Comments for Caplansky's Delicatessen http://blog.caplanskys.com Ever wanted to hear about the aches, pains, joys and sorrows of a modern deli-person? Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:38:11 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by David S http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9287 David S Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:38:11 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9287 Keep up doing what you're doing. I think it's just good old Canadian tall sunflower syndrome in full action. I have always enjoyed eating at the Monarch and the new location. Keep up doing what you’re doing. I think it’s just good old Canadian tall sunflower syndrome in full action. I have always enjoyed eating at the Monarch and the new location.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by Marc Bernstein http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9284 Marc Bernstein Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:16:20 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9284 Chowhounds are snobs: Wrote a lovely review of my family's lunch yesterday,Zane,I was accused of "Being over the top". I grew up with wonderful,now vanished special delis in the heart of historic Jewish Toronto,through my late father,Jack Bernstein,President of Famous Players Theatres and of course Sam Shopsowitz,who my father and I knew very well,as he catered many special deli meals for Toronto's film industry. I recall and cherish memories of Sam Shopsowitz,Izzy,Bennies Bagel,Switzers, The Bagel King on Eglinton,the Noshery.. Zane,your place has brought back the heart and soul for me of a near extinct deli tradition for Toronto's Jewish community. You deserve your incredible success,and not only are you a very special mench,but your staff,your zeal and love of what you are doing,the super fantastic chef,the lovely,home atmosphere,filled with joy, we need a place like your amazing deli so badly! The pretencious and nasty sniping from Chowhounds really gets to me. Their comments are so judgemental! Zane,I haven't had deli sandwiches like yours since I was a teen! I am 53 years old, and I thought a deli like yours was extinct. You have restored and renewed my faith. Thank you,Zane. Marc Bernstein. Chowhounds are snobs: Wrote a lovely review of my family’s lunch yesterday,Zane,I was accused of “Being over the top”. I grew up with wonderful,now vanished special delis in the heart of historic Jewish Toronto,through my late father,Jack Bernstein,President of Famous Players Theatres and of course Sam Shopsowitz,who my father and I knew very well,as he catered many special deli meals for Toronto’s film industry. I recall and cherish memories of Sam Shopsowitz,Izzy,Bennies Bagel,Switzers, The Bagel King on Eglinton,the Noshery.. Zane,your place has brought back the heart and soul for me of a near extinct deli tradition for Toronto’s Jewish community. You deserve your incredible success,and not only are you a very special mench,but your staff,your zeal and love of what you are doing,the super fantastic chef,the lovely,home atmosphere,filled with joy, we need a place like your amazing deli so badly! The pretencious and nasty sniping from Chowhounds really gets to me. Their comments are so judgemental! Zane,I haven’t had deli sandwiches like yours since I was a teen! I am 53 years old, and I thought a deli like yours was extinct. You have restored and renewed my faith. Thank you,Zane. Marc Bernstein.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by Marc Bernstein http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9279 Marc Bernstein Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:36:38 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9279 Just finishing three gift CDs from my collection as a present for you Zane. Features my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein ,with his brothers (all wonderful,special Cantors from mid 20th century) singing old Yiddish folk songs,plus Klezmer band 78s from 1917,some Al Jolson,etc.. Zane,you surpassed yourself-the lox platter was a delightful treat, desserts were truly extraordinary,lox and eggs,onions dish was so good-my father would have loved it,this is the kind of home made Jewish food that Toronto's Jewish community,young and old really has missed! The coffee is perfect,your staff are a joy to behold, the atmosphere is rich and warm,the desserts are extraordinary beyond compare. Scrambled eggs,onions,lox,salami,french fries (no one has fries like you) What more can I say? 100 stars!! I will return! Just finishing three gift CDs from my collection as a present for you Zane. Features my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein ,with his brothers (all wonderful,special Cantors from mid 20th century) singing old Yiddish folk songs,plus Klezmer band 78s from 1917,some Al Jolson,etc.. Zane,you surpassed yourself-the lox platter was a delightful treat, desserts were truly extraordinary,lox and eggs,onions dish was so good-my father would have loved it,this is the kind of home made Jewish food that Toronto’s Jewish community,young and old really has missed! The coffee is perfect,your staff are a joy to behold, the atmosphere is rich and warm,the desserts are extraordinary beyond compare. Scrambled eggs,onions,lox,salami,french fries (no one has fries like you) What more can I say? 100 stars!! I will return!

