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On Hanukkah, we light the menorah, play dreidel and give small gifts to children for each of the eight nights. But what we really look forward to is feasting on latkes.
Of course, achieving the crisp corners and soft centers of a perfect potato pancake is not easy, especially when you’ve got a brisket braising in the oven and menorah cookies cooling on a rack.
To that we say — why not just order them? A prized few Bay Area restaurants and markets will do the shredding, squeezing and frying for you. Pick them up before your Hanukkah party and relish the clean (read: not grease-laden) kitchen for eight amazing nights.
This year, Hanukkah begins on Dec. 3, and all three spots listed below are making other parts of the Hanukkah meal, too, from Star of David sugar cookies to slow-cooked brisket. Here they are:
Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen
Every year, owner Peter Levitt’s latkes (last year, they were $15 for a half dozen; $29 dozen) take center stage at the Latke Tent & Beer Garden just outside the Berkeley restaurant. In addition to the perfectly crafted potato pancakes — Levitt’s recipe achieves crispiness by using the russets’ natural starch instead of flour or matzoh meal — Saul’s Delicatessen also offers other Hanukkah must-haves, from homemade apple sauce, chicken soup and matzoh balls to braised brisket and sufganiyot. Last year’s prices ranged from $6-$21.[SUE – I’m going to take the non-latke prices out for the magazine; they’re here right now for the online version]
Details: 1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; www.saulsdeli.com
Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen
San Francisco’s premier stop for all things bagel and schmear is offering the key dishes for this year’s Festival of Lights. Not just fried potato pancakes ($32 a dozen), cooked to a crisp in cast iron and served with sides ranging from rustic apple sauce to smoked fish salad, but also babka platters ($55, serves 24), matzoh ball soup ($75, serves 10) and sweet noodle kugel with raisin and cornflake topping ($40, serves 16 and is probably better than your Bubbe’s).
Details: Find Wise Sons’ San Francisco and Larkspur locations at http://wisesonsdeli.com.
Market Hall Foods
The fine foodies at Market Hall never disappoint with their classic, shredded spuds. Generously sized, golden potato pancakes (4 for $6.95) are cooked to perfection and ready to heat. Top with their cinnamon-kissed applesauce ($9.95 pint) and house-made creme fraiche ($3.95 for 5 ounces), of course. Also look for rugelach, savory vegetable kugel and roasted yam puree studded with gingery pears.
Details: Order online, by phone or in-person at both locations, in Oakland or Berkeley; www.markethallfoods.com
