Best of the West 2018: Lunch Spot

There’s only one way to come to Joe’s in Rocky River — stomach-growling hungry.

Here’s a look at the Suburban, a hot turkey temptation that chef Ed Zeager calls “Thanksgiving dinner without the sweet potatoes.”

“You finish that, you are done. I mean, you are stuffed,” Zeager says. “I get a lot of folks [who] come in here and they know they’re going to have leftovers.” $14.95, 19215 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River, 440-333-7890, myjoesdeli.com

Turkey: You’ll find 9 to 10 ounces of sliced, slow-roasted fresh turkey breast that cooks for 3 to 3 1/2 hours in a slow-cooking oven. Served warm.

Stuffing: Zeager says his recipe for fresh sage stuffing uses the same white bread the deli uses for its sandwiches. It’s chopped up and combined with cooked onions and celery, shredded carrots, chicken stock and fresh sage. Then baked.

Gravy: The in-house gravy stock is created by combining the juices from cooking the turkeys with onions, celery and carrots. It’s strained and tightened with a roux. “It’s a good balance of vegetables to meat flavor,” Zeager says.

Mashed potatoes: There’s no butter in this whipped side dish. It’s steamed potatoes, hot milk and salt and pepper.

Vegetable: This is a mix of what’s available — green beans, broccoli, asparagus, carrots — steamed and dressed in real butter and seasoned with salt.

Cranberry sauce: classic Ocean Spray out of a can.