Jake’s Deli
order.
Alturkman kept many of the changes made over the years. For instance, all orders are placed at a counter opposite kitchen and slicing counter now, and sides like coleslaw and potato salad are available.
But the matzoh ball soup tastes more like its old self again. And he’s considering bringing back table service over the lunch hours at the vintage wooden booths. It’s a move that could bring back some of the clientele who once packed the deli.
“I think Jake’s went through a few years of not being Jake’s, and that created a certain image in people’s minds,” Alturkman said.
Yes, exactly.
Catfish and chicken wings join the Jake’s feast
Alturkman has made changes of his own, like renovating the bathrooms, sprucing up the exterior with new windows, and adding items like fried catfish and fried chicken wings (whole wings, lightly breaded, were crisp and juicy — fried perfectly). And shelves at the back of the shop now are lined with a selection of groceries, like boxes of Corn Pops and other cereals, quick fixes like cans of Chef Boyardee and bags of instant ramen, and staples such as sugar, flour and cornmeal.
He brought one of his big sellers from House of Corned Beef to the Jake’s menu, the Philly corned beef, a hefty sandwich topped with melted provolone and grilled onions and yellow, green and red bell pepper. It has long been a favorite of mine, even if I need two sittings to finish it.
A menu board at the ordering counter lists shrimp, scallops, mussels, salmon and other seafood by the pound, steamed or raw, but he’s still testing the waters with it, Alturkman said.
Most likely, he said, Jake’s will stay what it was: a sandwich shop focused on corned beef and pastrami.
“If we stay consistent and stick with what we’re doing, Jake’s will come back,” Alturkman said.
I’ll stick with my thesis that Jake’s is back; it only needs more of its customers back, too.
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