I am beginning to think that the Almighty is intervening to get me to eat better. After the closing of our favorite hot dog joint in Chicago, Hot Doug’s, last week saw an announcement that my favorite burger place in Chicago, Ed Debevic’s, was closing its most famous location (where our family has gone religiously for years) to make way for a new high rise. Now, as my family is still reeling from the news, city officials have shutdown our favorite New York deli, Carnegie Deli. I have gone to Carnegie since I was a kid and my kids are now equal fans. However, the owners of this highly profitable deli are accused of possibly stealing gas and endangering customers.
Con Edison has reported that its crews discovered a diverted line running to Carnegie while looking for a leak. These inspections have been increased in the aftermath of an explosion in the East Village that killed two people. An illegal gas line tap is suspected.
Here is what I do not understand. If there is an illegal tap of the gas, it would seem an easy criminal case. If the diverting pipe leads to the deli, it would seem obvious as to the culprit and the crime. After all, did the Deli not pay for gas or pay substantially less each day? If so, this is an ongoing theft. It is not clear if this was an old line or an active line. If it was active, it is highly dangerous to create such taps.
The deli simply said that it was closed for repairs related to the city’s gas utility, but Con Edison released as far more disturbing statement. The absence of any reference to possible criminal charges is curious since this would not just be theft but public endangerment if true.
The most important issue however is that my family is being rapidly denied access to our favorite sources of high-fat cuisine in multiple cities. I sense a vast healthy food conspiracy. If I cannot get my Chicago hotdogs, Ed Devevik’s shakes, and towering New York corned beef, I might as well be . . . well . . . French.
Harold Levin and Paul are both correct as to why restaurants don’t take credit cards. The IRS likes to pick on small biz, particularly restaurants. And, restaurant owners love to stick it up the IRS’s ass. Not taking credit cards helps w/ that, and also helps the bottom line. Even among places that do take plastic, many don’t take AmEx. They make restaurants pay exorbitant fees. Boycott AmEx.
Riesling, I always like when you comment here. Whether I agree w/ you or not is almost irrelevant. You are intellectually honest and not a snob, like some here! Interesting fact about the American food trending in Europe. Isaac just had a mini stroke reading that. I think the best food cultures are Asian, particularly Chinese, Thai and Viet Nam. Southern Europe is up w/ Asia. There are some God awful food cultures, Norwegian, Iceland, come to mind. The US is somewhere in the middle; behind India, but ahead of Canada. I think Isaac is overcompensating for being a hoser. He likes to pretend he’s French. I just like to kiss that way.
@bam bam
Thank you!!! I am glad you liked it! It is my form of pun-ditry. 🙄
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
“The most important issue however is that my family is being rapidly denied access to our favorite sources of high-fat cuisine in multiple cities.”
= = =
Well Mr. Turley, you could always set up a GoFundMe campaign…
I am afraid the owners were cheap in other ways than paying their utility bill. They did not take any credit cards. Probably didn’t report all of their income.
Harold Levin – credit card companies charge businesses a percentage of the bill. If the deli is taking cash, they are saving money.
Nick, you are right about good American food. While I do enjoy having all of the European delicacies at my disposal here, I often get cravings for the typically American stuff (usually made by my mom). For example: macaroni and cheese, roast beef, chicken potpie, corn on the cob, pumpkin pie, chocolate layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, ceasar salad, apple pie, cornbread and beans, fluffy buttermilk pancakes with Vermont maple syrup, crab cakes, a breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon and fried potatoes, a BLT and a club sandwich with a pickle on the side. Hmm…. and a good bagel with cream cheese. This is the kind of stuff that Europeans love too. In fact, American food – mostly burgers, pulled-pork and cupcakes- is very trendy in Europe now.
Squeeky
Lol! Great poem! I am, however, going to miss seeing those enormous sandwiches at Carnegie’s when I make my pilgrimages to NYC. Those things had their own zip codes.
Well, I am just betting that the Carnegie Deli people were very selfish with their savings on the utility bill! Which leads to this Irish Poem!
Carnegie’s Haul???
An Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm
There once was a delicatessen
Whose gas line, it showed signs of messin’ !
They by-passed the meter,
But did any eater
There, get a discount? “No!” I’m guessin’.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Nick
This has the makings for a good TV show, alternating weeks, one in France and one in the US. There would have to be a few rules: no guns, leave your flag at home, and remember to take your meds.
