Victoria’s Lox, Stock & Bagel Deli is back in business. The volunteer-run restaurant is part of the Victoria Jewish Community Centre, which has been closed since March due to COVID-19. The deli has made some adjustments to its operations.
“We decided to finally to go with a limited menu and do take out because we’ve had so many of our customers really want the food so we’re going to try take out and we’re living in hopes that in another month or two we’ll be able to open up,” says volunteer Rose Carr.
Carr is celebrating her 30th year as part of the kitchen staff.
The Jewish Community Centre (JCC) relies on income from the deli to operate its senior and youth programs, but due to the pandemic, the centre has been a little more quiet than normal.
“We didn’t have our usual customers and the usual schmoozing going on, so it’s nice to be open and we thought we could do take out in a nice safe way,” says JCC president Larry Gontovnick.
The closure of the deli has also been rough on the volunteers that make up the kitchen staff, who give up their time in support of the centre.
“It’s been really rough. You know when you get used to the interacting and seeing people and you see their children grow up and have children and then there’s nobody. It’s really lonesome. We really all miss each other cause we’re family,” says Carr.
After the first order of the day was picked up, the calls started to roll in.
“We’ve had actually about five or six orders just in the first 15 minutes, so it looks good,” says Gontovnick.
“It’s been really special that we can do this and hopefully our clients will know we’re here and come by and say hi,” adds Carr.
The streamlined menu features blintzes, jumbo hot dogs, hot pastrami sandwiches, bagels with lox and matzo ball soup, all made with once special ingredient: love.
” It’s something that we offer that we don’t think any other restaurant can offer and because we’re volunteers, we really do it out of love,” says Carr.
To place a takeout order head to jccvictoria.ca/deli
Cole Sorenson
