interesting-- a few weeks ago, I noticed Lucky Lab stickers all over the butchers paper covering the windows of the old Roux spot.

Ethos we love ya! But last I heard, Nueske is from Wisconsin. Is the Merc promoting them to decimate our locavore sensibilities?

Nope. Inclusion of Nueske's just speaks to the "authenticity" of the event. (So says Saraveza. I agree)

I'm really, really, really not getting the Kenny and Zuke thing. I thought it was overpriced and not that great. Certainly not artistic.

@tcraighenry: I'm one of the owners of Kenny & Zuke's, Nick Zukin (aka, Zuke). Not everyone "gets" everything. But luckily I can quote David Sax, the author, in why, after visiting hundreds of delis, he found ours to be one of the best and considers it to be one of two examples of the future of deli and what will "save" it:

http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/05/21/kenn…

---BEGIN QUOTE---
Kenny and Zuke’s is more than just a great new deli. It is what new delis should aspire to, and what many established delis can learn from. There’s no trading on nostalgia here. This is all done from scratch. The food comes above all else, and you can taste that in every incredible bite of this business. There are tons of good delis out there bringing in meat from Hebrew National and other purveyors, using canned products, frozen foods, and other time and money saving things. But there will always be something missing. They’re holding on, but they aren’t moving forward, and that might just be the heart of why so many delis have gone by the wayside. I’m not talking about fusion, or making deli gourmet, or fancy. I’m talking about a return to quality. A revisiting of the old ways. A look inward, at our traditions.

That’s why those who do as much as they can themselves are in a class above.

Kenny and Zuke’s is not just great deli. It’s the future of Jewish delicatessen.
---END QUOTE---

I assume PAC was using "artistry" metaphorically. But there is something artisan about what we're doing. There is no other deli in the world that does as much from scratch as we do. The only things not made in-house (besides condiments like mustard, mayo, and ketchup) are the kosher salami (purchased from a small New York maker), the nova lox (we can't make it because of HACCP requirements), and the hot dogs (Sabrett). Breads are made in-house using a natural starter, allowed to retard over 24 hours. Bagels are hand-rolled (only one place in New York that I know of, Kossar's, does that), boiled and baked. Pastrami is smoked in-house. Gravlax in cured in-house. We roast our own roast beef. We even make our own hamburger and hot dog buns. So while you may not think of our products as "artistic" in the sense of being especially creative, new, or different, they are "artisan" in the same sense that Pearl Bakery's breads are or that Ken's Artisan Bakery breads are, etc.

As to how good they are? Largely a matter of familiarity, tradition, and individual preference. Compare us to the best Jewish delicatessens and I think we hold up quite well. We're not perfect. We make mistakes. Sometimes the pastrami will be over-steamed or under-steamed, but by-and-large, from top to bottom, I think we're among the best delis in the country. And more importantly, David Sax, who has visited all the best delis in the world thinks so, too.

That type of food may not be for you. You might not like how we do it. But hopefully this explains why others might disagree.