Kingston Restaurant Guide

Goldstein's has come a long way since it was acquired by new owners several years ago. Unfortunately, it has not come far enough. The "new" Goldstein's is a little "hipper" with a ton of rare microbrews in the case. The menu has been greatly expanded to include hot subs and pizza. It's a far cry from the old days when I remember "Max" explaining to a customer that he ran a kosher deli and couldn't/wouldn't put cheese on a sandwich (dairy is never served with meat). In fact, they even had separate slicers for meat and cheese. I still recall the black cloth over the signs to celebrate Passover. Goldstein's was a true Jewish deli and an experience to visit. When we had enough money, my friends and I would stop by and grab a six-pack and a bag of jumbo hot cashews. They were to die for, and worth every penny! Alas, times change and even though Goldstein's has kept those terrific pickles and maintains a lot of the same sandwiches and sides I remember, the deli feels like a ghost of its former self. Even though I miss the old traditions, I think it's great that they've added so much variety and kept many of the "flavors" I remember.
Sadly, I've noticed that the sandwiches have become extremely skimpy despite the high price. I ordered a hot corned beef on rye recently and although I don't recall what I paid, I remember being a bit suprised that a sandwich would cost this much. When I brought it home, it amounted to little more than a half-inch of crumbly meat and quite fatty. By comparison, I was in Manhattan last year and ordered the same sandwich at Sarge's Deli. Sure it was about ten bucks, but this sandwich was MONSTROUS! Pound for pound, it seemed a much better deal! Some time ago, we ordered a pizza. The topping of sauce and cheese was absolutely wonderful, but the crust was soft, doughy, underdone and took away from what could have become a "regular" for us. The cheesteak had terrific potential also, but the meat was quite dry and seemingly overcooked. Cleanliness is also an issue. I've witnessed workers handle money and food items without washing in between. Preparation areas seemed cluttered and messy. Goldstein's decor is little more than a few accents over the same old infrastructure.
I've always loved Goldstein's and the newest incarnation shows great potential given the expanded menu. The new people in charge seem sincere and pleasant and I wish them success. But I also think that enough time has passed to correct some fundamental issues as noted above.