Well to tell ya the truth, the only way a deli can qualify as a REAL deli is one where right when you sit down they bring out a big metal bowl of all kinds of different whole pickles, and a pickled green tomato or two. If they don't have that then right off the bat you know it's not totally authentic. The place I went to tonight had pickle slices, and they were of a sort of deli pickle flavor, but nothing like what they have at the place near my folks' house. I see a sliced pickle on this Lester's Deli page so there we go, same deal.

They do that in NYC, and they do it in DC. I dunno about Boston, Philly or Baltimore. I'm sure other places in other parts of the world might have it too. But it ain't a real kosher deli if they don't have the pickles like that. Nuff said.