By the way, I’ve eaten at some of the best Southern restaurants and had some exceptionally great home style cooking in the South. The best BBQ I ever tasted was at the Nice Jazz Festival in the ’70s. You would find yourself in line with BB King, Fats Domino, or Lionel Hampton between sets. They didn’t have any complaints. It depends on the region. There is no such thing as French or Italian. It is all regional and momentary. The best wild rabbit stew may be only available when the restaurant is starting up. After developing a clientele most restaurants tend to iron things out in the name of efficiency and profit. It also depends on the local food. I only know Northern Italy but Southern France has that beat and the US is not even in the game. I’m not talking about all this ‘architectural’ bs either. The sight of a slice of fish with some weed stuck in it and a curly Q of sauce on an immaculate square plate does nothing for me.
The Jewish Deli routine is way, way, way overrated. My mom’s side is Ukranian and I grew up with all that stuff, the sausage, holchis, perogies, etc. The best is only available in someone’s kitchen. In a deli or restaurant there is no comparison. Ben’s smoked meats from Montreal was good then slid. Winnipeg kiebassa was good but not any more. The whole Eastern European thing is good but heavy and mostly over cooked.
The Carnegie Deli has been there for decades. Somehow I don’t think it’s a new thing. Whatever it is was probably put there when the piping was installed in the first place. “Hey here’s $50, put a little pipe into here” the old-fashioned way of doing business in NYC. Since there’s no proof that Carnegie even knew about this pipe, reinstall a new one and start billing. Fix the problem. Don’t create a bigger one.
You mean that Carnegie’s had to siphon off gas? Between the potato knishes, the seltzer and the mile high corned beef sandwiches, there wasn’t more than enough gas to go around?
Around fifteen years ago, I was seated at a very small table, across from a friend, at Carnegie’s. We were discussing what we should order, when a very distinctive voice, from the table next to ours, started making recommendations. It was Jackie Mason, in all his glory. As a side note, I’ve never seen a shade of red hair that remotely resembles what was on his head that day. A true New York experience.
Isaac, That chip on your shoulder is weighing you down. I often berate the supersize US food culture. But, there IS GOOD AMERICAN FOOD not based on quantity. American BBQ comes from the poor, rural southern culture. They could only afford poor cuts of meat so low and slow was the way the meat was cooked, to perfection. The accoutrements to BBQ, crispy cole slaw, baked beans, greens, corn bread are all GOOD classic American fare. The south also has many other good classic dishes like fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, sweet potato pie, and MUCH more. New England w/ their chowders, clam bakes on the beach, lobster rolls, johnny cakes[not a Soprano reference] and MUCH more.
We AGREE that much of the US food culture is broken. But, get that French stick you have up your pompous ass and get that redwood sized chip off your shoulder. There is some GREAT US food, I just touched on a few regional dishes. Maybe some people here who don’t have chips can comment on some more GOOD quintessential US food! And Italy kicks the pretentious French foods ass. What you got from your living in France was their pomposity. It is not pretty.
Firstly, the news on Ed Debevic’s is sad. We too took our kids there. The food was good, but the schtick service was the attraction. The wait staff were mostly actors who would play roles as they waited on you. A lot of ball busting which my kids loved[no idea why?]. It was classic diner food w/ great meat loaf, burgers, fries, pie, milk shakes[w/ the stainless steel container]. Spontaneously, the staff would break out in a song/dance number. Plus, they had beer!!
Thanks, Willy. I had a hard time with the idea of a deli having illegal gasoline. From where did they siphon it? Out of customers cars? Out of cabs? Under cover of dark purchase at the docks? So they could sell it in 5 gallon cans under the table? Use it as a promotion – one quart of gasoline with every fifth pastrami sandwich? This imaginary journey is much more fun than the reality of the possible consequences of a dangerous gas tap.
bettykath – I was going with the illegal gasoline and even had a response before I reread the entire article. My feeling was that since it was NYC anything could be illegal.
The gas in this case is natural gas, not gasoline as JT’s title says.
“I’ve eaten at the Carnegie deli. I also lived for many years in Southern France. There is no comparison.”
I would hope not.
Gas explosions can kill. Like sushi bar gas work around in NYC east village that killed 2. Illegal gas pipe work around gets red flagged.
Carnegie Deli gets caught. Pay Con Ed cheated gas bill and keep it legal. Maybe more legal action?
Oh no! Where will we get our corned beef and pastrami sandwiches now?
You don’t think this could be an attack on fatty foods by de Blasio? He could slowly, but surely be closing down all the delis in NYC.
I’ve eaten at the Carnegie deli. I also lived for many years in Southern France. There is no comparison. You’re better off French. The only draw to US ethnic food is quantity. When somebody’s hungry and they get to stuff pounds of greasy food in their face, somehow that’s considered good. This is a by product of the elimination of the integration of intelligent eating in a daily routine. Alas, even France is succumbing to the eat on the go routine.