I’ve always celebrated Christmas with my family, and the idea of sharing plates of lo mein and Peking duck in a Chinese restaurant and then hitting a movie on Dec. 25—as many of my Jewish friends did every year—always struck me as vaguely exotic and very cool. Mile End Deli, that purveyor of the finest pastrami, matzo ball soup and poutine in the area, is putting its own spin on the time-honored ritual with its Fourth Annual Traditional Jewish Christmas, a Chinese feast that will probably put some of the gloopy, MSG-laden meals of your Christmases past to shame. The menu consists of the fundamentals, like hot & sour soup, dan dan noodles and crispy Sichuan chicken wings, although dishes like smoked whitefish Rangoon and schmaltzed fried rice give a distinct nod to traditional Jewish cuisine. [Incidentally, I’m going to do everything in my power to steal away from my parents’ house for even a few hours just so I can experience the undeniable gloriousness of schmaltzed fried rice.] Reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are being accepted at both the Boerum Hill and Noho locations, and the complete meal is $65 per person. Catering and vegetarian options are also available.–KH
