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We, too, are sitting shiva (the Jewish mourning ritual) for the Stage Deli, which opened with the original wing at the Forum Shops at Caesars in 1993 and closed in August. It was one of the first eateries with a big name earned elsewhere (New York City) to show up on the Strip.
Some die-hard traditionalists complained that the food wasn't up to the standards of the original Stage Deli, located on Seventh Avenue in midtown Manhattan, which opened in the late 1930s and is famous for its Times Square location, mile-high sandwiches named after celebrities, and New York-style cheesecake. But we always thought the Vegas version was a reasonable facsimile of New York’s. The tables were jammed in right next to each other, the waiters practically became family by the time you were done eating, and many of the other diners were obvious transplants from New York and New Jersey, meeting one another for a meal.
We also thought it had the largest variety of authentic Jewish deli and appetizer-shop food, especially all the "k" dishes: kishke and gravy, kasha and varnishkes, knishes, kreplach, and kugel. And, of course, the pastrami, corned beef, tongue, chopped liver, herring, gefilte fish, latkes, bananas and sour cream, pickles and sour tomatoes on the table, and egg creams always put us in a New York state of mind.
Alas, after 15 years in business, the latest lease was up, business was down, and the owners decided to pack it in.
You can still go to the Carnegie Deli at the Mirage and Canter's Deli at Treasure Island, though neither compared to the Stage, in our opinion. There are also three local favorites -- Weiss Restaurant Deli Bakery at 2744 N. Green Valley Pkwy. near E. Sunset, (formerly Samuel’s Deli); Harrie’s Bagelmania at 855 E. Twain (in a typical Vegas strip mall); and the Bagel Cafe, 301 N. Buffalo Dr. just north of Westcliff Drive -- that mostly fill the bill.