Sunday, December 12, 2010

Where are you eating with your family this Christmas? A Chinese restaurant or a Kosher restaurant open in Manhattan, NY?

Where are you eating with your family this Christmas? A Chinese restaurant or a kosher restaurant open in Manhattan, NY?

According to the popular website about.com,  about 15 percent of Jews in America today keep kosher.
http://tinyurl.com/2cl4meg

The majority of the 85 percent of Jews who do not keep kosher have developed a weird tradition in America to dine at non kosher Chinese restaurants as many of them are open on Christmas day and Christmas Eve and as Chinese, like Jews , do not celebrate Xmas.

This peculiar custom is probably grounded in the biased notion that kosher restaurants are over-priced due to the additional costs involved,  such as the costs of hiring a Rabbi to bless the food, which is a ridiculous and false notion.

There are plenty of upscale kosher restaurants in Manhattan that provide food quality, service and ambiance on par with top Zagat rated non-kosher restaurants, while keeping the cost of the average check less expensive.  

This premise is supported by many non-Jewish customers who give high acclaims to their dining experience in a kosher restaurant. Whether their Jewish, kosher-observant boss decided to host a corporate or Christmas party in a kosher restaurant or they happened to walk into such restaurant even without knowing it is actually kosher, their favorable reviews are authentic testimony that kosher food can be affordable and delicious.
Besides, like many non-kosher restaurants, in these tough financial times, kosher restaurants also provide promotions, coupons and other incentives to their budget-conscious customers.

Talia's Steakhouse, a Glatt Kosher establishment, is not an exception to these economic trends.

Talia's provides a very affordable prix fixe, Recession-Proof Menu, that fits almost anyone's budget.
And for those, who really want to keep the Chinese "tradition", Talia's will add a few gourmet Chinese dishes this Christmas Day. In spite of the fact that "he was one of us," but nonetheless departed from the Glatt Kosher environment.

Maybe this will attract those 85%  of Jews who do not observe kosher, along with our regular 20% non-Jewish customers to eat great affordable Glatt kosher food for their Christmas dinner.

Talia's will offer a pre-paid prix fixe Friday night Shabbat dinner on December 24. Two options: $38 per person and $49 per person will be available. Our regular menu will not be available due to the Shabbat observance. http://tinyurl.com/29mvqfz

Talia's will offer both our special prix fixe $59 per person menu and our regular menu on Saturday night, December 25. Two sittings will be available: The first sitting will begin at 6:15 pm and the second sitting will begin at 8:45 pm. There will be live music with no cover charge and we are open all night. http://tinyurl.com/3yxccp5

Don't worry, you don't have to pay more, because of the myth that the Rabbi has to bless your food to make it kosher.

Talia's Steakhouse is an American / Middle-Eastern Glatt Kosher Restaurant located on the Upper West Side, in Manhattan, New York, NY

Talia's Steakhouse
668 Amsterdam Avenue, between 92nd 93rd Street
New York, NY 10025
(212) 580-3770
www.taliassteakhouse.com

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Friday, December 31, 2010 - New Year's Eve 2011 Party or Oneg Shabbat Dinner ?!

This year December 31st falls on a Friday, and thus New Years Eve coincides with Shabbat. 


What is the religious propriety of hosting the secular New Year's Eve Party on Shabbat in our Glatt Kosher establishment?


Many Jews will be tempted to celebrate the secular New Year and therefore forsake Shabbat services and observances. Talia's Steakhouse is not giving out any Shabbat exception. Talia's does not intend to do anything grandiose anyway. We understand that there are times when it is hard to turn down going out on Shabbat, but that won't really affect us. Shabbat dinner is definitely a priority, especially with your family. Your Grandma wouldn't have it any other way. Talia's believes that the spirituality of Shabbat contrasts too sharply with the hilarity of the New Year's Eve Party and that the civic New Year cannot be observed on Shabbat, as long as the sacred day's spirit prevails. For us, this Oneg Shabbat, and not New Year's Eve, should be the dominant focus of the evening. Although no music will be allowed and all food must be pre-cooked and pre-paid, Talia's guests may only enjoy a more elaborate Oneg Shabbat. If you really would like to enjoy live music, come the next day, Saturday Night, January 1, 2011. Talia's offers its usual evening of live music with no cover charge. American Jews do tend to celebrate New Year's Eve with much fanfare. So, this year, you are invited to do that, if you wish, the next day at Talia's. No matter where you go, start your night at Talia's. Anyway, we would love to hear your serious opinions and ideas about the subject of how to a glatt kosher restaurant should accommodate its orthodox dinners on New Year's Eve that falls on Shabbat.