Lox, Bagels and Cream Cheese for Mother's Day?

I usually order lox, bagels etc from Russ & Daughters out of New York for Mother's Day but with the overnite shiiping charges last years order cost almost as much for shipping as the order. I have tried before to find some place in Chicagoland with a decent selection of lox & smoked salmon, bagels and cream cheeses as well as pickles but have never been sucessful in finding the quality/selection I want. I thought I would try this Forum for suggestions for Deli's in the Chicagoland area that carry top quality lox etc. Any suggestions based on actual experiance? -Dick

This is what I would do:

Hand-sliced nova from Ashkenaz, Bagels from NY Bagel and Bialy, house-made cream cheese from Kaufman's. And, yes, this is based on actual, repeated experience.

More reading here

Ashkenaz Deli
12 E Cedar St
Chicago
(312) 944-5006

Kaufman's
4905 Dempster
Skokie
(847) 677-9880

NY Bagel and Bialy
4714 W Touhy
Lincolnwood
(847) 677-9388

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:This is what I would do:


Ashkenaz Deli
12 E Cedar St
Chicago
(312) 944-5006

Kaufman's
4905 Dempster
Skokie
(847) 677-9880

NY Bagel and Bialy
4714 W Touhy
Lincolnwood
(847) 677-9388

Thank goodness Google maps now let me plot multiple destinations. From my house 53 miles, 1 hour 26 minutes. No doubt worth every minute and every mile.

If you're willing to do the legwork, a trip down to Calumet Fisheries for smoked salmon is worth it, in my mind. On the way back North, stop at Orly's in Hyde Park for bagels.

Calumet Fisheries Inc.
95th Street at the Bridge
3259 East 9th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
Tel: 773/933-9855

Orly's Restaurant
1660 E 55th street
773-643-5500

Thanks for the replies!
Based on the limited # of responses and the possible arduous road trip without the certainty of a GREAT lox and bagels, its Russ & Daughters again for me.
If you have never been to a Deli in New York City or Long Island, then you haven't experienced true Deli. -Dick

budrichard wrote:
If you have never been to a Deli in New York City or Long Island, then you haven't experienced true Deli.

If you can look beyond your New York snobbery, you can get an excellent deli platter, or just lox and accessories at Kauffman's. You can buy your bagels there as well or go to NY Bagel and Bialy or Touhy.

Kauffman's Bagel and Deli
4905 Dempster
Skokie, IL
847-677-9880

New York Bagel & Bialy
4714 W. Touhy
Lincolnwood, IL
847-677-9388

It humbles me that my recommendations yield, at best, a lack of certainty. Oh well.

budrichard wrote:
If you have never been to a Deli in New York City or Long Island, then you haven't experienced true Deli.

Spoken like a true New Yorker...

budrichard wrote:Thanks for the replies!
Based on the limited # of responses and the possible arduous road trip without the certainty of a GREAT lox and bagels, its Russ & Daughters again for me.
If you have never been to a Deli in New York City or Long Island, then you haven't experienced true Deli. -Dick

Dick,

I'd like to point out that Michael M (Eatchicago), who made the solid local recommendations upthread, has been to a New York City Deli or two, or three, or four.

Regards,
Gary

budrichard wrote:If you have never been to a Deli in New York City or Long Island, then you haven't experienced true Deli. -Dick

Dick... if you know full well in advance that you're going to shoot down any suggestion anybody makes because it can't, by definiton, meet your "true deli" standards, then might I suggest you not bother asking in the first place and spare us all the insult?

I asked the original question and waited a number of days with only the comments you can read which were essentially nothing that I hadn't already been to and purchased from. Rather than a loooooong trip without any certainty from the intenery suggested, I elected to use Russ & Daughters again. Then the posts came in disparging me and my Post. I did not attack anyone nor comment on anyone's Post. If you don't agree with me than give me suggestions. I've been to Kaufmann's many times and New York Bagel and frankly won't use those sources anymore. My wish was to avoid FedEx charges and purchase locally, not be haranged by a bunch of children sitting behind the anominity of the Internet. My comment stands. It was simple comment. If you don't agree, you certainly can voice your opinion but do it like an adult.-Dick

budrichard wrote:My wish was to avoid FedEx charges and purchase locally, not be haranged by a bunch of children sitting behind the anominity of the Internet.

My name is Dominic Armato.

And if you don't see the insult in asking somebody for a recommendation, stating that you're going to ignore it on the basis that you can't be assured of its greatness, and mentioning, oh, by the way, nothing you could have recommended would have been a real deli anyway... I really have nothing more to add.

Dmnkly wrote:

budrichard wrote:My wish was to avoid FedEx charges and purchase locally, not be haranged by a bunch of children sitting behind the anominity of the Internet.

My name is Dominic Armato.

And if you don't see the insult in asking somebody for a recommendation, stating that you're going to ignore it on the basis that you can't be assured of its greatness, and mentioning, oh, by the way, nothing you could have recommended would have been a real deli anyway... I really have nothing more to add.

And my name is Michael Morowitz, my email address is linked below and my photograph is on this site no less than a couple dozen times, few LTHers are a bigger Russ and Daughters fan than I am, and Dominic took the words right out of my mouth.

Best,
Michael

And I'm Spartacus.

Is the Bagel Bigger? NY Bagel and Bialy

We stopped in at the most excellent New York Bagels and Bialys tonight, and The Wife observed that what are now called “mini-bagels” are actually the size of what used to be normal bagels – about as big as a league baseball. What are now considered “normal bagels” have swollen over the years, and they’re almost as big as a Chicago softball.

