Manny's

Are you kidding me? I had read about the weird habit of this board to conveniently log out the 'idle' user who wasn't doing anything other than bashing out hundreds of words on a particularly beloved chow topic. Fool me once and so forth.

So, bent out of shape, but not broken, the boy gamely tries once again to submit his maiden post. Coming back on the boards after being away for awhile felt like being an expat returning to my country only to find that all the dissidents had been silenced and deported to live in exile'yet free at last to discuss liberty, freedom of speech and non-chow related topics. For my first post in this brave new world I commemorate my visit to Manny's, a familiar name that until last Sunday had been unfamiliar to me. As a lifelong Chicagoan, there is more than a little shame in this admission--like confessing that I've never read James or Nabokov, or seen E.T. all the way through.

My Johnny-come-lately status makes my criticism of Manny's all the more difficult because I disliked their corned beef. It was dry and lacking in any flavor beyond a muted saltiness and stale spice note. In the interest of full disclosure, I'd have considered the flavor profile of the meat more thoughtfully if only I hadn't had to contend with the very real fact that I was on the verge of choking. You see, this corned beef was dry as in "Lord, I will proceed immediately to confession and say the Rosary until my fingers bleed if You will only allow this desiccated hunk of brined meat to pass into my stomach without blocking my airway."

Now, I have always known that I would die on Roosevelt Road - who doesn't? - but not here, and not in this unseemly, Mama Cass way, circled by slack-jawed oldsters with lime Jello on their breath as my soul hovers above my lifeless body. At the last possible moment before I was to throw my hands up to my throat in the Universal Sign of Choking, the grace of G-d and a little timely peristalsis saved my bacon (but not my corned beef, which, I have already illustrated, was beyond salvation).

As I sat sipping my Dr. Brown's cream soda trying to regain my composure, I was left to wonder just what had happened here. I mean, this was Manny's-Manny's. The paragon of deli in Chicago. And what of the clammy-cold congealed latke sitting on my tray with its funky onion aroma smelling for all the world like French B.O.? Was it that it was a Sunday, an hour before closing time? What the deckle? Was I supposed to wink at the slicer-man and ask him under my breath for the special, edible corned beef? The only hint of Greatness I was to find on this grim visit was in the few shreds of pastrami, which I normally order to add flavor to my corned beef sandwiches. In this case they were asked to do yeoman's duty in saving my sandwich, but even their tender spiciness could not save the day.

I am no culinary sleuth. I have no encyclopaedic knowledge of the origins of the meat stuffs at places around town. I know my Scala from my Vienna and that's pretty much it. I'll be back: for the pastrami, for the old-timey menu sign, for the cigar and gum counter and the Byzantine payment system. Question is, should I come back for the corned beef?

So, greetings to all you Sakharovs and Dalai Lamas of the chow world. I offer you these words: you are home.

CoolerbytheLake wrote:Was it that it was a Sunday, an hour before closing time?

Sorry you had an unpleasant CB experience at Manny's, but what/how were you getting a Manny's CB on a Sunday when they are normally closed to most mortals?

Maybe that was the problem. The place was kind of empty, now that I think about it. Obviously it was a Saturday. Vacations always throw me off.

Was it that it was a Sunday, an hour before closing time

I think you nailed it, especially since they are closed Sunday. Try it during the week, between 6 am and noon. Turnover is key.

Hi CBTL!

I was at Manny's for breakfast at 5:15 AM a few weeks ago. They use the prior day's corned beef in their corned beef hash breakfast, which accompanied by two poached eggs and toasted bagel for $4.99. I knew I wasn't going to expect the greasy, potatoey concoction from Hormel. What I did receive I didn't particularly like either.

The corned beef was sliced thin then roughly chopped, mixed with potatoes and maybe some onion. It was all loose parts, no meshing or harmonious comingling, which you usually expect in a hash. I could have easily segregated the corned beef, potatoes and onions to seperate corners of my plate ... but that is just aesthetics. The taste was flavorless and the texture dry. This dry texture didn't allow a proper chew, in fact it was like chewying floppy bits of paper.

