Deceased Delis

This article seeks to explain why so many delicatessens are closing. Not that all the reasons they cite are invalid but I think the author missed an important point. She mentions Junior's Delicatessen in Westwood and a Jerry's Deli in Costa Mesa as local closures that signify some kind of trend away from deli fare and Jewish culture and such. I think it's worth mentioning that all the outlets in the Jerry's Deli chain have gotten really, really poor lately…and Junior's was plunging in quality and raising prices. I love deli food but I've learned the hard way to avoid any Jerry's…and I only went to Junior's for the location, not the cuisine.

For what it's worth, my favorites in Los Angeles are Canter's on Fairfax and Nate 'n Al's over in Beverly Hills. Nate 'n Al's no longer has that great celebrity clientele. Once upon a time, you'd go in and see Milton Berle and Doris Day and Phil Silvers and folks like that. Now, on a good day, you might catch Larry King — who's partners in another deli a few blocks away but seems to still like Nate 'n Al's — but that's about it.  Still, the place is usually crowded because the food is still good. As my Aunt Dot used to say, "Potato salad to die from," which for some odd reason is a compliment.

Anyway, my point is that when a mediocre Jewish delicatessen closes, it might be because it's Jewish or because it's a delicatessen. But it might also be because it's mediocre.