chili, beef stew, chicken stew, bean soup on Mondays, Lentil soup on Tuesdays, Bean and Barley soup on Wednesdays, Split Pea soup on Thursdays, Clam Chowder on Fridays and Broccoli Cheddar on Saturdays. These are served in either a cup or a bowl, with or without a whole or half sandwich.
Different days have different special items and those are either listed on their website or you can call and ask. It varies from sour cream noodles, veal liver and onions, pollock sandwich, fried chicken, short ribs and Swiss steak and gravy.
Scratch made sides are available daily, no matter the time and consist of macaroni and cheese, potato latke, German potato salad, American potato salad, cole slaw, green beans, spinach, cabbage, broccoli salad, deviled eggs, cottage cheese, vegetable platter, fresh cut fruit, whole pickles or potato chips.
Their fresh made salads consist of tossed salad, chef salad, greek salad, California chopped salad, chicken Caesar salad, nova lox platter, tuna salad platter and their chicken salad platter.
You can order online, pickup or delivery as well as catering. Shapiro’s is located in Indianapolis at 808 South Meridian Street. The hours are Monday-Friday 10am-7:30pm. Saturday and Sunday 9am-7:30pm.