Mal's N.Y. Style Deli

Breakfast over easy

by Danielle Svetcov

The buttermilk pancakes aren't perfect circles at Mal's N.Y. Style Deli, across from the BU main campus. So what? Even free-form and stacked askew, Mal's flapjacks ($2.75 plain, $3.50 with fruit) are chewy, tasty, and -- at around noon on Saturdays -- exactly what groggy students want. Even folks Mal doesn't recognize get a genuine "How you doin' and whatkinigetcha?" One of the best deals is Mal's Special: two not-too-gooey slices of challah French toast, one egg (any style), ham, bacon, or sausage, home fries, and coffee for $3.95. The breakfast prices top out there. All meals are piled onto plastic Corelle plates -- you know, the flowery ones dating back to the '70s. The orange walls are festooned with postcards sent in from around the world. To tempt the lunch crowd, there's homemade meat loaf, roast beef, breaded chicken breasts, and knishes up front in the food case. Mal serves up the breaded chicken with marinara sauce and cheese on a baguette roll for $4.50. He's even branched into fancy food, with a roast beef sandwich ($4.50) that includes romaine lettuce, red pepper, and boursin cheese. What's next, pesto?

Mal's N.Y. Style Deli, located at 708 Comm Ave, in Boston, is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 536-8676.