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Where there's smoke . . . there's brisket.

Caplansky's Deli:

Until the age of 25 I lived in the east end of London, England. There were two Jewish delis I frequented: Bloom's in Mile End Road, where on a Sunday morning the queue stretched around the block a couple of times -- a post-sabbath tradition; in that line-up deals were made, partnerships formed, politics discussed, marriages suggested, barmitzvahs arranged, grandchildren's photos shown, all to pass the time until your opportunity came to pick up a salt beef (corned beef) sandwich on rye if that was one's desire. The other deli was Phil Rabin's Salt Beef Bar on Great Windmill Street in the theatre district of Soho, oftentimes frequented by stars appearing on the London stage. Sadly, Bloom's is gone and Phil Rabin's is under new management.

When I came to Toronto in 1967, Switzer's Delicatessen on Spadina was the place to go, a noisy, busy deli with the best beef and crunchy dills, photos of famous stars on every wall and also where the finest cigars were also available. But that particular location is now closed although Mississauga, the Airport and Concord opened up Switzer's delis in its place.

"Not to worry,' as my Nanna would say, 'God doesn't close one door without opening another.'

Well, another door just opened at 356 College Street, between Bathurst and Spadina--Caplansky's Delicatessen. Judging from my two visits there the door will stay open for many years to come. The food is superb from the smoked meat, to the smoked turkey, the bagel and lox, to the matzoh ball soup -- the portions are very generous, the service is attentive and two can eat a full meal for thirty bucks.

The owner Zane, developed the heart of a deli man from early childhood. His Papa had a schmutter business on Richmond Street just west of Spadina where on many Sunday mornings, he told me, he would go to work with his Papa and get paid a nickel a pencil to sharpen pencils, and he'd also sweep the floors and hand out candies to the customers. Then for lunch they would go to the famous Switzer's Deli.

"Bernice was always our waitress, I was her little boyfriend and I'd help her run plates around the restaurant and she'd always pinch my cheek. We would have corned beef sandwiches, French fries, and cream sodas, and after that we'd go next door, which was a toy store, one of those places with the window filled with hundreds of toys and I could choose one toy each time we went. I felt like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory surrounded by a paradise."

I asked Zane if the Switzer's experience was the catalyst for his venture into the deli business. ". . . you know what it was?" he said, "After Switzer's when I was 16, I met my first girlfriend. She was a Montreal girl and took me to Schwatzer's Deli. Now, although I loved the corned beef at Switzer's, the smoked meet at Schwarter's had a flavour that I'd never tasted before. Years later when friends went to Montreal I'd ask them to bring me back sandwiches, they didn't, and I got a little frustrated and I wondered why I couldn't find this here in Toronto. So for my own purposes I bought a smoker, a brisket of beef and I just wanted to make that fragrance. Now the neighbours noticed all the smoke and asked me about it and I told them it was an old Jewish traditional food. One thing led to another and we decided to have a pot-luck thing. And they invited of all people, your son."

My son, Jesse Vallins is the chef at Trevor Kitchen and Bar on Wellington Street E. in downtown Toronto.

Zane carried on. "Now the meat for my own purposes was great, but the meat for a professional chef is a totally different thing. I'd already had the idea of doing a deli, a sandwich shop, but it wasn't until Jesse tasted it that I really thought it was going to be possible. He had a sandwich and said very good things -- then he had a second one, and when a respected chef has a second one you know that the nice things that are said were not just polite sentiments. It gave me great encouragement to believe I could make a go of it. On the journey here I worked at a number of restaurants learning my trade, had a very successful sandwich counter in the Monarch Tavern near Bloor, and well, now here we are in the heart of the deli district of Toronto. But I don't want to open a chain, or be the biggest, just the best."

Zane, left, and Jesse--a couple of happy chefs!

I was just musing. If I hadn't come to Canada, got married and had a son called Jesse, perhaps Caplansky's may never have evolved. But you know what? I think it would have anyway. When I first sat down with Zane he said, "I've always been impressed with the restaurant business, always loved the energy, loved people coming in hungry, I like the relationships you build with people, the banter between bartenders and waiters and customers, and well, I like to make people happy . . ."

That may not be on the menu but it is a recipe for success. The food is wonderful, the ambiance cheerful, licensed with inside and patio dining. Check out the menu at www.caplanskysdeli.com. Your mouth will drool.

Caplansky's will be a tradition. Go, visit, eat already.

Caplansky's Deli