This letter is in response to the Feb. 11 column written by David Hammond, “A man and his smoked salmon at Onion Roll,” which includes an “instructive rant composed by Oak Parker Robert Gardner, editor and publisher of The Local Beet.”
I am 95 years old, a WWII veteran and an Oak Park resident for over 62 years. I have also been a loyal patron of the Onion Roll since its origin. However, I am deeply troubled and disappointed by this recent opinion piece.
I would like to clarify a few items in Mr. Gardner’s instructive rant: “It’s nova, not lox.” For his information, not all smoked salmon is created equal, and Jewish smoked salmon, called lox, is not the same as the standard smoked salmon that you get from your regular grocery store. Lox is a Jewish delicacy normally eaten on bagels with cream cheese, slice of onion and tomato.
Lox is salmon cured in a brine, which includes water or oil, salt, sugar, and spices. Lox is made either salty (Belly Lox) or not salty (Nova Scotia Lox or Nova Lox). Typical sides to add to your lox and bagels are slices of red or sweet onion, slices of tomato, or slices of cucumber, lemon, and capers. Not necessarily eaten on “pumpernickel.”
The lox served at the Onion Roll is and has always been hand-cut and thinly sliced, never by machines. I would be interested in knowing where Mr. Gardner obtained his information when making the statement, “The way they are threatening to stop doing it at Onion Roll.” This is perhaps in his own mind.
Mr. Gardner states, “Lore has it that Onion Roll opened over 50 years ago.” In reality, it has been in existence for over 60 years. The original owner (Benny) sold the business to as he put it, “Italian hands,” the Cardone brothers. The practice of hand-slicing has carried over to the current owner.
“The kreplach left the menu.” They must have walked away with the “Cuban” cigars. No, it did not “leave the menu.” The purveyor ceased producing them. Many delis began using Won Ton in place of the kreplach. The Onion Roll owners located and purchased through another supplier in New York that eventually tripled the price. Due to supply and demand, it was no longer feasible for them, thus they ceased carrying it.
Belly Lox is no longer carried, due to the extremely high salt content and the owner’s concern for his customers’ preference as well as their health and well-being.
“Big change happened in 2014. Ownership changed hands again.” This statement is very misleading as it insinuates a continual change in ownership. After 30+ years, the Onion Roll changed hands for the second time when one Cardone Brother sold it to Leo, the current owner.
“If you expected the bill of sale to include a special codicil guaranteeing the salmon would remain hand cut, you would be wrong.” You could not be more incorrect in this statement. Customers request hand-cut lox and that is exactly what they receive; this has not changed nor will it.
The next time Mr. Gardner is out and about looking to write an editorial aimed at desecrating a hardworking person’s livelihood, he should investigate, obtain the correct facts and perhaps speak to an establishment’s owner and customers prior to putting pen to paper.