Reader Mail: Diving into vegan fare and potato salad
By Patricia Talorico Dish
Last week, Harry S. asked about restaurants in the Wilmington area (city or greater north) that offer vegan or vegetarian dishes.
Here's a reader's suggestions:
More restaurants to find vegan fare
I wish I could add a lot more places to get vegan choices but here are a few we like:
Le Shio, Fairfax Shopping Center; Rasa Sayang, Independence Mall Shopping Center; Yi Palace, 4435 Concord Pike; Nooddi Thai Chef, 364 Wilmington Pike (U.S. 202) Glen Mills, Pennsylvania; Noodles and Company, Concord Mall; El Diablo, Branmar Shopping Center and Trolley Square; Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 1810 Wilmington Pike, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania; and the buffet at Whole Foods Market in Glen Mills.
Judy Filipkowski
Remembering Lundy's potato salad
Do you remember Jack Lundy's restaurant?
Well, they had a big platter tray with pastrami and all that. In the center was a potato salad that I've never had since, and I'll never probably have again. It was unique.
Do you have a clue of the recipe or is it lost in some little person's head?
Thank you. I've been wondering about this for a long time.
Jeannie Harmon
Questions about the former Jack Lundy's Satellite Room, a much beloved, dearly departed deli and restaurant in the Miller Road Shopping Center, pop up occasionally.
The popular deli and restaurant was located near the present-day P.S. duPont Middle High School, and it closed around 30 years ago.
I'm sorry, but I never ate at Jack Lundy's and can't help you out with the potato salad since I never tasted it.
The last time someone requested the potato salad recipe was July 2013. The reader called it "the best potato salad ever."
John M. of Rehoboth Beach called soon after the request appeared and joked that he's "an old guy. I have eaten at Lundy's hundreds of times, thousands of times."
John, who called himself, "a sort of potato salad guy myself," said a potato salad that tastes closest to the one he remembers from Lundy's can be found at Primo's Hoagies, 155 N. Dupont Highway, Dover, (302) 883-3799; primohoagies.com.
Other readers soon chimed in. One said Lundy's salad was bought from a wholesaler who made potato salad, coleslaw, etc., in Rosenhayn, New Jersey, but it's no longer in business.
But Steve Stein's Famous Deli in Philadelphia, sells one "that is really, really close. Just never fresh. Sorry."
I forwarded the Lundy's potato salad recipe request to Nancy Coale Zippe, who writes the What's Cooking? column. It appears every other Wednesday in the Food & Drink section of The News Journal as well as on delawareonline.com.
Sue Franck of Hockessin told Zippe she had childhood recollections that "Jack Lundy learned the business in his father-in-law's delicatessen, Shapiro's on Second Street. Across the street was Blatman's Bakery who supplied rolls and bread to Shapiro's."
Franck said she believed "the best potato salad now" can be found at the Cheese Chalet in the Shops of Limestone Hills on Limestone Road in Pike Creek. The signature potato salad, available on Fridays, has roasted red potatoes, egg, bacon and scallions. It's $7.95 a pound; an average serving costs about $2.65.
Call (302) 239-5548 or visit www.cheesechalet.de.
Ready to roll into Rocco's
I have a question for you about the Rocco restaurant in town, the old Pala's Tavern.
I was going to go, but I don't see it advertised any more. Do you know if it's still open? Thank you.
David Haldeman
The former Pala's Tavern, 701 N. Union St., Wilmington, is now called Rocco Italian Grill & Sports Bar. It has big-screen TVs and a menu that includes hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, chicken wings, Italian platters and pizza.
It's open. Hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Tuesday; and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call (302) 384-6052 or visit www.roccoitaliangrill.com.
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @pattytalorico