Of course, as JeffB suggested, you came during a time when turn over was not too high. So maybe your corned beef spent too much time on hold and overcooked. My breakfast made from leftovers probably comes from the corned beef held over too long, also. So if I returned for breakfast, I would steer clear of the corned beef.

Otherwise, I have come when I had a super corned beef sandwich and other occasions when it was just a corned beef sandwich. Also, there can be a difference if your meat is cut from a fatty brisket as opposed to a lean. I recall reading the lean was drier and less tasty, so maybe it is something to add to your ordering pattern.

Jeff, you have crafted yet again a marvelous narrative for your maiden LTHforum voyage. Of course, sorry to bring it up if it embarasses you, your African Cabbie Mobile Food Vendors is a gold standard classic.

Regards,
Cathy2

BTW - I have talked to Alef, they want us on a Sunday, I prefer Saturday so we can visit the Hungarian sausage factory. I just haven't gotten up there to talk to them, again. It's been on my mind forever.

Some people have posted positively on Manny's corned beef hash, but other than that it is definitely not a destination restaurant for breakfast.

It's also not a deli (try asking for a 1/2-lb of Nova sliced thin from the center, two chubs, a pumpernickel with seeds, and a dozen pickles from the barrel), but a cafeteria with a Jewish accent and therefore unique in Chicago (anyone remember Braverman's?) and perhaps the country.

Anyway, because it's such a throwback, the atmosphere is wonderful for people who like those sort of things even if the quality of the food can vary. But keep trying. If you you don't like the corned beef, there's always the pastrami or the hand sliced roast beef or even the boiled brisket, although a cold latke from Manny's is something to contemplate with horror.

jbw wrote: But keep trying. If you don't like the corned beef, there's always the pastrami or the hand sliced roast beef or even the boiled brisket, although a cold latke from Manny's is something to contemplate with horror.

Or Evil Ronnie's, and mine, favorite the Thursday Ox Tail special. Substitute kasha with bowties for potatoes please.

Incidentally, if you follow Jewish Deli rule 7b, never order anything lean in a deli, you will have a greater chance of giving a big ~sigh~ when you bite into your corned beef, or pastrami for that matter, sandwich.

While I like Manny's pastrami, a lot, I must admit that the pastrami sandwich I had at Langer's in Los Angeles last week was one of those foodie seismic events that occur so infrequently. (Post w/pictures forthcoming)

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:Or Evil Ronnie's, and mine, favorite the Thursday Ox Tail special. Substitute kasha with bowties for potatoes please.

And don't forget, Wednesday is braised shortribs day. Manny's features braised shortribs on several days of the week, but the ones on Wednesday's usually have a different sauce than the rest of the time for some reason (slightly more tomatoey), which I find preferable.

G Wiv wrote:Incidentally, if you follow Jewish Deli rule 7b, never order anything lean in a deli, you will have a greater chance of giving a big ~sigh~ when you bite into your corned beef, or pastrami for that matter, sandwich.

So true. And don't forget 7c, if the establishment advertises 'LEAN CORNED BEEF', run, don't walk away.

I have had a pretty decent pastrami on a Saturday at Manny's, but then I was following rule 7b.

Still, though Manny's can be pretty good, CBTL's negative corned beef experience on a Saturday is not surprising, and Manny's corned beef and pastrami is just that, usually pretty good and not a lot more. But for Chicago that ain't bad.

CoolerbytheLake wrote: And what of the clammy-cold congealed latke sitting on my tray with its funky onion aroma smelling for all the world like French B.O.?

One problem I've encountered at Manny's (much as I love the place) as well as a number of other delis is the latke/potato pancake, which seems to fall victim to the basic structure of the deli serving model.

A fry station is a rarity in most delis, and that's a problem because fried foods are best, of course, when they come hot from the oil.

