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Hip Hop Artists Open Jewish Deli, Jam Into Brooklyn Market

Hip Hop Artists Open Jewish Deli, Jam Into Brooklyn Market


BROOKLYN, NY
Monday, April 4th, 2016

Fans of the modern hip hop scene and dilettantes of jewish cuisine each have something to celebrate this week in the opening of celebrity-dashed deli, Frankel’s.

The deli, which opened on Saturday, is owned by Jaime Meline (better known as recording artist, El-P, one half of group Run the Jewels), Alec Reinstein (or, collaborative hip-hop artist, Despot) and brothers Alex and Zach Frankel (Alex being part of synthpop group, Holy Ghost!, respectively).

. @frankelsdeli day 2. it's "popping" as the children say.

A photo posted by thereallyrealelp (@thereallyrealelp) on

However, despite almost all of the deli’s collaborators being contributing members to the music industry, this union came more from a love of delicatessen-style foods, specifically those of the smoked-fish and Jewish culinary variety.

As appearing in a plethora of social media posts from each co-owner, Frankel’s, located on the edges of the Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods in Brooklyn, boasts a weighty menu featuring the following classics:

  • Smoked fish sandwiches (Eastern Nova, pastrami salmon, whitefish, to name a few)
  • Kasha and mushrooms
  • Potato latkes (simple and deluxe)
  • Hot briskets
  • Hand-rolled bagels
  • Assorted meat sandwiches on rye (hot pastrami, corned beef, chopped liver, and more)
  • Matzo ball soup
  • And specialty smoked fish combos

In an interview with NY Times, the Frankel brothers said that their restaurant’s style is “paying homage to Barney Greengrass, Murray’s and Russ & Daughters,” with a main menu curated by Ashley Berman, and additional heirloom recipes from their grandmother, Anita Frankel.

Thus far, this deli’s appearance on the New York scene seems to show promise for the continued appreciation of smoked fish and cured meats, as well as a lasting homage to the fusion of Jewish cuisine and deli-style foods. In either case, if social media and internet buzz are any indicators, following their progress unfold into the delicatessen world promises to remain interesting.

Continue to check back with DeliMarket News for surprising and innovative additions to the restaurateur scene, and find a menu for Frankel’s here.

Frankel's Delicatessen