| Grumans Delicatessen (Plaza 1,000, Seventh Ave. S.W., phone 261-9003) is a Jewish deli serving all the traditional food that bubbes have been force-feeding their grandchildren ever since they were old enough to have their cheeks squeezed. But don’t expect heavy food smells, the cacophony of clattering dishes and Yiddish-speaking old men wearing grease-stained aprons over their bellies. Quiet and naturally lit with a soothing design, Grumans puts a contemporary spin on the Jewish deli.
Owner Peter Fraiberg, formerly of Savoir Fare, named the deli after his mother, many of whose recipes are made here by former Savoir Fare chef Paul Orr. The menu, with its chicken matzo-ball soup, chopped chicken liver, roasted eggplant purée and baked goods, will have you pleading, "Oy vey, enough with the food!"
Newly opened in Plaza 1,000 at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Ninth Street (an odd location, although it is near the last stop on the C-train and a few condo developments), the deli is divided into a takeout counter and two sections of booths and tables. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and features challah French toast ($6.95) and lox Benedict ($8.95) served with artichoke hollandaise sauce. For lunch and dinner, which ends at 7:30 p.m., there are soups, salads, sandwiches and large entrées, including a slow-roasted beef brisket ($15.95) and an oven-roasted chicken breast ($18.95), served with kasha and bow-tie pasta. Grumans has a small but somehow appropriate wine list.
On a recent lunchtime visit, my friend and I started with "a little nosh" of Montreal karnatzel ($2.95), served with Dijon mustard and several slices of rye bread. The karnatzel hot rods, which are similar to pepperoni but not as sharp and spicy, were incredibly mourish. Other nosh items include pickled herring, hummus and pita, and chopped chicken liver. In fact, Grumans made a care package of 250 verenikas (potato and onion perogies) for the Calgary Flames’ flight to Detroit for the first game in the Western Conference semifinal. Word from the flight attendant was that the players ate all the verenikas before they got off the plane.
Next, we ordered the chicken matzo-ball soup ($3.95), a beautiful picture of carrot slices, celery, onion and a sprinkling of dill framing a matzo ball in a clear broth. If you’re planning on ordering more food, you definitely don’t want to fill up on soup, but at the same time I think it should have at least two matzo balls.
We followed the soup with a side of latkes ($2.95), potato pancakes, which refuted latkes’ greasy reputation, being remarkably light and not the least bit oily. Served with a dollop of sour cream, they were delightful but missing what I believe to be a requisite – applesauce.
For our main course (yes, we ordered a lot of food but there were many enticing items on the menu), my friend chose the Montreal smoked meat sandwich ($8.95), served with tangy coleslaw and a choice of potato salad, mixed green salad or french fries. The sandwich was packed with delicious, paper-thin meat, although quite different in texture and thickness from the smoked meat served at Schwartz’s in Montreal or Calgary’s Palace of Eats. And while it’s possible to order a side of Mrs. White’s pickles, I think the sandwich should come with a complimentary pickle. (As a fan of Strub’s kosher dills, I must say that Mrs. White’s are comparable.)
I ordered the bagel (from Wayne’s Bagels in Kensington) with lox and cream cheese ($7.95). The fresh salmon, which is cured on the premises, made for an excellent sandwich with whipped cream cheese, red onions and capers.
If you have any room left, try one of the fantastic-looking desserts – New York cheesecake, chocolate cake, carrot cake and lemon meringue pie.
Grumans serves all the Old World deli favourites, but out of loyalty I have to say that, while the food was great, it was only almost as good as my babushka’s cooking. |
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