Years ago (before even the OP in this thread) when Vital Info, ReneG and others decided we'd eat for 24 hours straight, our first stop was at Manny's, where I made the mistake of ordering smelts, which were curled up under the glass counter, silvery fish with golden crust. justjoan pointed out that I made a bad choice, and she was right: cold smelts, however tasty, fail to fully satisfy. There's limited crunch and cold, oily breading is not fun to eat.

Similarly, a potato pancake that's been microwaved (as mine was at Kaufman's last Friday) is chewy and, no matter how tasty the ingredients, yucky. For all the ways that a place like France's may fail to meet my evolving gold standard for a deli, they at least fry their potato pancakes before bringing them to the table, and that is a very good thing.

Hmm. We were at Manny's last week for a quick supper before going to see Matt Groening and Lynda Barry at UIC and enjoyed almost everything--including a very homestyle meatloaf plate and dense and crisp (and hot) latke. The matzoh ball soup was a disappointment--soup not very hot, and matzoh ball a good size, but lacking in flavor. As we pushed our tray passed the meat slicer the guy there (he's ALWAYS there, I think) offered us a corned beef taste, which made us regret not having extra stomachs so we could eat a corned beef sandwich AND the meatloaf plate. In the event, when we were done eating, Victor went up and ordered a half pound of corned beef to go--he was given a good deal more but told to tell the cashier it was a half pound.

He also got a latke to go, to make up for having eaten the bite I was saving for last. Warmed up in the toaster oven last night, it was still pretty yummy.

David Hammond wrote:One problem I've encountered at Manny's (much as I love the place) as well as a number of other delis is the latke/potato pancake, which seems to fall victim to the basic structure of the deli serving model.

At Manny's lately, I've been eschewing the latke in favor of their very good kishke.

Cabbagehead and I had dinner at Manny's Friday night. My potato pancake was dense and cooled rapidly, as David Hammond points out can easily happen in the deli model, but even though I commented that the latke could be used to patch potholes, I ate every bite. True to his name, my dear husband had the sweet and sour cabbage soup and the corned beef and cabbage plate. There's no such thing as too much cabbage for him. He was still talking about how great the meal was all the next day.

When we go to the theatre we try to match the restaurant to the play. Having recently been to Eleven City, we chose Manny's to match up with the Goodman's High Holidays Saturday night. My usual is Matzo ball soup with kreplach, pastrami on rye with latke. This time I strayed to half corned beef, half pastrami. I found the evening food to be as consistently good as during the day. While I am partial to Katz's pastrami, part of it is the dog and pony show of the taste along with the opportunity to ask for more or less fat, you have to be pretty persnickety (and grossly spoiled) to think that Manny's pastrami and corn beef are easily beaten by others in Chicagoland. Having eaten half my latke before starting my soup, I suspect that had I waited till I finished my soup, sandwich, and pickles, it might have been dry.
Standard supper entrees of short ribs and meatloaf were "good" with end of the day green beans being fresh and crisp as if just prepared.
The end of the day business is so much more relaxed than during the day that you can engage the staff in conversation that they seem genuinely interested in having. Having been lucky enough to have been at Manny's last November when the newly elected president came to pick up lunch (well documented on the walls), we talked to a couple workers including Geno about how great that experience was.
Even though there was a get together in the back room, the night business seems relatively slow, and maybe a little sad. With no one in line and the abbreviated staff at their stations, there was an Edward Hopper Nighthawks look and feel to joint.
Nonetheless a Chicago treasure. If only the play had been as good and authentic.

Made my first trip to Manny's today (I know I know). I know I'm just adding to the heap of praise, but hell, when its sitting atop a heap of pastrami what's a few extra calories.

Pastrami on rye? Excellent.

Matzoh ball soup? Excellent. Excellent.

Knish with gravy? Excellent.

Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray? Priceless.