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by Marc Bernstein http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9276 Marc Bernstein Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:06:57 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9276 Zane,this was a great,great pleasure and joy for my family and myself this afternoon. The staff is just wonderful,and their joy at serving us and making us feel so much at home made our hearts shine. I had the most fantastic lox,bagel and cream cheese platter for lunch, it was a treatbeyond words. The kishka was also lovely,we enjoyed sharing every bite. My niece,Samantha,and my sister,Harriet had the eggs and salami-I sampled some-my father,Jack Bernstein would have been full of joy. We were celebrating,as my mother (she is in Baycrest with Alzheimers) had a biopsy taken a few weeks ago from her face,thank God it was totally benign! Your desserts are award winning. I had a rubbarb-strawberry brown betty: WOW! We were well fed,full of pleasure and joy. You are a gem, your superb deli and staff are magic gems. Your smoke meat sandwiches,coffee,service,joyous staff,quite incredibly cheerful and warm-hearted waitreses all make your super deli that much more special in our hearts and souls. Ignore foodies and food snobs,Zane,I for one have waited 30 years for a deli like yours in the heart orf old Jewish Toronto. Bless you,Zane,for you are such a mench. Wait till you hear my two free gift CDs: Al Jolson,Klezmer recordings from 1917, Danny Kaye, my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein and The Four Borenstein Cantors, + much more. I'll go to your deli this week for dinner. Can't wait to try your Matza ball soup,+ hot tongue sandwich. This brings back fond and vanished memories for me,with my late father,Jack Bernstein (he grew up on Palmerston Ave in 1930's) 6 Cantors in our family: my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein, Chazzan at Beth Tzedec and Goel Tzedec Synagogues in Toronto: 1937-1956, Cantor Henoch Borenstein, Cantor Pinchos Borenstein, (considered greatest Cantor after Rosenblatt) Cantor Hershel Borenstein: Bass,Philadelphia, Cantor Archie Borenstein, (furrier,married his maid) + Cantor Hyam Borenstein: started out in Smith Falls as Cantor,moved to Kitchener,were he became meat slaughterer,moved to New York+Phily,where he opened up a deli, ended up in Binghamton,where he sold pots and pans! At last,a deli in the heart of Toronto that we can call home. Keep up the splendid work,Zane. Zane,this was a great,great pleasure and joy for my family and myself this afternoon. The staff is just wonderful,and their joy at serving us and making us feel so much at home made our hearts shine. I had the most fantastic lox,bagel and cream cheese platter for lunch, it was a treatbeyond words. The kishka was also lovely,we enjoyed sharing every bite. My niece,Samantha,and my sister,Harriet had the eggs and salami-I sampled some-my father,Jack Bernstein would have been full of joy. We were celebrating,as my mother (she is in Baycrest with Alzheimers) had a biopsy taken a few weeks ago from her face,thank God it was totally benign! Your desserts are award winning. I had a rubbarb-strawberry brown betty: WOW! We were well fed,full of pleasure and joy. You are a gem, your superb deli and staff are magic gems. Your smoke meat sandwiches,coffee,service,joyous staff,quite incredibly cheerful and warm-hearted waitreses all make your super deli that much more special in our hearts and souls. Ignore foodies and food snobs,Zane,I for one have waited 30 years for a deli like yours in the heart orf old Jewish Toronto. Bless you,Zane,for you are such a mench. Wait till you hear my two free gift CDs: Al Jolson,Klezmer recordings from 1917, Danny Kaye, my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein and The Four Borenstein Cantors, + much more. I’ll go to your deli this week for dinner. Can’t wait to try your Matza ball soup,+ hot tongue sandwich. This brings back fond and vanished memories for me,with my late father,Jack Bernstein (he grew up on Palmerston Ave in 1930’s) 6 Cantors in our family: my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein, Chazzan at Beth Tzedec and Goel Tzedec Synagogues in Toronto: 1937-1956, Cantor Henoch Borenstein, Cantor Pinchos Borenstein, (considered greatest Cantor after Rosenblatt) Cantor Hershel Borenstein: Bass,Philadelphia, Cantor Archie Borenstein, (furrier,married his maid) + Cantor Hyam Borenstein: started out in Smith Falls as Cantor,moved to Kitchener,were he became meat slaughterer,moved to New York+Phily,where he opened up a deli, ended up in Binghamton,where he sold pots and pans! At last,a deli in the heart of Toronto that we can call home. Keep up the splendid work,Zane.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by Zane Caplansky http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9275 Zane Caplansky Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:57:25 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9275 Such a pleasure to meet you and your family today, Marc. I really appreciate your support and encouragement. It means more than you know. Such a pleasure to meet you and your family today, Marc. I really appreciate your support and encouragement. It means more than you know.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by Marc Bernstein http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9270 Marc Bernstein Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:09:35 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9270 Hello Zane, my sister,niece and nephew and myself are having a Saturday brunch at your great deli tomorrow. We all (esp myself) look forward to meeting you. I have a free gift for you: two CDs of transfers I made specially for you and your loyal customers and very special staff of rare recordings from my Cantorial collection,featuring my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein,with his 3 other brothers, "The Four Borenstein Cantors". Includes other great Yiddish 78s also: some Klezmer bands, (1915) along with my Cantorial catalogue. You deserve our thanks. Your loyal fans, Marc,Harriet,Samantha and Michael Bernstein. Hello Zane, my sister,niece and nephew and myself are having a Saturday brunch at your great deli tomorrow. We all (esp myself) look forward to meeting you. I have a free gift for you: two CDs of transfers I made specially for you and your loyal customers and very special staff of rare recordings from my Cantorial collection,featuring my Zaida,Cantor Akiva Bernstein,with his 3 other brothers, “The Four Borenstein Cantors”. Includes other great Yiddish 78s also: some Klezmer bands, (1915) along with my Cantorial catalogue. You deserve our thanks. Your loyal fans, Marc,Harriet,Samantha and Michael Bernstein.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by Aron Solomon http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9262 Aron Solomon Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:06:52 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9262 As a frequent reader and now loyal patron (whenever I can get to Toronto) I'm really intrigued by the microscope under which Caplansky's functions. Foodies are a tough bunch, and while there are delis around the world that have "shrine" status (I can certainly see this evolution with Caplansky's) there are things in a restaurant that can't be controlled and maybe shouldn't. Sometimes in trying to please everyone, we alienate those closest to us. Hey - I'm a native Montrealer and I remember a lot of day's when Schwartz's wasn't Schwartz's. I was at the same "shrine" deli three times in NYC in the past three weeks: Great, Pretty Good and Fair. We vote with our feet, yes? My feet vote for Caplansky's. As a frequent reader and now loyal patron (whenever I can get to Toronto) I’m really intrigued by the microscope under which Caplansky’s functions.

