A Decent Matzoh Ball At Eddy's Deli

I was recently in the Stow, Ohio area for some non-food-related business. As it was getting close to dinner time, I thought I would check out a restaurant that had been in the process of opening for the last several months. As I pulled into the half-full parking lot surrounding the restaurant, I had no idea that I was about to step into the newly opened second location of a Cuyahoga Falls' favorite of mine, Eddy's Deli and Restaurant. Eddy's has been on my list of places to return to so that I could write up a proper review, but I just hadn't gotten around to getting back to the original location.

This Eddy's was located at 4581 Kent Road, Stow, Ohio 44224 and can be reached at 330-346-0551. The website for both locations can be located here. Also note that the Urbanspoon link at the end of the article actually points to the original location in Cuyahoga Falls, not the Stow location (as there wasn't one available for that location).

Here was a shot of the outside of the Eddy's in Stow:


I think the primary reason why I didn't connect this new location with the original was that the building exteriors looked nothing like each other. The exterior and interior decor were nice enough, but they didn't have that unique feeling that the original location in Cuyahoga Falls has. The original location has that cool breakfast and lunch diner kind of vibe. This location felt more subdued and sanitized. Which was probably another reason why I didn't connect the two locations.

It wasn't until I sat down and looked through the menu that I realized that something might be up:







It was only after my server returned that I asked about the striking similarity of this menu to another place in Cuyahoga Falls, also called Eddy's.

"Yep," she replied, "one and the same."

I've had many good meals at the original Eddy's; I was excited to see how the new location stacked up. One thing I had never tried at the original was the matzoh ball soup. Apparently while there were always several soups du jour, the one soup that was always on the menu was matzoh ball soup. Having had two of the most tremendous versions of matzoh ball soup at my friend Nancy's house during both Passover and Rosh Hashanah, I knew what good matzoh ball soup was. Nancy had set my bar high and I somewhat nervously ordered a bowl to see if it could compare.

My server returned shortly with a bowl of Jewish penicillin with the largest matzoh ball I've ever been served:


Here was a side shot of the matzoh ball after I cut out a few spoonfuls:


First, let's talk about the broth. It was a nice broth with a good depth of flavor. It was seasoned properly and still had some of the residual onions and carrots, now nicely softened, in the bottom of the bowl. The broth itself could've been a little warmer as it was a little warmer than lukewarm when I received it. Second, let's talk about the matzoh ball. As far as matzoh balls go, Eddy's version was pretty good. It was fully cooked through and there were no raw spots. The texture was closer to Nancy's Passover matzoh balls which have no leavening, so it was a little dense. I checked with my friend Nancy and she said that most places that serve matzoh ball soup usually add leavening to their matzoh balls to help with the lightness, especially when they get to be the size of a tennis ball. While this version may have had leavening in it, it just didn't compare to the version Nancy made for Rosh Hoshanah. The only real gripe I had with this matzoh ball was that it really needed salt. Eating a spoonful of matzoh with the soup helped, but once I swallowed the soup and was left with chewing the matzoh, it quickly became apparent that it needed some serious help.

Oddly, the server also brought saltine crackers to the table for my soup:


Which, given the size of the matzoh ball and the fact that the soup was seasoned perfectly, was a curious addition to the soup service.

After I finished my soup, my sandwich platter arrived a few minutes later. I had decided to order the patty melt:


All sandwiches come with potato chips and a pickle spear, unless you want to pay extra for a different side item. I chose just to stick with the potato chips. The chips and pickle spear were pretty much run of the mill, so there aren't any surprises there. The patty melt, which I ordered medium, came out something more like this:


While the burger was cooked closer to somewhere between medium well and well, it was still juicy, which was most appreciated. The meat was seasoned properly, but ha an odd sort of "spongy" texture to it, like it had been compressed too much before cooking. The two cheeses, American and Provolone, were nicely melted and added a definite creaminess to each bite. Unfortunately, the onions weren't grilled quite long enough and had a sort of raw bite to them. The rye bread, however, was nicely buttered and grilled. Still, even with the shortcomings I mentioned, I managed to finish my sandwich and almost all of my potato chips. Overall, I'd say that this was about an average version of this burger classic.

There were a few misses today at Eddy's new location in Stow, but overall I had a positive experience. Having now experienced both Eddy's locations, if I had my choice, I still think I'd prefer the original in Cuyahoga Falls because of the ambiance. If you happen to be closer to the location in Stow, at least there isn't a reason to drive further to experience the food that Eddy's has to offer. The menu has lots of choice, the prices are reasonable, and the food for the most part is pretty good. Definitely check Eddy's out if you have a chance.