In about a month, the old Macklind Avenue Deli will be new again—and we’re not just talking cosmetics.
Yes, there will be a makeover. But the whole ethos is changing under new ownership, with a team of accomplished restaurant veterans at the helm, including Eddie Neill (of Café Provençal and the now-shuttered Dubliner) and partners Max Crask (of Ices Plain & Fancy), Casey Jovick (former pitmaster at Sugarfire Smoke House), and Lauren Pusczek (from The Shaved Duck).
“Taking over an existing business is like changing a tire at 30 miles per hour,” says Neill. “It was a little raw, so we’ve rearranged a wee bit.”
Neill clearly has his finger on the pulse of SoHa, the Southampton neighborhood. He understands the demographic is younger and hipper than in the past, and he's taking the neighborhood's feedback to heart. Among the directives:
Be dog-friendly.
Offer some good carryout options for dinner.
Stay away from stupid sandwich names.
There's also an interest in healthy dishes and ingredients that are locally and ethically sourced, so Neill et al plan to work closely with area farms and to make deli staples from scratch. “We’re interested in nose-to-tail butchering,” says Neill, adding that the ownership team has purchased a 50-pound sausage stuffer, which Crask christened on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. In a couple weeks, the kitchen will be cranking out brats, krakauer, frankfurter, würstchen, knackwurst, currywurst, weisswurst, and käsekrainer.
Once the smoker is hooked up, Jovick will be turning out such deli meats as corned beef, pastrami, and smoked turkey.
Meanwhile, Pusczek’s bailiwick will be “power salads,” ideal for health-conscious patrons and made from primarily local ingredients.
Anne Cronin, a former Dubliner employee and owner of Cronin’s Pretzel's, will supply “the best pretzels in town,” adds Neill.
The booze will be just as interesting, coming from such providers as Robller Vineyard & Winery and Pinckney Bend Distillery.
As for those cosmetics? “We want it to look crisp and clean," says Neill, "but also like it’s been there 100 years.” He imagines it resembling a butcher shop you might find in central London or Dublin, complete with a counter and tin ceiling tiles. There's even a horticulturalist on board to help with the landscaping.
Neill believes the end result will cater to SoHa residents' wishes. "The neighborhood has been extremely friendly and informative of their desires," he says. "This should be an interesting venture."
Editor's Note: This article has been updated from an earlier version to reflect the correct spelling of Lauren Pusczek's last name.
