Chez Schwartz screening and Save the Deli afterparty
Monday, May 7th, 2007To the Toronto faithful:
This Thursday night at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, there is a screening of Chez Schwartz, a film by director Garry Beitel (my former prof at McGill), looking into the temple of smoked meat that is Schwartz’s in Montreal. Yes, you can start salivating!
Tickets are tight, but there will be a rush line, and I hear that cutters from Schwartz’s will be there slicing sandwiches for those waiting to get into the movie.
After the film (approx 7:30 PM), Save the Deli fans will convene at Moe Pancer’s Deli, for a discussion of the movie, and naturally a good amount of nosh. We’d fly to Schwartz’s if we could, but this webbernet gig just doesn’t pay like it should.
For a year, Beitel and his crew embedded themselves in Schwartz’s, capturing the essense of life inside the cramped deli that many consider the best in the world. Save the Deli fans, this is the film you were born to see!
Have a look at the preview.
Click here to check out the film’s fantastic website, full of Schwartz’s info, plus a great blog.
Here’s the director’s intro to the film:
“Chez Schwartz takes us inside a year in the life of Schwartz’s Deli – the unique 75-year-old landmark on Montreal’s historic Main. Filmed through changing seasons, from the quiet of early morning preparation to the frenetic bustle of packed lunch times and never ending line-ups, to the more relaxed ambience late at night – Chez Schwartz is an evocative, cinematic portrait of a small spunky deli known worldwide equally for its atmosphere and smoked meat.
Through observational vignettes, we come to know the men of Schwartz’s – Frank, Johnny, Alex and others: the waiters and busboys, meat cutters and grill men who have become fixtures of the deli – some for as long as 40 years. Most are immigrants from Portugal, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. While they serve generously stacked sandwiches, fries, pickles and cherry colas to an array of local and international patrons, we discover how a legendary institution transforms their lives. As we get to know their stories, we also meet another group of men – Ryan, Herman, and Adrian: the panhandlers who have stationed themselves at the front entrance for the past 15 years and earn their livelihood from the deli’s patrons.
As these stories interweave, we become immersed in the restaurant’s culture and daily rituals. Lush and sensual cinematography follows the daily preparation and consumption of spiced smoked meat and condiments. Our camera moves between privileged revelations of character and simple gastronomy as we capture the magic of a classic ‘hole in the wall’ packed with atmosphere and dynamism.”
I can’t wait!!!
DS
Yuval Dekel and Liebman’s: Tongue in the Bronx with a side of Heavy Metal
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007
Though the Bronx was once a hotbed of delicatessens, today there is but a small slice left of its illustrious past. Sadly, there are only two delis that remain, in the upscale enclave of Riverdale, just north of Manhattan on the Harlem river.
One of these is Leibman’s, a half century old joint on West 235th Street, where elderly Jewish clientelle shlepp in and out laden down with huge bags of takeout. Though the Liebman family is long gone, the quality here is almost unsurpassed in the five boroughs, thanks to the watchful eye of young owner Yuval Dekel.
The Israeli born Dekel is a bit different from your standard New York deli owner.
First off, he’s young…not yet thirty, though to be fair, I’m not either.
Second of all, his real passion is drumming and writing music, which he does in the New York heavy metal band IRATE. It’s a far cry from knishes to death rock, but the proof is in the kishke, and Liebman’s is probably the best kosher spot in New York.
When I visited last November I was surprised by the quiet, soothing atmosphere. It wasn’t a gritty New York place, competing to be the loudest or rudest. Young staff (many of whom were Yuval’s relatives from Israel and his wife’s from Georgia) served dedicated old customers classic dishes. There was incredible sweet and sour cabbage rolls, the matzo ball soup is packed with chickeny flavor, and because Dekel was a baker before his father passed away and left him the store, the bread is outstanding…moist…dense…crisp…the perfect palate for the corned beef and pastrami that is cured IN THE STORE. The chopped liver is creamy and splendid, while the tongue is cut so thin and cooked so perfectly it melts like foie gras.
One of the best things Liebman’s makes is a hush puppy…tiny knishes stuffed with hot dogs. Liebman’s dogs alone are outstanding, not salty, extremely juicy, but the hush puppy treatment just raises the woof into another league. This is the type of place where you could just sit and eat for days and never get tired. Top tier, though entirely local because it’s far from Manhattan’s centre.
Well worth the visit. And there’s good news…Dekel says he plans to write a crazy death metal song about kvetching deli clients. Should be a classic.
Liebman’s
Kosher Restaurant and Catering
552 West 235 Street - Bronx (Riverdale) New York
www.liebmansdeli.com
