A Taste of Italy Inc

This has been a favorite lunch spot of mine for the past few years, so I was very suprised with my recent visit.

I usually order the same thing: Proscuitto and Mozzarella with basil and red peppers with extra balsamic and olive oil.  I'll sometimes eat in at one of their smaller cafe style tables, but the place was empty and I don't mind eating while I drive.  It's no exageration when I say I was the ONLY customer in the store, so there should be no excuses here.  Checked out, drove away and unwrapped the sandwich at the first light to start eating: No proscuitto, no basil.  Extra mozzarella and super heavy on the red peppers plus large chunks of raw garlic all along the bread with just a hint of balsamic and oil.  WTF?

This experience aside, the food is always spot on.  The dry goods are actually cheaper than going to the Italian market, especially when you buy the really good vinegars and oils.  Not much in the frozen food section and you have to watch what you're buying from the display case (ask to sample it first), and sometimes I think they're just looking to make anything to fill space in there.

When they have them, the italian cheesecakes are awesome (I believe they import them from Brooklyn), some of the cookies I think are made in house and make a nice box to leave with a customer instead of the usual box of donuts you'd drop off.

First experience was a home run with a couple of great sandwiches and treats for the kids.  Looking forward to going back soon and even trying their restaurant Mina Cucina next door.

This is a Italian deli style place with a few tables to eat-in but geared for take-out and catering.  They have genuine Italian foods and imported items like olive oil, pasta, cheeses, bread and cured meats.  They get fresh Italian bread from NYC every day and this is where they shine.  THEY MAKE THE BEST STEAK SANDWICHES  I have ever had and I have been having them since 1968!  Nothing comes close when you have their chicken steak or beef steak sandwiches on the crusty Italian NYC steak rolls.   They taste great, are moist and flavorful and the warmed crusty bread completes the deal.  Pat's and Gino's in Philly are for the tourists.  This is the place for a serious steak sandwich.
Even their cold hoagies are better than Lee's and on par with some of Primo's.   There is always a small crowd there for lunch.
Stay away from the chicken cutlet parmessan ones since the patties are made in advance and sit in the cold display case.  By the time they get back to temp, they are dried out.  Take-out lasagna and many deli dishes are good as are their soups typically. They make good cannolis to order for parties but some of the deserts are hit or miss.
In conclusion, the place for a steak sandwich when you crave a great steak sandwich like you remember from your childhood memories.