Owners of Levy’s Bagels & Deli bring wealth of experience

You can't beat experience, and when diners enjoy a nosh at Levy's Bagels & Deli, the secret ingredient they'll find in every dish is a century's worth of deli experience.

The deli/restaurant was opened about 10 weeks ago at 7875 W. Sahara Ave. by Robert and Marie Levy, both of whom, Robert noted, come from families with several decades of experience in the food business.

Levy calls his grandfather, who came to this country from Eastern Europe, "one of the first pioneers of bagels," who was making and selling them in New York City at the turn of the 20th century.

In the early '60s, one of his uncles expanded the family's bagel/deli empire to San Francisco. Levy himself eventually expanded that West Coast operation until selling the five-store franchise and moving to Las Vegas about nine years ago.

The plan was to kick back and slow down, but Levy eventually felt a desire to, as he puts it, "go back to what I really knew."

Levy's Bagels & Deli offers a menu of deli classics, ranging from pastrami and corned beef sandwiches to lox-based breakfasts to desserts that include New York-favorite black-and-white cookies and, of course, bagels.

Those bagels, by the way, are made by Levy himself, from scratch and using the traditional New York City boiled-and-baked method that creates a distinctive chewy center and crusty exterior.

Just about everything else at the deli is made from scratch, too, using recipes right from Robert's and Marie's families.

Breads, including rye and challah. Salads that include potato and coleslaw. Soups, from matzo ball to lentil. Turkey, brisket and a full complement of sliced-to-order deli meats. Stuffed pepper and stuffed pepper entrees for dinner. And, via a recipe from Marie's family, homemade potato pierogi.

While Levy's Bagels & Deli is still new, expatriate East Coasters -- and deli lovers in general -- already are discovering it, Levy said.

The restaurant seats about 70, and takeout and catering are available. Hours are Sundays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Breakfast: Bagel and lox platter, $10.25 for one or $14.25 for two; bagel lox Benedict, $9.95; stuffed challah French toast, $7.25

Sandwiches: Reuben, $10.95; corned beef or pastrami, $8.95 for a quarter-pound or $10.95 for a half-pound; Monte Cristo, $8.95

Entrees: Half-pound stuffed burger, $8.25; stuffed peppers, $11.25; stuffed cabbage, $12.25; turkey meatloaf, $11.25

Desserts: Rugelach, $10.95 per pound; macaroons, $2.50; Linzer Tart, $2.50; fruit turnovers, $2.50; Chinese cookie, $2.50

Information: 463-9200