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2nd Ave Deli, Open at Last
NICKEL SHTIKELS: The 2nd Ave Deli celebrated its reopening with a ceremonial salami slicing
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More in The ShmoozeIt was a ribbon-cutting — of sorts.
Pulled taut before the newly reopened 2nd Ave Deli, whose new digs are not on its eponymous avenue but on 33rd Street between Lexington and Third, was a seemingly endless string of miniature salami links, nickel shtikels — a reminder of an era when the language of Second Avenue was Yiddish and a salami sandwich didn’t break the bank.
Amid the countless bris jokes, the mood at the December 17 salami slicing was light, the sense of relief palpable. When the deli’s original location closed its doors in January 2006 (after its monthly rent was reportedly raised to $24,000 from $9,000), many feared that New York had lost something irreplaceable. The deli was, and is now again, one of the city’s few restaurants kosher enough to earn rabbinical certification yet worldly enough to stay open Saturdays. More importantly, it is widely considered the best there is.
Jack Lebewohl — brother of the deli’s original owner, Abe (the victim of a tragic 1996 shooting), and the father of the eatery’s new proprietor, Jeremy — beamed, boasting of the many familiar faces among the waiters, kitchen staff and countermen. “Anyone who wanted to come back, came back,” he said.
Some things have changed: Though smaller than the original — it seats just 65 — the restaurant now offers a full bar and a broader selection of smoked and cured fish. Also new: It will be open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Perhaps most startling were the prices. A bowl of matzo ball soup and a pastrami sandwich will now cost $21.20 — before tax and tip.
The elder Lebewohl downplayed the hikes. “The prices,” he said, “are the same as two years ago — updated.”
On opening day, however, the cost didn’t seem to deter anyone. As the salami was sliced outside, business inside was brisk — and it was only 11 a.m. But what of the tourists, a pesky reporter asked, forced to look for the 2nd Ave Deli between Lexington and Third? Won’t they be confused?
Lebewohl was unworried. “They’ll find us,” he said.
Comments
If the 2nd Avenue Deli has kosher rabbinical certification, how can it be open on Saturday ?
At the risk of heresy, please visit The Vegetarian Mitzvah at www.brook.com/jveg for some anti-pastrami information.
Mahzeltov!
How is it that they have Orthodox rabbinical supervision and are open 24/7?
What does it mean it has "rabbinical certification" and "WORLDLY ENOUGH" to stay open Saturdays? Gavriel Sanders is Orthodox. That kind of a statement sounds strange coming from an Orthodox Jew.
I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW LITTLE ATTENTION THIS PAPER HAS PAID TO THE LOSS OF JOBS DUE TO OUTSOURCING. I BELIEVE WE ARE FACING A CRISIS AND THIS IS THE LOSS OF OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE, THE MIDDLE-CLASS DUE TO CORPORATIONS PROVIDING JOBS FOR CHINESE WORKERS WHILE ABANDONING OUR AMERICAN WORK FORCE. HOW CAN AMERICA REALIZE THE AMERICAN DREAM MAKING MINIMUM WAGES AT JOBS THAT THEY ARE FORCED TO HOLD. WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE AT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE AMERICAN WORKER.
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I object to the author's demeaning and condescending comment that the Second Avenue Deli is "worldly enough to stay open Saturdays". For a kosher restaurant, or any other Jewish business, to remain open on Saturdays is not an expression of worldliness, but a gesture of contempt for Jewish religious practice, which prevents a lot of very worldly people from trusting the kashrus of the Second Avenue Deli and eating there. The author would be well advised to be more respectful of Sabbath Observance, which has been a far more effective safeguard of Jewish identity than matzo ball soup and pastrami.
I waited and waited and it finally happend the Second Avenue Deli is back BUT IT NOW STINKS... The place is so small the aiters and waitresses can't move around to give you service.. The food was cold and DRY. You could get better cornbeef at the cornor dinner... I am very dissappointed and Mr. Lebewohl would not be proud of the new place.. I WAITED AND WAITED AND NOW I CAN MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE BECAUSE IT IS NOT WORK THE WAIT AND WAIT WE DID.. THERE WAS A LINE AT 5:30 AND AT 7;00 IT WAS WORSE.. VERY BAD PLANNING AND TERRIBLE SPACE WAY TOO SMALL FOR A RESTAUREANT AND TAKEOUT COUNTER.. Better of at Sarges...
We are rejoicing all over the world...but those prices are nothing to kvell about! Tish-tish.
CANT WAIT FOR THE POTATO SOUP, ITS LIKE PENICILLIN FOR MY TIRED BODY. AND A CHOPPED MEAT BURGER HEAPED WITH FRIED ONIONS MAKES MY MOUTH YEARNING FOR THIS HEAVENLY DELIGHT
The kashrut issue or in reality the lack of kashrut issue is like this. It's the same pseudo kashrut certification given to the chain of Bens and Bens Best delis. Go to Bensdeli.net and you can find the same pseudo kosher certification to the letter that I am sure the 2nd Ave Deli has. One rabbi named Israel Mayer Steinberg says that he and other Orthodox Rabbis regularly frequent Bens to supervise the kashrut. Good luck finding out who these Orthodox rabbis are. And good luck finding out who is the rabbi that hangs out in Midtown on Shabbat or the Holidays to supervise the Kashrut of Bens or 2nd Ave Deli? This Israel Mayer Steinberg has to be in his 70s or 80s. I believe he lives in Queens and he and 'the other ortho rabbis' supervise Bens delis that stretch from Midtown out to Suffolk County. Let Rabbi Steinberg make public who these other Ortho rabbis who supervise with him are! I doubt there is really anyone on his staff. So in place of that he gets a nice check to say from Bens and 2nd Ave to say he supervises. One elderly man can't stretch himself over 100 miles to inspect several restaurants all at the same time. And he isn't supervising at all on Shabbat and Chagim. Bens and 2nd Ave deli's hechser may taste like pastrami but it smells like treif.
There is some common confusion here. This article was written by GaBriel Sanders - not GaVriel Sanders. We are not the same person.
It's great. I miss Second Avenue as it was with Rattner's and Rappaport's and the Yiddish Art Theatre and the Hebrew National near 8th St., etc.. What a great Culture it was. So New York. So, I truly welcome Second Avenue Deli, uptown. I will go! Thanks.