Stalzy's Deli
In a word: On Atwood, sandwich eats YOU.
The specs: #0728
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; reviews at Eat Drink Madison, Wisconsin State Journal, j'ai faim, Fearful Symmetries, A.V. Club; Facebook, Twitter, official web site, 
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D ate the chopped liver with a bag of Tabasco potato chips.
JM ate the triple decker with 2 root beers (Baumeister & Point).
Nichole ate the Weisswurst with a side of beets and a Riverwest Stein.
Skip ate the roast beef with a side of potato salad.
The bill was about $12/person, plus tip.
JM and Nichole gave Stalzy's Deli an A-; Skip gave Stalzy's Deli a B+ (see our grading rubric).
The call for a "real" deli in Madison has long been a drum beaten in our ears. (Some folks feel that, with its touristy trappings, Ella's only somewhat qualifies, Jacobson Bros. and Jim's never seem to get any respect, tiendas apparently don't count, and Artamos is long gone.) With the arrival of Stalzy's, Madison can see if it feels the same about hearty, meaty sammies as it does about brats. And yes, these sandwiches are very, very meaty.
Skip said the roast beef sandwich on chewy Madison Sourdough Company bread was good, but needed more horseradish mayo. The potato salad was "nice'n'bacony" with good smoky flavor, but lacked any kind of vinegar bite.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Bavaria Sausage Co.'s weisswurst on a toasted, buttered roll with tender, mild sauerkraut and a pickle spear - except maybe that a malty, not-very-effervescent Riverwest Stein was not as good a companion as a tall, foamy Weissbier would have been. But it also wasn't breakfast time.
JM vanquished the triple decker with turkey, roast beef, Muenster cheese and two kinds of slaw (one creamy and one vinegar-based). This, according to the server, was a feat in and of itself. Though he claims to have been "just hungry."
The chopped liver and pickled beets that Jennifer and Nichole ordered were not as good as our respective families' recipes, but that's a less than fair way to evaluate restaurant food. We're just glad both are available in a local restaurant.
Stalzy's, from our experience, is a great place to get a good sandwich and sides (plus their drink selection is quite vast, as JM was able to choose from five different kinds of bottled root beer). Their prices are maybe a little higher than what you'd pay elsewhere, but the meat rises to fill the bill and the menu is sure to have some gems.
From the looks of those photos, it looks like they've hefted up those sandwiches since the time I was there - which is good because although I thought the place was really good, they didn't have the mile-high sandwiches and/or chips or something on the side that a lot of traditional delis do (which I would expect when paying $10 for a sandwich). So this is good. I'm glad the place is here - Madison has needed something like this for a long time!!
Posted by: catwoman | October 15, 2011 at 10:18 AM
I liked it! This isn't NY or even Chicago pastrami and corned beef, but it's pretty good, especially for Madison, and especially compared to Cooper's and especially Ella's, which at this point should be paying customers to eat there, not vice versa. Definitely worth a visit, though it's on the pricey side.
Posted by: Timmy | October 15, 2011 at 10:10 PM
Last weekend they had an Octoberfest celebration in the parking lot. Food & drinks were sold outside, plus they provided free live music to anyone stopping by. It was a great time, and although I had already tried & enjoyed their food, such an event for the community makes me even more likely to give them business.
Posted by: ap | October 17, 2011 at 01:34 PM