https://hoodline.com/2019/09/miller-s-east-coast-deli-closes-after-18-years-on-polk-street/
Excellent article in the SF Chron as to why âpassion isnât enoughâ to keep Delirama open:
This hit Bay Area deli is closing. Hereâs why
I believe Saulâs Deli/Berkeley offers chopped liver, although I prefer the chicken liver pate at The Fat Lady/Oakland, where they put a slug of cognac on it, LOL.
Iâm sorry to hear this, but Iâm not surprised. The two times I tried Delirama, the food was okay but the service was totally disorganized to the point of being annoying. I do remember the rye was the best Iâve had in the Bay Area.
The schlep to The Refuge is a long one, but the food, service, and atmosphere are wonderful. Saulâs is fine too.
To me, the whole âfind your passionâ thing is a red herring, canard. Itâs often used in industries that exploit people, like TV/filmâŚfood and restaurants.
Iâve heard âpursue your passionâ line for the past 20 years. Once when talking about this, a friend and I agreed, âhow about something that pays okay, isnât dehumanizing, exploitative and doesnât hurt anyoneâŚâ.
Always just awful awful graduate/career advice. People forget what actual passion is. Passion is willingness to suffer for the sake of⌠whatever it is you think youâre passionate about.
To tell someone to find and follow their passion is pointless. Someone truly passionate about cooking, or art, or race car driving, doesnât need to be TOLD to follow their passion. They canât IMAGINE doing otherwise.
Oh, itâs always been your passion to be a stand up comic? But you havenât written any jokes or gotten up at an open mike? Itâs not your passion. Itâs a daydream. A fantasy. Which is fine. But if you were passionate about it, youâd be writing jokes and hitting open mikes and living with three roommates while you hold down awful day jobs so you can make your act work.
Ditto running a deli. You want to make GREAT pastrami? Go ahead. Making a BUSINESS of it is an entirely different problem. And THAT is the problem that has to be your passion.
Anthony Bourdain had a lot to say about that. He had plenty of experience working in kitchen where the owners had âpassionâ but no grasp of the reality of running a restaurant.
The âpassionâ thing underlies $Billions and billions of student loan debt incurred when parents and kids bought hook, line, and sinker the bull leavings that a âcollege degreeâ is the beeâs knees, a comfy ticket to anywhere you choose, but really for way too many, an expensive meaningless worthless certificate of attendance . . . one could pile on a lot more.
The restaurant going in the Delirama site, with the same owners, is called Elsieâs, and will soft-open on March 1, 2024. They will have pastrami.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/elsies-restaurant-delirama-18677760.php
Nice! Iâll definitely visit. I hope he does well.
Elsieâs on Solano is now closed.
â Dear beloved friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the Solano locationâs closure after more than two years of serving our wonderful community. I recently had a heartfelt conversation with my landlord, and it has become evident that the financial strain of running the restaurant has become insurmountable. Regrettably, this means that all reservations will have to be canceled.
The current state of sales, coupled with the high rent, utilities, labor costs, and the uncompromising need for quality ingredients, have made it impossible for me to continue operating the business in the way I envisioned. Making this decision has been incredibly tough, but I firmly believe it is the best course of action for now.â
Full statement on the website.
https://www.elsiesonsolano.com/
It was open for just over a month! Dang.
aw man, sad! we were planning on trying it in the next couple weeks. i hope they can come up with something else at some other locale soonâŚ
Deliramaâs creator is going back to pastrami in pop-ups, as âLittle Pyroâ.
Scroll down for the Instagram link. HO didnât display it correctly.
and the Almanac pop-up event is already sold out! Sad they wonât be nearby anymore, but good for them.
Heh! The sign means that it goes from 11:15 until they sell out. Unclear, to be sure. Iâm trying to get in touch with them to order some pastrami, but Instagram isnât cooperating.
ah, ok. makes more sense.
Delirama is back with a one-month âresidencyâ at Olfactory Brewing, 2055 Center Street downtown. Sept. 13-Oct. 13, 12-9PM except Tuesdays.
And now Delirama at Olfactory Brewing will be permanent.
Nice! Glad theyâre back on their feet again.
The Delirama location in Olfactory Brewing downtown doesnât cure their own pastrami. They get it from Los Angeles-based RC Provisions, who also sell to Langerâs, Canters, and here, Wise Sons. Itâs really good, and I was looking for it. I found packages at Raxakoul Cheese, on Hopkins, with varying levels of fat (I lean towards more, heheh). If theyâre out when you go there, ask them to get more (so I can get more!).