Going, Part 4, with nosh
(Continuing my last post…)
As it turns out, the well-known, comfy spot on the proverbial river bank is Katzinger’s Deli in Columbus. I worked here my first three years at Ohio State.
I don’t know which is more surprising about Katzinger’s: that it’s still here or how little it’s changed.
It’s one of the few, honest-to-Yahweh, real delis outside Manhattan. Schmaltz, that’s Yiddish for rendered chicken fat, is still a liberally used main ingredient, in just about everything. Very much in the vein of Manhattan’s Upper West Side landmark Barney Greengrass.
(Barney’s son, Harvey, now carries on the family business. Harvey testified before Mayor Bloomberg’s recent commission on un/healthy eating in the City. Greengrass, under questioning, reportedly shrugged and said, “What do you want me to tell you? My food will kill you.” That kind of honesty, like the roast beef, is extremely rare, and beloved by the deli’s patrons. The place is, still, always packed.)
In my time at Katzinger’s there were about 50 sandwiches on the menu. I had to remember what went in each of them. There are now close to 70.
Still, I ordered the Reuben, #1 on the menu board. And it’s still the best sandwich outside Manhattan.
Dear Sir:
Was it Phillip Roth who wrote:
“And so we say …. Goodbye Columbus, Goodbye…..”
Jonathon
Thanks for the great review! Wonderful to hear you remember us.
Diane
Oh goodness, clicked through Diane’s post on facebook to see if the writer was someone who was at Katzinger’s when I was at Katzinger’s and sure enough, line guy Jonathan! I was just telling my kids about Mary Halloway’s student film that we were in (but never shared a scene, in fact now I’m wondering if you were in it at all but you had to be because I was supposed to be stalking you — I don’t know though because I never saw it). Hope all is well with you!
Wow!
I never expected this!
Hi big brother! Yes, it was a Rothian kinda’ night.
Hi Diane and Dawn! So good to hear from both of you.
And, yes, I remember being filmed for Mary’s movie and wondered what, if anything, came of it.
Ah well, at least we have the memories.
-JB
do you have a source for the Bloomberg commission testimony? Thanks
Yes, Lucy-
In the glass window of Barney Greengrass is a clipping of (I think) the New York Times with the full story and quote from Harvey Greengrass.
If you go, I heartily recommend the chocolate-covered jelly rings. They’re so overwhelmingly sweet, most people unfamiliar with them just spit them out. But, if you like sweet stuff, it doesn’t get better.
Nice story!
Good to know that the Katzinger’s Reuben is a constant.