Maplewood Deli & Grille: A True Maplewood Eatery

Right now I am a happy person. My tummy is full of delicious food I ate at the Maplewood Deli and Grille.

I have driven past this eatery for a while now and have been meaning to go in and try out the food, especially the sandwiches. After a snafu related to the wrong hours of operation being listed on their Facebook page, a friend and I finally made a date for an 11 a.m. meet-up.

I think we were the first people there since we walked in exactly at 11. The place is very clean and pleasant. I love the black wainscoting all over—it is reminiscent of a typical Maplewood house.

We were asked to have a seat and view the menus placed on the table. Maplewood Deli & Grille has a fairly extensive menu including hot and cold sandwiches, make your own burgers, quesadillas and half a page dedicated to the kids.

We asked our friendly waiter for suggestions or the most popular sandwiches. We wanted to share the food and have a cup of coffee. He suggested the chicken cheese steak. We agreed and ordered a side of fries with that and two cups of coffee.

Our sandwich came, already divided in half in two separate trays. The fries were placed in the middle. I noticed the sandwich was in a soft hoagie bread, with pieces of sautéed chicken, green peppers and onions with cheese on top and diced crispy potatoes—yum! I realized the fries were redundant, but when are fries really redundant? I tend to stay away from fries since I devour them once they are placed in front of me. These fries were no exception. They seemed to be coated with a light breading of some sort (as if the potatoes didn't have enough carbs). They were crispy and delicious.

The sandwich was good also. I loved the tender chicken with the sweet caramelized onions and green pepper. The potatoes on top worked really well also. We both enjoyed the sandwich and the fries. I will be replicating and posting the recipe soon.

The coffee was another story. My friend and I were a bit skeptical about ordering it in the first place. Once it came, my friend liked it. I didn't—I am super-picky about my coffee and rarely have it outside my home. I like it strong but not bitter. This particular one tasted almost burnt to me.

The friendly service made up for the coffee. I love going to restaurants where people are actually happy to be working there.

Overall, I was happy with the visit. I plan to go back with my daughter and husband.

I would highly recommend this casual yet comfortable eatery. Let me know what you think.