Mizman loh hitraehnu. For those of us who have longed for a real deal Jewish delicatessen to open in Omaha, I’ve heard from a little bird in the know, that we are all in for a big treat. No more pining away for a deli visit back East. At long last, we’ve got our own. Shervin Ansari plans to open Swartz’s Delicatessen this fall in Countryside Village. The deli will be located at 8718 Pacific, in the southern half of the old Broadmoor Market. If you haven’t been by in a while, the Village is slowly filling back in with some real quality ventures. And I’ve heard rumor of other incredible things happening there by the end of the year. (Photo above) Rendering of the new Swartz’s Delicatessen.
Of course I had to go root around a bit.
Bursting with authentic family recipes he’s ready to share, I’ve heard Ansari intends to bring in some well known, (but hard to find in these parts) staples for a deliciously stocked selection. Personally I am dying to sample his latkes with applesauce and sour cream. (For those who don’t already know these are European and Middle Eastern potato pancakes.)
Miss Cassette approves of this nod to the old school-meanwhile contemporary logo.
Sign Mr. Cassette up for heaping mounds of the chopped beef liver and pickled herring. The rubbed and smoked beets, with the Kitchen Sink (one half of a poached chicken, matzoh ball, krepla, noddle’s, rice, herbs, vegetables, schmaltz) sounds divine. Lox and bagels and capers and all of the usual suspects. Matzoh ball soup: check. Hearty brisket: he’ll have it. Pastrami or corned beef on rye: of course. Sauerkraut: without a doubt. But the thing I cannot wait for is this spinach potato knish number. And drum roll….Swartz’ will have their own version of the reuben.
Soon to be entrance to Swartz’s Deli.
I want it all but maybe even more than the food, I want to enjoy some lively conversation and community. And of course a bit of eavesdropping over my Matzoh ball soup. But alas, we will all have to wait a while longer. In the mean time, check on their drool-worthy site. http://swartzsdeli.com/. As I like to remind people, this town is really coming back around. I hope friends will pop in when they’re in town and help me welcome Swartz’s Delicatessen.
***Addendum as of 9/7/16***News Flash–this just in. Swartz’s rumored to open in early October. Be still, our collective heart.
The Countryside Village of my youth. Cars you would never see there now.
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Drove past there last night and saw the sign! Didn’t know it’s full-on Kosher! (Linda & Marian would be so happy!) Now I’m really jazzed. Glad to see something cool going into the old Countryside Grocery space. And you’re spot on about the logo. Really nice. Great pic of First Fed, too, with those supremely awesome 3-D letters. When was that photo taken? By the cars, it looks like sometime between ’70 and ’72. I don’t remember the First Federal signage being so great – but really, I don’t remember it at all at that time. The photo is shot from the SE corner. At the time, I believe there was a Skelly gas station, complete with two pumps, on the far east side but in the building to the north (just out of view in the photo). I may have posted this before, but a few years ago when Countryside re-did their roofing and HVAC, the old wood from decades ago was exposed as the work progressed through the shopping center. First Federal had a great painted sign that saw the light of day for a couple weeks. https://flic.kr/p/dKUwHp
It won’t be full-on kosher, although they will rent out space in the Beth El kitchen so they can have some certified kosher offerings, as well as some prepackaged kosher items.
Awesome! Perfect! Wonderful! Can’t wait! Thanks for more details.
How long ago was that photo taken inside? Trying to gauge how quickly we’ll get access to this food!
Yes, I truly hope you can assess these things more accurately than I. I took the interior on August 5, just minutes after being tipped off.
Rumors indicate the opening will be sometime the week of October 3rd!
Breaking News!!!
Great Article!! It’s unfortunate that Vicki, the brains behind the food, isn’t mentioned. I am super excited for this opening! It will be great!
Hi,
Good to hear from you and glad to know about Vicki! I do not know anyone involved in this enterprise and just wrote it out of pure excitement. Thanks and see you there.
Miss Cassette, I wonder if you would ever devote a story to Larry & Virginia Myers, and their development of Countryside Village itself in 1953? Being from the area, this shopping center was an absolute haunt for us kids. We’d line our bikes up outside the Pharmacy that was located on the SW corner of the original building, and get ice cream at the fountain they had. On our way out of course was the obligatory peruse of the candy aisle for something to “take with”. On a hot Saturday morning, it was nothing to see 10-15 bikes lined up–(always at least one kid left outside to watch our bikes.) And the store teaming with sugared-up 7-10 year olds running loose in the Pharmacy. We must’ve drove the staff crazy! This strip mall is very near & dear to my heart, with MANY fond memories of how it ‘once was’.