Another note - I was expecting surly service from the deli guys (would seem appropriate) but was pleasantly surprised when one of the gentleman making pastrami sandwiches spotted my matzoh ball soup and asked me if I wanted bread with that. Not realizing bread came with the soup, I hadn't taken any and told him I wouldn't mind a pretzel roll. He graciously retrieved one for me from way down the line. Class act.

Been a twice-a-month visitor to Manny's for 30+ years. Is it me or is it getting rather average? I may have to stay away for a few months or is it indeed average?

AVERAGE .......NO !!! You are simply plain burned out on a great place ...... it happens... move to montana or florida for 3 months and then say your sorry for what you have written!!! SHAME ON YOU!!!!!

Mea culpa. Wish I could get outta here for 3 months. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Going to try in 2-3 months.

dramisino wrote:Been a twice-a-month visitor to Manny's for 30+ years. Is it me or is it getting rather average? I may have to stay away for a few months or is it indeed average?

Other than the seating area getting larger and the prices getting higher I don't think the food there has changed much if at all in the 35+ years I have been going there, of course I only go there every couple of months so as not to "burnout".

Step away for a litte while, or better yet go have an inferior corned beef, pastrami, tounge, or any of the other dishes at another one of the many poor imitations and tell me if you still think it is average.

We all know that the state of deli "style" food in Chi is a shadow of it's former self. My lunch here today was very depressing. Precut pastrami, picked out of an overflowing 6" half pan was nowhere near warm (and bland to boot) w/ a potato pancake that needed a steak knife to cut it… pathetic. Even the size of the sandwich has shrunk. I usually have trouble finishing them, and take some home. Not that I wanted more insult to injury, but we both commented on being able to finish them w/o a problem, outside of the fact that they were mediocre @ best. The groupon my buddy had (although it didn't say it on his mobile app that he produced) was not welcome @ lunch and is only good after 4 30- so we had the honor of having to pay for this tease of days gone by.

The steamtable looked good though, so will prob keep to that in the future. After all, that coupon still needs to be used. Certainly wouldn't want to come out of pocket again for the dreck we were served today.

While Manny's will always hold a special place in my heart, if I'm craving a Jewish deli in Chicago, I'm far more likely to go to Eleven City Diner or Eleven Lincoln Park.

As a general rule, I steer people away from Manny's. The food is subpar (latkes are soggy and flavorless, corned beef and pastrami are pretty institutional). Like Lou Mitchell's. it's a place that floats on a long-lost reputation.

Does/did Manny's cure their own pastrami? Does anyone do that other than Dillman's?

If not, they should. It was definitley ill. Pastrami itch unscratched, it's not like I can even go somewhere else for it (short of Portland). Sad.

Jazzfood wrote:If not, they should. It was definitley ill. Pastrami itch unscratched, it's not like I can even go somewhere else for it (short of Portland). Sad.

Not a Fumare fan? I only tried it once but it was pretty tasty.

boudreaulicious wrote:
Not a Fumare fan? I only tried it once but it was pretty tasty.

+1 here, although I am a staunch Manny's supporter. Not so much for the sandwiches which I rarely order, but for the home style steam table items. The short ribs are still among my favorite dishes in Chicago.

Yeah, it's good. A pain in the ass to park though and Manny's, while never one of my faves, was @ least decent, but today just underwhelmed. I'm sure it would have been better than spending over $30 for what we had. As mentioned, the steam table looked good. The sandwiches, better left to the memory.

boudreaulicious wrote:

Jazzfood wrote:If not, they should. It was definitley ill. Pastrami itch unscratched, it's not like I can even go somewhere else for it (short of Portland). Sad.

Not a Fumare fan? I only tried it once but it was pretty tasty.

I love Fumare. I also follow Haymarket Brewery and their (made in-house) corned beef and pastrami offerings are quite good, though only available about once a month or so. Still love me some Manny's short ribs, especially Thursdays paired up with the kascha & noodles.