Kosher style
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kosher style usually refers to food that is not strictly Kosher, but either adheres to the laws of Kashrut very loosely[verification needed] and/or is traditional Ashkenazic Jewish food. Generally, Kosher style food does not include meat from forbidden animals, such as pigs or shellfish, and does not contain both meat and milk.
Jews who do not fully keep Kosher, but keep a degree of Kosher, usually not eating forbidden animals or mixing milk and meat, may consider themselves to keep Kosher style.[verification needed]
Many dining establishments, notably delicatessens, serve Kosher style food. This usually means that they serve traditional Ashkenazic Jewish foods, such as knishes, blintzes, matzo ball soup, and cold cut sandwiches. Almost always, when a restaurant calls itself Kosher style, the food is not actually Kosher according to traditional Halachic standards. Several notable restaurants in lower Manhattan fit into this genre, including Katz's Delicatessen, Yonah Shimmel's Knish Factory, Russ & Daughters and the now defunct Second Avenue Deli.
Orthodox Jews, who generally adhere strictly to the laws of Kashrut, will not eat at Kosher style establishments. Furthermore, the fact that such establishements appear to be Kosher can be deceptive to Orthodox Jews who are visiting an unfamiliar city and are looking for Kosher food.
A common misconception is Kosher style refers to sandwich size, large sandwiches, or amount of meat on the sandwich. This is completely false. In no way does "Kosher style" refer to quality or appearance of a product, merely the style.
