Jewish Food With a Southern Drawl and All the Weekly Dish
Matzo-meal-fried chicken at the Lower East Side has become so popular that it’s spawning its own take-out spot. Owner Richard Kimmel tells the New York Times that Kitty’s A Go Go will feature an edited selection of the “Jewish food with a Southern drawl” inspired by his grandmother, who worked for a talent agency in New York — and learned to cook soul food from jazz musicians.
Lowcountry Nosh
Corned beef, chopped liver, bagels, knishes and rolled cabbage don’t sound especially Southern. But they will be on October 1, when Charleston, South Carolina, hosts a Jewish food festival. Lowcountry Nosh: Charleston Jewish Food & Heritage Festival takes place at local Reform shul Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim.
The End for Essen…
We had a bad feeling when we visited Leor Zimerman’s terrific Essen this summer; the only customers at the Toronto eatery were Zimerman’s family. Zimerman himself had told us the place wasn’t doing as well as expected. Essen finally shut its doors in mid-September. We’re awaiting word on Zimerman’s next move….
…and for Grilliance
Another one bites the dust: Pittsburgh kosher meat restaurant Grilliance has shuttered. Co-owner Aaron Siebzener tells the Jewish Chronicle the place simply didn’t generate enough business. “Fleishig [meat only] is an expensive meal. It’s an expensive product from the start,” he said. Siebzener also owns Pittsburgh kosher-dairy spot Milky Way.
The Jewish Anthony Bourdain?
Call him the Hebraic Anthony Bourdain. Phil Rosenthal, the Jewish creator of megahit show Everybody Loves Raymond, is embarking on a global food tour for an unscripted six-part PBS series, Haaretz reports.
Accompanied by famous friends like Ray Romano and Martin Short, Rosenthal “will sample local fare in exotic ports around the globe — including Hong Kong, Barcelona, Paris and Tokyo. He visits markets, artisans, vineyards and restaurants.” Nice work if you can get it.
Kosher at Heathrow
Blimey! Kosher food at Heathrow? It’s finally arriving, says KosherToday. Sold under the brand name DD’s, the food is produced by British kosher caterers Hermolis; look for meat and dairy sandwiches and wraps. As KosherToday notes, kosher travelers have long had to schlep their own food from home or stop at a restaurant before hitting the airport. That’s finally changing with kosher options at airports including JFK, Newark Liberty, La Guardia, Ft. Lauderdale and Boston.
Michael Kaminer is a contributing editor at the Forward.
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