Foodies are a tough bunch, and while there are delis around the world that have “shrine” status (I can certainly see this evolution with Caplansky’s) there are things in a restaurant that can’t be controlled and maybe shouldn’t. Sometimes in trying to please everyone, we alienate those closest to us.

Hey – I’m a native Montrealer and I remember a lot of day’s when Schwartz’s wasn’t Schwartz’s. I was at the same “shrine” deli three times in NYC in the past three weeks: Great, Pretty Good and Fair.

We vote with our feet, yes? My feet vote for Caplansky’s.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by estragon http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9254 estragon Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:48:39 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9254 First visit today for brunch. Fantastic meal, friendly servers... but some service training is required. "Could we get some water?" I ask the server. One glass arrives for me, not my companion. Same thing happens when I ask for a coffee refill: I get one, my companion isn't asked if she'd like one too. At least three times, my companion is asked if she's finished with her plate - because I eat faster, and because she's momentarily stopped eating because we're conversing. Finally she gives up and lets the server take away her not-yet-eaten fruit. I can't wait to go back for lunch and dinner, and try the rest of the menu. I don't expect four-star service at a deli. But I do think the staff need some lessons in basic server etiquette and customer service. First visit today for brunch. Fantastic meal, friendly servers… but some service training is required. “Could we get some water?” I ask the server. One glass arrives for me, not my companion. Same thing happens when I ask for a coffee refill: I get one, my companion isn’t asked if she’d like one too. At least three times, my companion is asked if she’s finished with her plate – because I eat faster, and because she’s momentarily stopped eating because we’re conversing. Finally she gives up and lets the server take away her not-yet-eaten fruit.

I can’t wait to go back for lunch and dinner, and try the rest of the menu. I don’t expect four-star service at a deli. But I do think the staff need some lessons in basic server etiquette and customer service.

]]> Comment on Sunday the Slicer Slept in by laurie http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/comment-page-1/#comment-9253 laurie Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:39:38 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/21/sunday-the-slicer-slept-in/#comment-9253 sorry you had a rough day.... and i really hope craig is okay. (i don't know him, but still...) i love your restaurant and i enjoy reading your blog, so don't get me wrong with what i'm about to say: i really, *really* feel like you shouldn't talk about staffing issues on your blog. this in particular seems like a private matter between you and him. your staff shouldn't write about their jobs, or you, in their blogs, so i feel like you shouldn't write about them either - and you certainly shouldn't give names if you really must write about them. that's my two cents! sorry you had a rough day…. and i really hope craig is okay. (i don’t know him, but still…)

i love your restaurant and i enjoy reading your blog, so don’t get me wrong with what i’m about to say:

i really, *really* feel like you shouldn’t talk about staffing issues on your blog. this in particular seems like a private matter between you and him.

your staff shouldn’t write about their jobs, or you, in their blogs, so i feel like you shouldn’t write about them either – and you certainly shouldn’t give names if you really must write about them.

that’s my two cents!

]]> Comment on Closed for Family Day by SaltSpringSugar http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/15/closed-for-family-day/comment-page-1/#comment-9238 SaltSpringSugar Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:34:35 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2010/02/15/closed-for-family-day/#comment-9238 Hey Caplansky, hope you actually took the day off. You're the best. Hey Caplansky, hope you actually took the day off. You’re the best.

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