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Another tempting food truck is hitting the streets of D.C. This time, with a rabbinical bent. Historic synagogue Sixth & I is partnering with Good Stuff Eatery‘s Spike Mendelsohn, among others, to launch a new mobile feed machine called Sixth & Rye. Scheduled to roll out on May 20, the new lunch truck will deliver corned beef, salty pickles, and other kosher deli fare, to various spots around town every Friday. Follow its whereabouts on Twitter here.
Herewith, the full details:
Sixth & Rye: DC’s First Kosher Deli on Wheels
When the aroma of smoked corned beef and the distinct crunch of a salty pickle are flooding your senses, rest assured that the Sixth & Rye food truck on the corner ahead is finally more than just a craving-induced mirage. Sixth & I is teaming up with Good Stuff Eatery’s Chef Spike Mendelsohn and personal chef to NBA athletes Chef Malcolm Mitchell to bring DC the old-fashioned Kosher deli cuisine it’s been longing for.
Making stops throughout the downtown DC area, including Chinatown, Farragut Square and Dupont Circle, Sixth & Rye will dish out deliciousness at a different location each week. For a limited time, the truck will be operating exclusively on Fridays, during lunch hours. Find the whereabouts of the mobile deli on Twitter by following @sixthandrye.
Sixth & Rye is made possible in part by a grant from The Natan Fund, which supports innovative projects that are shaping the Jewish future.
Sixth & Rye will launch in front of 600 I (Eye) Street, NW on Friday, May 20 at 10:30 am for MEDIA ONLY. Please RSVP to agoldstein@sixthandi.org by Thursday, May 19 if you plan to attend as media. The truck will begin serving the public at 11:30 am.
The truck’s signature hot smoked corned beef sandwich on fresh rye bread will combine the flavors of smoked meat and homemade hot mustard to form an undeniably delicious version of the classic. Several side dishes ranging from an inspired Israeli couscous salad to fresh cut potato chips will complement the signature sandwich. The menu will also feature a grilled vegetable wrap and a “Meal Deal” option. Menu items will range from $2 – $12.
Toward the end of last year, Sixth & I launched its “Next Great Idea for the New Year” contest, a call for Washingtonians to suggest things that they wished to see implemented by Sixth & I. After sifting through hundreds of submissions, the staff came across an idea that really got their “wheels turning” — a Kosher deli food truck.
“We knew this was a perfect opportunity for Sixth & I to expand beyond the walls of our building,” Director Esther Safran Foer said of the idea. “As an organization, we’re constantly seeking exciting approaches to Jewish culture that are inclusive of everyone. We can think of no better way to fuse traditional with contemporary than by bringing classic Jewish fare that has transcended generations to the forefront of the latest local trend.”
When Foer reached out to Mendelsohn, a veteran host of Sixth & I events like Chef Spike’s Latke Mania (2008) and Spike up the Matzah (2009), he was thrilled to be part of the venture. Shortly thereafter, Mendelsohn’s fellow cooking connoisseur, Mitchell, joined the team. Mitchell is Sixth & Rye’s on-board chef. He has consulted with Mendelsohn on the tasty menu.
“A Kosher food truck…it’s just genius,” said Mendelsohn. “I’m excited to be working on this project with Chef Mitchell and all the great people at Sixth & I. It will be a knock-your-socks-off lunch, and I can’t wait to see the crowds.”
Mitchell added, “Delis were always a cornerstone of New York neighborhoods. So, as a native New Yorker, I am glad to be a part of history with Sixth & I as well as Chef Spike Mendelsohn in creating the first Kosher food truck in DC. How exciting!”
Jeff Kelley, of Eat Wonky food truck fame, signed onto the project as well. Although using its own equipment and kitchenware, Sixth & Rye will be operating out of the Eat Wonky truck.
“A big part of the Eat Wonky mission is to bring forward fun and distinctive food options to the people of DC,” Kelley said. “In that spirit, we are thrilled to help facilitate the arrival of Sixth & Rye and their exciting concept by providing a conduit, our truck, to connect their vision with the community.”
Sixth & Rye will be Kosher under Rabbinic supervision. There will be a mashgiach supervising all food preparation and services.
Logo courtesy of Sixth & Rye