Randabi's Deli celebrates grand opening

Sarasotans can munch on old world chopped liver, Middle Eastern malawach and New York Style cheese cake at Randabi’s Deli, 6550 Gateway Ave.

Temple Sinai members and partners Jerry Thomas and Michael Lauber opened up this New York-style deli because they saw a void in Sarasota. Although the deli serves Jewish and Middle Eastern food, they say they will make anything for customers for catering events.

“We are pretty flexible, it doesn’t have to be on our menu,” Thomas says.

Growing up, Lauber worked in a number of Jewish delis in his home of Brooklyn, N.Y.  and Thomas has been decorating cakes and catering for temples in Sarasota. They came up with the name Randabi by combining the names of Lauber’s daughters Miranda and Abi.

Lauber once worked at his family’s metal stamping plant and owned his own clothing store in New York but returned to his love for cooking.

Thomas went to culinary school after working in the real-estate management for 25 years and says this is a second chance for both of them after the economic downturn.

“We both came to Sarasota around the same time, we both got hit with the economy and started over again,” Thomas says. “This is our time to make something happened and get back on track.”

The deli's sandwiches range from $6.95 to $11.95 and are accompanied by a New York-style coleslaw and quarter pickle.

Almost everything is made from scratch and the partners brine their own tongue and pickles.

They are currently accepting orders for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The deli also delivers. The deli is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m Monday to Thursday; from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and from noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit the deli's website or call 925-2818.

Contact Yara Klimchak at [email protected].