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Ideas that come to mind when one thinks of a deli don't usually include chicken parmesan made in house, wine-braised beef brisket, pints of locally brewed beer or four-layer chocolate cake made from scratch.

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But these dishes and drinks, along with the traditional soups and sandwiches that do come to mind at the mention of a deli, are exactly the ones you can expect at <a href="http://www.thebostondeli.com/">The Boston Deli Grill and Market</a>, found on the northwest corner of 61st Street and Sheridan Road.

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Everyone knows that a girl's birthday isn't just a day. As a matter of course, I try to stretch my own birthday celebrations to last a week or more. And why not? It takes us an entire year to earn a birthday. Why not milk those suckers for all they're worth?

Knowing that later in the week I had a birthday dinner with family, <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/10/anns-bakery-barbie-dress-cake/">complete with a remake of the Barbie dress cake I had when I was four years old</a>, waiting for me at the start of the weekend, I still wanted to dine somewhere fancy on my actual birthday, which sadly fell in the middle of the week this year.

There's a buzz about The Boston Deli Grill in Tulsa's food circles as of late. The cafe hosted a <a href="http://www.marshallbrewingcompany.com/">Marshall Brewing Company</a> beer dinner last month and according to some of the T-Town fooderati, it went over really, really well.

The chatter about how the deli served up unexpectedly gourmet fare grew louder. So when I was thinking of where I'd like to have dinner with the two handsomest men I know on the evening I officially entered into my late twenties, one place came to mind.

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It all started with a little cup of this: What the folks at The Boston Deli call white bean chili. Which is really more soup-like, actually, but warming and delightfully spicy nonetheless.

The soups are constantly different at The Boston Deli - the menu is, too, actually, and <a href="http://www.thebostondeli.com/MenuRegular.aspx">it's reset at the beginning of each week</a> - but the white bean chili is a constant favorite.

Speaking of the menu, The Boston Deli Grill and Market is another Tulsa restaurant where several items available for order are made from ingredients procured from local sources. <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/04/shop-eat-local-diagram/">Which is so important to our health, our economy and our community</a>.

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Our little guy opted for this, which our waitress brought out before our meals.

And as every parent knows, bringing kids' meals out before the adults' meals is almost always appreciated. Kids get pretty impatient when there's food around, you know, and toddlers are especially lacking in the ability to keep their feelings to themselves.

In other words? There is no such thing as an inside voice when a little belly is empty.

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"No, Dada - you get away from my grilled cheese now!"

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I, however, opted for this: Home made chicken parmesan, with house red sauce, angel hair pasta and just the right amount of cheese.

In a word? Yum. In three words? Yum, yum, yum. The sauce was bright and full of tecture, and the chicken was so tender that I didn't need a knife. The breading was light and crispy, too. This isn't the kind of chicken parmesan that will put you to sleep for 12 hours. It was filling, not overly so.

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My husband went with the wine-braised brisket with caramelized pearl onions and dried apricots, served on a bed of smashed potatoes and a side of roasted kale.

And it's the only way I want to have brisket ever, ever again. It was one of the best meat-and-potatoes dishes I've had. I loved the pairing of robust meatiness with the delicate, wine-soaked fruit, all on top of flaky potatoes, crisp potato skin and the bitter tenderness of slow-roasted kale.

Golly.

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We had a hard time choosing what to have for dessert. But that's what happens when there are a dozen or more choices that range from cakes to tortes to pies.

<a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2009/09/yet-more-about-pie/">And you all know how I feel about pie</a>. But I felt that cake was more appropriate to cap off a birthday dinner.

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The Chocolate Wall got the job done quite right.

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The 61st and Sheridan intersection is an unsung foodie treasure here in Tulsa. There's The Boston Deli Grill and Market, <a href="http://www.gauchotulsa.com/">Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse</a> and Ti Amo on the northwest corner, <a href="http://www.silverflamesteakhouse.com/">Silver Flame Steakhouse</a> open again on the southwest corner, <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/07/savoys-famous-cinnamon-rolls-boy-and/">Savoy Restaurant</a> on the northeast corner and <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/in-the-raw-on-the-hill-a-top-view-of-tulsa/">In the Raw on the Hill</a> on the southeast corner.

Next time you're hungry, this part of Tulsa offers a wide selection. And The Boston Deli Grill and Market is to thank for much of it.

<strong>The Boston Deli Grill and Market</strong>
Where: 6231 E. 61st Street
When: Monday, 11am-3pm; Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-3pm; 5-9pm
Call: (918) 492-4745
Web: <a href="http://www.thebostondeli.com/">TheBostonDeli.com</a>

<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/58/630153/restaurant/Woodland-Hills-71st-Street-Corridor/Boston-Deli-Tulsa"><img style="border: none; width: 130px; height: 36px;" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/630153/minilink.gif" alt="Boston Deli on Urbanspoon" /></a>