I really WANT to like this place. I do. But I can't.
The staff are pleasant, but the smoked meat has NEVER really lived up to my expectations.
It's OK. Fair. Mediocre. Meh. And sometimes less than that.
On my most recent visit, I couldn't find fatty enough meat in their precut and plastic packaged offerings, so the guy was nice enough to cut me some fresh - but the grey chunk of meat that he pulled out seemed overly dark and brown and the most incredible thing about it, is right in the middle there was a 1 inch triangular section that looked like veins! Several of them.
I've never seen that (especially that obvious) in smoked meat before, and it was pretty large. And very gross.
I thought to myself - well - that's the sort of thing you should take a knife to and cut out - but the guy just sliced right through it so EVERY piece of meat I got had these really gross little 'asshole' looking things in them.
And that wouldn't be so bad if the meat didn't taste 'off.' It just wasn't quite right. It did taste a little bit like ass.
Sorry Zane. I'd like to love your food. I just can't.
It's like I keep thinking I'll be getting tasty, warm fatty smoked meat that I crave - and it's SO close - but never quite.
I'm so disappointed. Because it's almost good. And I keep thinking next time will be great. But it's not.
Oh - and on a funny note: I just saw Caplansky's on the news, because it was shut down for almost a week by the building owner over some sort of dispute with Zane, and the news report showed a staff member writing on a chalk-board sign in front of the store as they reopened - and the tubby guy wrote: "When life hans you lemons ... drink lemonade." (Maybe they should hire staff that knows how to spell 'hands.') :)