Even with my mother whining how you didn’t phone her back (oy), and even with her threatening not to come back if you didn’t apologize (double oy), you know you’ve got me as a customer for as long as you’re open.

I’d rather come to your shop anyway; the workers at Schwartz’s aren’t the friendliest folks around, if they even pay attention to you. From what I’ve seen, you’ve hired a great group of people and that only makes things so much better.

You know, if the foreigners and altakukers want to complain that your deli isn’t this nor that, let them. You have the best product in town (not that there’s much competition); that’ll keep the people coming.

Shana tova, congrats on the article in The Gourmet (!!) and I’ll see you soon.

David

p.s. I want some of that “so good it’s unknown” Scotch.

Listen, you’re not competing against other delis in town. You know this. No-one else (to my knowledge, with the notable BBQ exceptions of Phil’s, the Memphis Smokehouse in North York and Stockyards) is smoking meat in-house and trying for your kind of product. You’re competing against ideas- against Schwartz’s, against the wife’s cooking, or worse, against someone’s mother’s cooking. An audience impossible to please.

You and your team do good work. You know this. It’s enough. When your front-of-house is on par with your kitchen staff (give it time), it’ll be even better. No doubt you’re smart enough to focus on long haul sustainability, not short-term reviews. Big picture.

Shana tova to you and yours, along with a sweet new year.