Deli Man (2014) Reviews

• Warning: Do Not Watch on an Empty Stomach

  rkhen2015-12-04

  This movie places the food centre-stage. And it's the most incredible food you've ever seen. Even raw, being turned into delectable dishes, it's to die for. I watched this over two nights, while eating dinner. And it still almost killed me. And I'm a great cook. If you possibly swing it, watch this on some mobile device while eating way too much food in a Jewish delicatessen somewhere. As the film itself points out, that's hard to do, since in all of North America there's only 150 left. But otherwise, you're going to be really hungry for several days. One small complaint: they left out Montréal. C'mon, guys! The smoked meat sandwich that's MTL's world-famous signature dish was a gift to that city from Jewish delis! They're the reason the French language now contains the word « le smoked meat ». Great. Now I'm jonesing for _that_. Anyway, see the movie. If I could eat it too, I would.

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• Deli-Licious

  rnc552015-03-24

  I love deli food and I loved this movie. The historical stuff was fascinating, while Ziggy, the main focus, is delightful and lovable. I really have nothing bad to say EXCEPT-- the deli they featured in San Francisco is the only one in the movie that doesn't stick to traditional deli food, but specializes in chi-chi California Cuisine- style variations on the theme. Okay great. But most restaurants in San Francisco, featuring ANY type of cuisine, do the same thing. It's not noteworthy for any restaurant in SF to feature smoked caramelized arugula drizzle. So the filmmakers should have shown a traditional Jewish deli in San Francisco-- - THAT would be special. And one does exist. I went there after the movie and had a heavenly whitefish salad sandwich. Okay, rant over. Despite that one major flaw, it's still a great movie.

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• Interesting & Fun

  enewslettersource2015-03-14

  This documentary is about a deli man, the Ziggy of Kenny & Ziggy's in Houston, TX, really David Gruber, a professionally trained chef following in the footsteps of his grandfather who started the Rialto Deli in Manhattan in 1933. David is a 3rd generation deli man. The documentary presents the history and sociology of delis interspersed with brief interviews of owners, patrons and 1 waiter. We visit one of David's purveyors for whitefish. The decline of the deli parallels the acculturation of Eastern European Jews. At one time, there were 1500 kosher delis alone in NYC. Today, there are 150 delis in the US. Anyone who lives in a large urban area has seen the change. Pastrami was created by Romanians. Who knew? Thank you Romania!

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• Lively & Humorous Documentary

  larrys32015-09-26

  After viewing this lively and humorous documentary on Jewish delicatessens, I wanted to immediately run out and get a corned beef sandwich on rye. However, that's easier said than done, because as the film notes that there are only about 150 Jewish delis left in North America, whereas there were thousands in the 1930's. The movie's centerpiece is "Ziggy" Gruber who really captures the screen with his larger-than-life persona. He owns and is a hands-on manager of Kenny & Ziggy's Delicatessen, surprisingly located in Houston, Texas. Although Gruber has had fine dining training at some of the top European cooking schools, he has returned to his roots and where his heart is, namely in the Jewish deli business. When he was just a young boy, his grandfather Max put him to work at his deli, and now Gruber is very much determined to maintain the old-school traditions that were taught to him. There are also interviews with other deli owners in the U.S. and Canada, who admit they love the business but lament how the high cost of food and low profit margins make it a real struggle. Such notables as Jerry Stiller, Fyvush Finkel, and Larry King, among others, give us anecdotes of some of their long time deli experiences. There's also an interesting history of how the Jewish deli arose in immigrant neighborhoods, and how as the Jewish people became more assimilated into the culture, so did their restaurants become more mainstream. All in all, this documentary, most capably directed by Erik Greenberg Anjou, is well-paced and a worthy tribute to the Jewish delicatessen, and I would highly recommend it.

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• Go, but don't go hungry.

  Quietb-12015-03-20

  Here's a fun Documentary on the Deli business and the unusual and interesting men who make the Deli business their life. In addition to the Deli men there are some good cameos that add to the insight. There's a romantic element that ends in a destination wedding. It is interesting that the business is very similar in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Houston. The basic message of good food and a hands on warm welcoming personality seem universal elements of success. The movie like most Documentaries is in very limited release. Watch for it soon on a home platform. Seek it out, it is interesting and entertaining.

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