Michael Wex nailed it
My people are “Born to Kvetch”. We’re serving enormous numbers of people enormous amounts of deli and the vast majority leave happy. Others? Don’t. And they’re sure to let me know which is fine. In fact, its better than fine. It’s tough to be in this business and reconcile yourself to doing a good job 90 or 95% of the time. You simply can’t make everyone happy, get everyone everything they asked for when they asked for it no matter how much you might like to.
Shit happens. Sending me obnoxious messages that starts with “I’m from Montreal and I know deli” or the equally ridiculous “I’m from New York and I know deli” and proceeding to tell me how terrible my food or service or both is and are compared with the delis of these other cities is laughable from every perspective. In fact, dearly beloved reader, I got an email today from some photog at NOW Magazine asking if he can come shoot me on Wednesday in advance of Steven Davey’s review. Fucker. How can you review a deli after a week in business? That’s so unbelievably unfair. Am I whining? Victim of my own press? Oh aren’t we smug.
I’ve just read the last paragraph. I think the long hours are affecting me. It’s only Week 2. At least all the gear is working and the menu will be back in business tomorrow with the turkeys having been smoked today. The team is taking shape too. I have to tell you, the last three days have been fantastic. Imagine this: if we get 90% of our customer’s order’s right that means that over 50 people will have had a less than perfect experience – some outright awful. My heart goes out to those people but the best I can hope is that they let me know while they’re still in the deli. Posting anonymously online is for cowards.
I’m thrilled with the food quality. I still have a huge problem with my smokers and their capacity/consistency but everything else is going well. Timing and temperatures are an issue but those are getting better. My staff really want to get this right and we’ve all been a little (a lot) overwhelmed by how quickly people keep coming. Don’t get me wrong: I’m grateful to everyone who comes in the first few weeks but we’re going to mess up sometimes.
Had something funny happen tonight. Vishanti tells me that “Dr. Soandso” wanted a word with me inside – I was enjoying catching up with some old friends on the patio. The good doctor informed me that he objected to the way Naomichi uses his hand to hold the meat while he slices it. ”He should use a fork,” he said. ”Yeah” I said, “I’d like him to use the meat fork but he learned to slice this way at the Monarch and its a hard habit to unlearn.” ”It’s disgusting,” said Dr. Soandso. I gave him a face. ”When you see patients you wash first?” I asked “Yes,” he said. ”And then you touch them with your bare hands?” I asked. ”Yes,” he said. ”There’s no difference”,” I said. ”But that’s not how they do it at Schwatrz’s,” he said. I gave him the face again and then I picked him up by his collar and threw him through that window in the front with the picture of me. No I didn’t really.
In the words of my father and to all my friends from other places who want my deli to be just like the deli they loved so much at home: “If you want home-cooking… eat at home.”
September 15th, 2009 at 10:31 am
My girlfriend is a former chef. If Dr. Soandso is appalled by that, he’d be mortified at what typically goes on in kitchens behind the scenes.
Thanks for the good beer on tap. Much appreciated.
September 15th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I like this blog. I think it is important marketing for a new restaurant. I heard about your restaurant through DailyXY.com and it peaked my interest. Now I will be going there today for lunch along with a co-worker. You will have no problem attracting customers the first time, but to get repeat customer’s is the magic of being successful. I also like your spirit. I will let you know what I think of the food on this blog OK?
Take care,
September 15th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I just had lunch there today, it was great !!! The service was very friendly and very conscious about the time it takes to get the food on the table, with the waiter checking 3-4 times with us to ensure the meat slicers did their slicing and serving quickly. The basket of fries you get are generous. Parking is very ample in the area, as you can find parking on College or on both sides of the side street where the restaurant is at.
The sandwich was delicious. The restaurant is bigger than I thought, and there is nice patio. The diner was busy and packed, yet roomy enough to feel comfortable. The types of people that were there today for lunch were the young college street crowd, a couple of bikers and plenty of office workers. It seems like the area of workers are either in IT/business or in the trades. Either way it’s “MAN” food in essence.
I wish you guys good luck, and I will definately be recommending it to everyone as well as coming back more often.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I agree with lister. What kind of moron thinks chefs don’t touch their food. Gotta just shake your head and laugh at that kind of naivety.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:33 am
humans love to complain.
been reading the reviews on Chowhound. some are justified. others are clearly by people who went to your place expecting to be disappointed and wouldn’t accept anything otherwise.
i will say, though: the chopped steak is my favourite on your menu. i think i’ll only order that and poutine from now. on.
and Dr Shmuck is a winner. how does the bread get on top of the sandwich and then the sandwich onto the plate? i mean, hand washing is taking place. that’s probably cleaner than a meat fork that may not be washed as frequently as hands.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Your post reminds me of an evening not too long ago when we had some friends over for pizza. A few people were gathered around the kitchen with some wine/etc. While I waited for the pizza stone to heat up I prepped the various ingredients – slicing bocconcini, mixing up a bowl of sauce… without thinking, I dipped my finger into the sauce and gave it a taste. Not enough salt. I added salt, gave it a stir, and did the finger-taste-test again. One of my horrified guests looked at me like I had smashed the Rosetta Stone. I think reactions to situations like that is a good way to separate the serious cooks from the not-so-serious cooks.
ALSO, I’ve been to your new location twice already and I LOVE it. The servers are friendly, the food is consistently good (admittedly, I only ever have the smoked meat sandwich, because I love it so much). People who compare you to Schwartz’s or Katz’s need to get a life.
Best of luck in the new location – for every complainer out there (whether to your face or on Chowhound), you have many more satisfied customers (like me) that plan to make Caplansky’s a regular stop.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I am a professional baker. and yes I know the meat is KING in your deil and fantastic at that!! but the cheesecake WOW and I love that you also feature a local bakerys’ pies keep up the fantastic job
September 17th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
You dont just make good food. You touch the place where people learned to love food, and therefore you need to learn to live with them lineups because they aint going away.
That kishka, I’m telling you…
September 17th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I appreciate that, Big T, but believe it or not I had an older gentleman come in and tell me that what I served him “isn’t kishka”. Another fellow told me I should go up to Centre Street and taste their smoked meat to learn how to do it. I’m not making this up. The key is not to get too high or too low based on what anyone else thinks. Just be my authentic (crazy) self and try and enjoy all this. People like you and others on here make it worthwhile and far from thankless.
September 21st, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Just read the story about your Now Magazine outburst at mondoville.com and had to come read the whole story. Now I want to visit the restaurant. Sounds great, I hope you have tons of luck and even more success.
ig.
September 21st, 2009 at 4:44 pm
“I’ll be back”
-some California-based political guy
September 28th, 2009 at 1:48 am
The doc you speak of pops up here.
http://ginamallet.com/2009/09/22/zane-caplansky-is-david-caplans-brother-elinors-son/
I went to the new location today for the first time to enjoy the expanded menu. Even though smoked meat was sold out, it gave me a chance to try the chopped liver. Very enjoyable, the chopped liver is prepared well. Only small critique is perhaps go lighter on the raw red onions topping the sandwich?