Fritzi's Delicatessen specializes in Ashkenazi Jewish deli items includes smoked meats, freshly baked bread, and personalized spins on classics. See why owner Paul Stern’s pandemic project has become a beloved community gathering spot. | ✍️ JackHelbig
Credit:Paul Stern is a born schmoozer. Walk into his restaurant, Fritzi’s Delicatessen, a small well-lit place in Oak Park, and chances are you will find Stern schmoozing at one of the tables in the dining area—cracking jokes, telling stories, quizzing the people around him about lives and likes, and asking how they enjoyed their meals. It makes sense. His livelihood depends entirely on pleasing his clientele.
Stern’s customers return the favor, grabbing him for a bit more schmooze before they vamoose. While I was interviewing Stern, a customer came up to him on their way out and handed him two small glass jars, one containing homemade horseradish, the other homemade chopped liver. Stern thanked him and put the jars carefully away for future sampling.You don’t have to talk to Stern long to find out he is a major foodie.
In his early 20s, Stern worked for a time as a firefighter in Gary. Naturally he spent most of his non-firefighting time at the firehouse in the kitchen. “I cooked lots of things for the guys I was not used to. Chitlins. Smothered chicken. Smothered pork chops. I mean, I would also cook on my side of the coin, too. I would do brisket,” he remembers.
After Harry Caray’s, Stern had his own place in Lincoln Park, Lucille’s, before closing it after 12 years and going to work at a friend’s place, the Suite Lounge, in Old Town. “I was there for the next 14 years. I was there until the pandemic started.” The Suite Lounge was one of the many places shut down by the city of Chicago after the crazy weekend of March 14 and 15 when hordes of drunk Saint Patrick’s Day revelers failed to follow COVID protocols and maintain social distancing.
The result is a menu that looks like a familiar deli menu but doesn’t taste like it. All of the items have a personalized spin to them. The meats on the menu—the pastrami, the corned beef, the brisket—are smoked in-house, and all of the bread used for the sandwiches is freshly baked in the kitchen. “We do everything. The thing that makes us really unique pretty much in the whole midwest is that we’re one of the only places that does all this by hand anymore.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Trans TikTok Star Jesse Sullivan Says KISS' Paul Stanley Has Transgender Issue WrongTrans TikTok star Jesse Sullivan reacts to Paul Stanley's controversial comments on transitioning.
Consulte Mais informação »
First ‘Dune: Part Two’ Footage: Paul Atreides Lures a SandwormTimothée Chalamet lures a sandworm in the first footage from Dune2. Watch it here:
Consulte Mais informação »
Chicago-Born Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens’ Private Papers Open to PublicSupreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who died in 2019, served on the court for nearly 35 years. In that time, the court decided cases on issues including abortion, affirmative action, presidential power, gun rights and the rights of prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention center.
Consulte Mais informação »
Denny Laine Reflects on the Tumultuous ‘Gamble’ of Paul McCartney & Wings’ ‘Band on the Run’Denny Laine reflects on the tumultuous 'gamble' of Paul McCartney & Wings’ ‘Band on the Run.’
Consulte Mais informação »
Hamnet: Paul Mescal & Jessie Buckley in Talks for Chloé Zhao MoviePaul Mescal and Jessie Buckley are currently in talks to star in Chloé Zhao's next directorial project Hamnet.
Consulte Mais informação »
Margie's Candies owner Dr. Paul Poulos dies at age 86Dr. Peter Poulos, owner of famous Chicago ice cream shop Margie's Candies, died at the age of 86.
Consulte Mais informação »