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One Of NYC's Top Pastramis Expands Downtown With Harry and Ida's Luncheonette In The FiDi
By
Nell Casey
Published Sep 12, 2017
Modified Sep 13, 2017
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By
Nell Casey
Published Sep 12, 2017
Modified Sep 13, 2017
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Julie and Will Horowitz's pastrami and eel sandwiches took the East Village by storm when they debuted Harry and Ida's Meat and Supply Company, a small general store-meets-sandwich shop on Avenue A two years ago. Now the siblings have expanded their tribute to the Delancey Street delicatessen great-grandparents Harry and Ida ran almost 100 years ago, opening a satellite Luncheonette on Park Place near City Hall in the Financial District.
The Pops and The Ida—two different sizes of the pastrami sandwich—are available at the new location, which offers more seating but fewer pantry items and less of a general store vibe than its predecessor. The Smoked Apricot Chicken—served on a long bun with watermelon kraut, spiced sour cream and basil or as a component of one of the "Lunch Plates"—is a newcomer, as are the hot smoked maple salmon, carrot tzimmes, and braised broccoli btems with fermented black beans.
"Obviously, once we release the burnt sugar babka soft serve I'm imagining some excitement!" Will Horowitz tells us.
Vegetarians and vegans are looked after, too, with a vegetarian version of chopped liver with beet pickled eggs, coconut babaganoush with baked tofu, and other vegetable sides.
"What makes this style of fast food interesting for me to cook is that there is no shortcuts in making it," Will Horowitz says of the Harry & Ida's style of cuisine. "The reason we can serve people so quickly is because so many of the items have already been pickled, cured, and smoked the old fashioned way, or are actually still raw, in many cases!"
So how did the Horowitz's find themselves in the FiDi?
"We looked into a lot of spaces and food courts, or whatever we're calling them these days in Midtown and farther downtown," Will says of their decision. "There was something we both fell in love with about City Hall area.... there is a mix of older folks and young new professionals and entrepreneurs that we dig and coming from the East Village almost feels familiar. There's no question we already love it there!"
For now, the Luncheonette will stick true to its name, opening only 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. But the Horowitz's have plans to expand to breakfast and dinner, soon, which hopefully means their superlative BEC is coming downtown soon.
11 Park Place; website. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Luncheonette Menu by Nell Casey on Scribd
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Harry & Ida’s Luncheonette
harry and ida's
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Nell Casey
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