It’s hard comparing what you have in front of you today with what you remember from your youth, but it seems that the size of the bagel has expanded. The normal bagel seems bigger now than it was, say, 40 years ago.

Or is this just a weird shared hallucination suffered by The Wife and I?

Maybe I’m dreaming, but hamburgers, breasts and television screens also seem bigger.

budrichard wrote:I've been to Kaufmann's many times and New York Bagel and frankly won't use those sources anymore.

I'm curious - what are your issues with these places? I'm not trying to be snarky, and I have lived in NYC and went to many delis there, but as a WASP, I just don't get the debate over delis there vs. some of the better delis here. Maybe you can provide some perspective?

eatchicago wrote:This is what I would do:

Hand-sliced nova from Ashkenaz, Bagels from NY Bagel and Bialy, house-made cream cheese from Kaufman's. And, yes, this is based on actual, repeated experience.

Going to separate places for special lox and bagels I can understand, but is the cream cheese really worth the extra drive? Cream cheese is cream cheese IMO. Do you get plain or flavored from Kaufman's? (and why do I have the feeling that if I sent jimthebeerguy on a 3-place drive for cream cheese, lox, and bagels, I would wind up with an apple fritter from Old Fashioned? For savory breakfasts, we live near Foster & Kedzie and more likely than not, Jim likes to go to the Middle East stores and get fresh pitas, hummus, olives, dates and falafel, which is better than you'd think for a morning meal!)

The real question is...how can I get my husband to read this thread?

Mhays wrote:The real question is...how can I get my husband to read this thread?

Forward him this link: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 730#124730

Regards,

Regarding cream cheese, I definitely do not get it at NYB&B. I don't like theirs. First of all it's made with scallions instead of chives. Additionally, the pieces of scallion are unpalatably large. I definitely prefer chive cheese with smaller piece identity.

I stop for bagels at NYB&B pretty much every time I pass the Touhy exit on the Edens because, IMO, their bagels are the best available. But I wait to get chive cheese at Once Upon a Bagel in Highland Park, which happens to be a block from my office. But even if it weren't convenient for me, I'd still have to source the cream cheese somewhere other than NYB&B. I'll pick up decent but inferior bagels at OUaB but only if I don't anticipate passing by NYB&B. I think I actually like Philly brand chive cheese better than what they offer at NYB&B.

As for lox, I've been making my own now for about a year and frankly, nothing else I've had stacks up very well against it. In any event, I don't buy it anymore; just the raw, wild salmon needed to make it.

=R=

edited for clarity

Saint Pizza wrote:Going to separate places for special lox and bagels I can understand, but is the cream cheese really worth the extra drive? Cream cheese is cream cheese IMO. Do you get plain or flavored from Kaufman's?

Well, as far as I'm concerned, there is such a thing as bad cream cheese. It's gummy and has no flavor (or an overly-tangy flavor). For an example of this see: Philadelphia.

My favorite things about Kaufman's are the house-made cream cheese and the new or half-sour pickles. I always go for plain cream cheese.

If you're up for it, SP, do a taste test between Kaufman's and another brand of CC and see what you think. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Best,
Michael

I'll have to second eatchicago's sage advice about cream cheese. Kaufman's is where I get mine, too. I'll also buy lox there, but it's NYB&B for my bagels, despite growning up on Kaufman's version.

crrush wrote:If you're willing to do the legwork, a trip down to Calumet Fisheries for smoked salmon is worth it,
Calumet Fisheries Inc.
95th Street at the Bridge
3259 East 9th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
Tel: 773/933-9855

How to make an LTH mother happy on Mothers Day.




not to mention the chocolate ice cream.

(Or, of course, you could bring mac and cheese and the world's most adorable grandchildren.)

stevez wrote:I'll have to second eatchicago's sage advice about cream cheese. Kaufman's is where I get mine, too. I'll also buy lox there, but it's NYB&B for my bagels, despite growning up on Kaufman's version.

Hmm....if nothing else, going to Kaufman's to try out the cream cheese will give me a good excuse to stop by Pita Inn for lunch. (I agree that overly large scallions are not a good substitute for chives)

Ann Fisher, cute grandkids!!!

Where can I get good, fresh Lox at a decent price on the Northside of Chicago?? There is none in East Rogers Park that I know of????

lox and a decent price are mutually exclusive. Good lox is expensive, over $36 a pound. Kaufman's sells good lox.

A very good source for competitively-priced fish is Max & Benny's deli, in Northbrook. You will pay through the nose, but it smells so good! Tastes good, too.

They have a very good selection of fishes, including the sometimes-elusive smoked chubs. Other deli seafood and salad mainstays abound. You have to love a place that offers three kinds of sable.

Enjoy, bubele! Enjoy!

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12959&hilit=lox

Mods - you might want to scoot this over to Shopping & Cooking

Dave148 wrote:http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12959&hilit=lox

Mods - you might want to scoot this over to Shopping & Cooking

My contribution is more on the "Eating Out" side than the "Shopping & Cooking" side (although there's overlap), to wit: I think The Bagel (the place on Broadway called The Bagel, not the place on Damen called Bagel on Damen) has very good nova.

I think New York Bagels & Bialys in Lincolnwood has the best lox for the money. $20-$22/lb, and every Monday on my way to work I pick up a half-pound with 4 flat onion bialys to be toasted, and with a little bit of cream cheese, that's four breakfasts for me. And I never get tired of it. SO good!

New York Bagel & Bialy Corp.
4714 W Touhy Ave
(between Keating Ave & Kilpatrick Ave)
Lincolnwood, IL 60712