bay area ‘East Coast’ goes north as S.F. deli opens in Marin liz harris
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business was a good fit for Morgenstein. His grandparents were kosher caterers; Robby Morgenstein is determined to give his mother worked for them and later at Jewish deli fans in Marin their just due — the upscale Pimlico Hotel, where locals a full-fledged, New York–style eatery, with went for fine dining in a refined atmosphere. A cousin owned the venerable all the trimmings. still thriving) Attman’s The owner of Miller’s East Coast (and Delicatessen in San Francisco has opened a Delicatessen downtown, and another second Miller’s in San Rafael, promising to cousin owned Miller’s deli in northwest bring “the full breadth of New York deli- Baltimore. Morgenstein, 48, moved west when catessen” to Marin residents. That means fat sandwiches, kishka, kreplach soup and he was in his 20s (“I was young, I was other favorites. Fish is a specialty, too, from bored,” he says). After working as a chef, he opened Miller’s East Coast West smoked sable to pickled herring. The restaurant, which opened Jan. 4, is Delicatessen in August 2001. But an located in the Montecito Shopping Center aging building, construction woes and, in the corner space once occupied by the soon enough, 9/11 created insurmountable problems. Miller’s East Coast West Pasta Pomodoro. Growing up in Baltimore’s large subur- lasted three years. But Morgenstein resolved that he would ban Jewish community, Morgenstein says learn from past mistakes. that in his home, a “huge” Miller’s East Coast When the new Miller’s fish platter (along with Frank Sinatra on the radio) Delicatessen Marin opened in 2004 at 1725 Polk is located at St., Morgenstein was deterwas standard Sunday morn421 Third St., San Rafael. mined to do things right. ing fare. No reason not to (415) 453-3354 or continue the tradition here. www.millerseastcoastdeli.com. “From the day it began,” he says, “it was a whole differGoing into the restaurant j. staff
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liz harris
Robby Morgenstein prepares to open his new deli.
ent ballgame.” Not only did revenues climb dramatically, but Morgenstein also settled on East Coast food purveyors for standards, such as bagels (from Long Island, N.Y.) and smoked fish (from Brooklyn). “We’re getting the exact same fish that they do at Zabar’s,” he says, referring to the famous food store in New York City. Deli aficionado David Sax, author of the 2009 book “Save the Deli,” cited Miller’s (along with Saul’s in Berkeley) as a place that could lead a Bay Area deli renaissance. They represent a “tenuous new generation of Jewish delicatessens [in the Bay Area that recently] began emerging, approaching deli with a locavore’s take on food,” he writes. Morgenstein, a Novato resident who tends goats, chickens and a vegetable garden by his home, favors local food sources when possible for his restaurants, as well as locally brewed beers. He’ll also serve coffee roasted by Weaver’s Coffee of San Rafael. The 1,500-square foot San Rafael location seats 86; when the weather warms up, additional seating for about 30 will be set up outside. Décor includes old-fashioned black-and-white signage proclaiming such things as “The finest meats in town” and “You name the sandwich, we’ll build it.” Miller’s has a loaded deli counter for
customers on the go; it also offers catering and home delivery. In the final weeks before the San Rafael opening, Morgenstein put in 15-hour workdays, starting at the San Francisco Miller’s, then heading across the Golden Gate Bridge to oversee construction and make the countless decisions required to
get the establishment up and running. The restaurateur is well aware that Marin has had its share of Jewish-style delis: They’ve come — and gone. Authentic Jewish deli is an expensive operation, he concedes, but Miller’s has the “degree of scale” to succeed. “This feels right,” he says of his latest endeavor. “I think 11 years later, all the lessons learned on Polk Street will serve our clients well.” ■
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