Manny Hattan's has a challenge for you. On a menu as crowded as a New York City subway car, one item fairly demands a double-take. An entire loaf of seeded rye bread, heaped with pounds of fresh corned beef, turkey, roast beef, pastrami and salami, and topped with Swiss cheese, cole slaw and Russian dressing. It's called The Manny Hattan, and - amazingly - it won't cost you a thing.

If you can finish it all by yourself, that is.

“Nobody's ever done it,” owner Aaron Mayers says proudly. “…yet.”

Of course, there are slightly less grandiose sandwiches to be found on the menu as well. But only slightly. After all, this is a deli in the mold of New York's greatest, and small portions simply don't fit that bill. One thing is certain: if you leave Manny Hattan's hungry, it's nobody's fault but your own.

Mayers grew up in New York, reveling not only in the foods and flavors available in its delicatessens, but in the neighborhood atmosphere he found there. When he moved to Texas in 1988, it wasn't long before he felt homesick for just such an experience. In early 2001, he took the first steps towards bringing a little taste of the Northeast to the Southwest.

Specialists were drafted to design the restaurant's comfortable, classy dining room and versatile, efficient kitchen. Mayers himself made a pilgrimage home to visit and work with New York and Midwest delis, learning his craft from acknowledged masters. When he returned, he and his father, Roy, founded Manny Hattan's, opening its doors in summer 2002 and proving that New York recipes and Texas hospitality were a winning combination.

As Austinites expand northward, Manny Hattan's - located in the Gateway Shopping Center at 360 and 183 - is primed to expand their palettes. Odds are you've seen the deli while out shopping, but perhaps feared that its decidedly New York-style menu wouldn't appeal to your Texan taste buds. Not to worry; there are plenty of selections that will allow you to dip your toes in first. With a sizeable menu serving three meals a day, Manny's is designed to attract all kinds of diners, from dyed-in-the-wool Texans to Northeast transplants like the Mayers family. “More and more, every day, it's a destination restaurant,” Aaron says. His father agrees, noting that patrons regularly come from as far away as San Antonio to eat at a place that feels like “home” to them. With traditional deli items like knishes, blintzes and kreplach soup alongside monster sandwiches, generous salads and omelets made to order, it's not hard to imagine a lifelong New Yorker finding plenty of reasons to extend his Texas visit.

But the food certainly isn't the only thing that keeps patrons coming back. Texas friendliness complements the New York bill of fare perfectly, and both Aaron and Roy are quick to acknowledge that the deli's staff is integral to its success. “We're all about great service, and being amenable to the customers' needs,” Aaron says. He's full of kind words for his employees, praising them as “polite, with a lot of character. [They] not only learn about the menu, they embrace it.” With a kitchen and wait staff who have largely been there since Day One, the deli provides a constancy and a family atmosphere that easily sets it apart from any chain restaurant.

Speaking of family, don't be surprised to run into Aaron or his parents while you dine on the weekends; they're often there, tasting the deli's offerings to ensure consistency. Adherence to old family recipes is of paramount importance here, and the watchword is freshness. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options, feel free to ask the Mayers boys for recommendations. Roy points to Manny's Breakfast Pizza - a toasted tortilla with cream cheese, lox, black olives, onions, tomatoes and capers - as “one of our few 'Texanized' items,” and a great way to start the day. For lunch, Aaron suggests the Yankee Stadium - steamed pastrami beneath a potato knish, smothered in Swiss cheese - or Roy's Chopped Mound, a gigantic salad with a little bit of everything tossed in. For dinner, Roy is quick to nominate the Chicken in a Pot, a huge bowl of chicken, soup, vegetables, kreplach and a homemade matzah ball.

And they'd be remiss, of course, not to mention that Manny's is the “Home of the World Famous Reuben.” “It outsells our other sandwiches four to one,” Aaron says. Roy agrees, “People from New York, Chicago, Cleveland… they've all told us ours is the best.” With mounds of corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, The Midtown Reuben is more than enough sandwich for any appetite. But the deli's owners are quick to caution against filling up on your entrée. Almost in unison, they warn, “Always save room for cheesecake.”

“Other restaurants serve New York-style cheesecake,” Roy states. “We serve New York cheesecake.” Shipped in twice a week directly from New York's famed Carnegie deli, the cheesecake is available in “one awesome flavor,” and your first bite will tell you that's all Manny's will ever need. The generous slices beg to be shared, making Manny's a perfect dessert destination or a great casual date spot.

With its versatile kitchen and seasoned crew, the deli can also handle any catering challenge you'd care to throw at them. From setting up trays for a half dozen folks, to a full-service event dishing up meals for nearly seven hundred, Aaron remarks that they've been “privileged to be a part of a variety of events.” Manny's is prepared to tackle each occasion with an individual touch, working with customers to craft the perfect meal, be it a business lunch or a ballroom gala.

Whether you don't know a kreplach from a kugel, or you're looking for the authentic deli tastes of your childhood, at Manny Hattan's you'll find plenty to love. Bring your family, bring some friends, bring a date or bring some business buddies… but most of all, bring your appetite. Aaron, Roy, and the whole crew are more than prepared to show it that they're king of the hill, and top of the heap.