Columnist Muriel Stevens: East Coast-style deli prepares to open its doors in LV

A few days before Monday's opening of Freddy G's Deli and Diner, I did a walk-through and tasting guided by owner Freddy Glusman, who also owns the highly successful Piero's, known not only for the excellent food but for the irascible, yet somehow endearing personality of Freddy.

Located on the former site of the Fog City Diner, Freddy G's is a deli/diner so gleaming and beautiful, it's like no other. The large menu features every kosher-style deli item imaginable, daily blue plate specials that include soup or Caesar salad ($8.50), dinners ($8.50-$22) ranging from macaroni and cheese to chicken-in-the-pot to jumbo stuffed cabbage rolls to New York steak. There's humor, too. "The Lucky Seven of Las Vegas Dynamite Sandwiches" are named for all the imploded and defunct hotels.

When we walked into the kitchen, huge vats of the plump cabbage rolls were simmering on the stove. Elaine Klein, who cooks all of the Jewish dishes for Piero's and the diner, was elbow-deep in a huge bowl of chopped liver. "Want a taste?" Of course I did. Elaine smeared a generous spoonful on a piece of egg bread and handed it to me. Silence fell as Klein and Glusman watched me eat. "Maybe a little salt." Their faces fell -- "I'm only kidding." (I was.) The liver was delicious.

All around me there was frenetic activity, yet there was order, too. Even with the rush to open, restaurant manager Pat Rost, who has worked with Freddy for many years, was calm -- a fund-raiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs was held there Thursday and invited guests-only meals are being served throughout the weekend. The restaurant was shiny clean. "Look at that floor," Freddy said while we were in the kitchen. "Did you ever see a cleaner one?" It was remarkable that with such heavy cooking going on all around us everything was so neat and tidy.

Mountains of matzo balls filled one walk-in refrigerator. The salad prep station was ready. Enough noodles to feed a small army were ready to be made into noodle puddings (kugel). The massive slicing machine was at full tilt, ready to go.

I had already made a run through the restaurant, and was locked into a nostalgic trance after viewing the many historic celebrity photographs that cover the walls, when Freddy bellowed that I should come look at the showcase.

The long showcase was filled with a wonderful display of gourmet items typical of what will be available. It was like looking at a showcase in any famous New York appetizer shop and wishing it were in Las Vegas, only this one was.

At the deli counter, our next stop, Deli Manager Craig Behrin was doing a smoked salmon tasting. Slim and tall, the attractive young man came by his deli knowledge through working with his parents, who once owned the Bagel Bistro.

An electric bagel slicer whizzed through a bagel. Freddy loves this expensive gadget. Craig topped half the bagel with a slice of Nova lox -- no cream cheese, this was a serious tasting. Tender and sweet, the salmon was delicious. To show me just how good it was, they asked me to taste the salmon that had been rejected. One bite and it was apparent the right choice had been made.

I was in the middle of biting into a crunchy sour pickle when word came that Freddy wanted me to come outside. I was so busy tasting things and talking to Executive Chef Sam Marvin that I hadn't even noticed he was gone. Marvin, a James Beard nominee, was formerly the owner of Modada restaurant in Los Angeles. Among the things he will create at the deli are upscale meals for takeout.

Outside, Freddy was sitting in a convertible listening to what turned out to be a commercial for the deli. Created and produced by Moses Hazan, a concert pianist who recently started a jingle company, the words were set to the music of a Hora, a Jewish folk dance. The car rocked as we rocked to the witty ditty and the music. This was the first sale for Hazan's new company, Deco Beach Productions.

There's no question that Freddy G's is destined to become a local hangout. He's covered all the bases -- a comfortable restaurant, comfort foods galore, and two colorful longtime Las Vegans, Art Lurie and Davy Pearl, as the hosts.

With the mingled tastes of the delicious foods still on my tongue, I happily made my way home.

Freddy G's will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. or later. Reservations are accepted. Call 892-9955.

Short orders

*Dad's will be honored with food specials in the Fiesta's three restaurants on Sunday. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for $11.99, the Festival Buffet is featuring prime rib, roast turkey, shrimp Creole, poached salmon, rotisserie lamb and chicken, breakfast specialities and complimentary champagne. Garduno's Mexican restaurant will have a Father's Day margarita brunch with live mariachi music from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for $9.99. The special $16.95 menu at the Old San Francisco Steak House includes a choice of prime rib, halibut, pork tenderloin, smoked Sonoma leg of lamb or filet mignon. Included with dinner: aged Swiss cheese, fresh homemade bread and salad. Service is from 3 to 10 p.m.

*The four Station properties -- Sunset, Texas, Boulder and Palace -- will offer value-priced Father's Day specials. A 20-ounce T-bone steak with a choice of soup or salad and dessert is $9.99 in the Iron Horse Cafes at Boulder and Palace Stations, and at the Yellow Rose at Texas Station and Sunset Cafe at Sunset Station. Service is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pasta Palace at Palace and Boulder Stations, the Capri Ristorante at Sunset or Texas Station's San Lorenzo will feature a herb-crusted veal chop for $21.99, or a chicken saltimboca for $13.99. Both include a choice of soup or salad and dessert. Service at Boulder's Pasta Palace is from 3-9 p.m.; at Palace Station, 4:30-11 p.m.; Capri Ristorante at Sunset, and San Lorenzo at Texas Station, 4-10 p.m. The Broiler at Boulder Station will showcase a Father's Day brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner from 4:30-10 p.m. Father's Day specials are available at all the Station buffets and in the restaurants. The Mexican restaurants, too, will offer Father's Day specials. For more information or to make reservations, contact any Station restaurant.

*Fathers who grill will enjoy meeting PBS grillmeister George Hirsch on Sunday at the Galleria at Sunset mall in Henderson from 1-4 p.m. Chef Hirsch, who is seen every Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on Channel 10, will demonstrate his popular outdoor cooking techniques and sign books. He'll cook caramelized garlic, quesadillas and barbecued shrimp at the first session, and sirloin steak in beer and cinnamon apple burritos at the second.

*Spartan Health Foods at 7380 S. Eastern is offering a free sprout growing and cooking class, Tuesday. Cindy Alred, Spartan's sprout and herb expert, is the sprout growing teacher; the cooking class will be taught by Spartan's manager and Certified Nutritionist Carol Drummey, who will show how to make nutritious and delicious, low-fat, low-sodium meals featuring green vegetables as the main ingredient. For more information, call Drummey at 361-0406.

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