What’s on the menu at Caplansky’s Yorkville, the deli’s new fast-casual location
Name: Caplansky’s
Neighbourhood: Yorkville
Contact: 156 Cumberland Ave., 416-967-7676, caplanskys.com, @CaplanskysDeli
Previously: Tony Bulloni
Executive chef: Zane Caplansky
The food
A slightly condensed version of the College Street menu—what Caplansky calls the deli’s “greatest hits”—plus a few new items, like latke poutine and a fried chicken sandwich. Pickles are no longer served with every meal, but guests are encouraged to enjoy (in moderation) the self-serve mustard and pickle bar. The restaurant is currently open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; starting in June, Caplansky hopes to stay open late from Thursday to Saturday. “I think offering a great smoked meat sandwich—or a poutine or a burger—at midnight or 2 a.m. would be a great public service.”
Latke poutine: house-made potato latkes topped with Prince Edward County cheese curds and Caplansky’s smoked-meat gravy. $7.95.
The original smoked meat sandwich ($13.95) and a pickle-topped pint of Caplansky’s own Deli King dunkel ($5.75).
The CFC: buttermilk-fried chicken thighs topped with coleslaw, lettuce, tomato and Russian dressing. $13.95.
House-made maple beef–bacon doughnuts. $4.50.
The drinks
Fountain pop, wine (leftover stock from Tony Bulloni at the moment) and draught beer, like Caplansky’s own Deli King—a dunkel accented with brisket seasoning, made in collaboration with Guelph’s Wellington Brewery. Caplansky plans to work with Wellington to develop a whole line of brews, including a toasted-mustard kolsch, a smoked stout and a sour pickle beer.
The space
Caplansky partnered with Jackman Reinvents (the agency responsible for rebranding the Beer Store and Rexall) to make the new fast-casual space highly Instagrammable: the logo’s been given an update, brass floor tiles sport cheeky sayings (“I’ll have what she’s having”) and a feature wall is plastered with custom-made pickle-and-mustard wallpaper (identical to the paint job on Caplansky’s new food truck, Bubby Doris). The lower-level dining area can be rented out.
The slicer, a 1969 Omas, is the Ferrari of meat slicers according to Caplansky.
Here are the self-serve mustard and pickle bars. Coming soon: a six-tap mustard fountain (with one of those taps dedicated to ketchup).
Customers order at the counter and then take a number to their table.
Customers can buy Putter’s pickles or Caplansky’s mustard to go. Also for sale: pickle socks.
Excellent life advice is free.
The Chief Fresser himself, Zane Caplansky.
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