Let's be honest about what we all want out of this...GREAT JEWISH DELI FOOD!
***LET’S GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE WE CONTINUE ANY FURTHER***
For all of those out there who constantly compare us or any deli to Katz’s…GET OVER YOURSELF!
If you love it so much, then go there! By all means, go enjoy what they do because YES, they do a great job. But if their sandwiches weren’t enough to make sure your career, family, and mortgage all revolved around going there then DROP IT.
For those who say, “I’m a New Yorker and I have high expectations for what a Reuben is”…Does it feel safe behind that shiny “Katz’s Deli Armor”? Your favorite sandwich wasn’t even created in New York. You’d have to go to Omaha, Nebraska (specifically the Blackstone Hotel) for that honor.
Katz’s is a legend in our deli community to which we belong. The reality is that in its 136 year existence, few people have been through their doors compared to those who have not. While we understand its significance, the truth is every deli is not meant to be Katz’s so please stop comparing us.
We believe in giving people an amazing, quality Jewish deli experience. I dare you to try. Try spending your life…sacrificing holidays, important family events, and sometimes even human dignity just for people to critique you and tell you you’re not good enough because "it's not Katz's"…until you do that, or at LEAST actually TRY our food, you have no right to speak.
Lastly, for those who question our prices. Quality speaks for itself. If you don’t understand that, then no one can help you. We aren't sitting here swimming in dough. We spend our days constantly reinventing ourselves to come up with less expensive items so that everyone can enjoy our food. Do you think Katz’s Pastrami STARTS at $28.95 just because they’re in New York?!
That’s just their CURRENT price for a place that actually ONLY sells pastrami. They run through TENS OF THOUSANDS of pounds of brisket, have an enormous purchasing power, and they are STILL charging that price for a half pound. Imagine re-creating that quality on a smaller scale and only asking for $19.
***MOVING FORWARD***
The truth is restaurants are hard. Delis…even harder. Mom & Pop shops…the hardest. The restaurant industry is all about following the newest trends. Remember when Burger King pushed the hell out of the Impossible Burger? How about the Spicy Crispy Chicken sandwich trend?
The way the world runs through trends today means…delis belong on yesterday’s sriracha shelf. The whole concept of deli is one of a bygone era. At their height, there were more than tens of thousands of delis in the island of Manhattan alone. Today, less than 10,000 delis actual that make their own meats of Jewish, Italian, Russian, or even Polish descent exist in the US.
However don’t let the numbers confuse you. Delis were never a fad, rather a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Which is why the ones that are still around are fighting the good fight. Families would come to their local deli and share their heritage with their children and so on and so forth.
Many people ask, why are there no good delis anymore? The reality is while there is still a homeyness and quality that Jewish families expect from their local delis, less and less of this heritage is passed down and instead replaced by the latest trend, hot new restaurant, or even Middle Eastern delight.
There was a time when every food purveyor would carry “kosher” products. Today, halal reigns supreme. Even if you wanted to start your own Jewish deli today, there is no support to do so unless you know exactly every recipe and chose to do it from scratch.
So how is an old stalwart like CELEBRITY DELLY to keep on carrying these traditions? The argument that “less is more” is a strong one. The strong survive and the weaker ones fall off by the way side.
Listen, there are plenty of amazing Jewish Delis in America that craft their meats with passion and care.
In LA: you have Canter’s, Langer’s, Nate ’n Al’s, and more.
In New York: Katz’s, 2nd Ave Deli, Russ and Daughters, PJ Bernstein, and more
And in The DMV: Celebrity Delly, Brooklyn’s Deli, Loeb’s Deli, Attman’s Deli, Parkway Deli, and more.
While there are thousands upon thousands more that make their own handcrafted meats…you get the point.
While location is of utmost importance, communities change. At one point our location supported a vibrant Jewish community which today isn’t as large as it once was. The region we are in carries more of a migratory group of individuals along with long time holdovers of previous generations. For us, the path forward is clear.
For us, we always will respect our roots as a traditional Jewish Deli AND to take those high quality standards and become the hometown deli for all. So you can always know you can get the best of Jewish Deli in our area, but you can also get new and exciting combinations which many wouldn’t even think of doing.
Our newest creations include KIMCHI and incorporating those flavors into our menu. Our ITALIAN BEEF is an homage to Chicago and made with all of the quality ingredients you expect from Chicago. Our CHEESESTEAKS have been inspired by our travels to Philadelphia, even our roll has even been recreated from the best of the best in John’s Roast Pork on the South Side. Our POUTINE is inspired by Canada’s favorite dish and includes some Jewish and other inspiration behind it’s various options.
With these new inspirations and our amazing community behind us, we have found this new path forward. So while you may look at our menu and think, “There is no way this place is a true Jewish deli”, realize this…
We love what we do and we’ll do anything to provide the most amazing food we possibly can to our community. To do so, sometimes you have to modify what you do to make it worth it for others who have no clue what a Jewish deli is to get them to try you.
For those of you whom have, you absolutely understand what we’re getting at and are apart of our community. In today’s world we need to stop judging so much and take a page out of Ted Lasso’s book and learn to “Be Curious”.
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