Kosher Cuisine Reaching New “Heights” in Brooklyn

Kosher cuisine is reaching new heights – Brooklyn Heights that is! Rabbi Eliyahu Raskin of the Chabad of Brooklyn Law School has just recently launched his food cart and catering company conglomerate – JJ’s Holy Cow. If you think the name is cute now, just wait until you find out that it was named for Eliyahu’s first boy! The food cart was making its first appearances a few weeks ago. Since then, JJ’s has been expanding their menu and frequently experimenting with specials.

A Selection of Some of JJ’s Burgers and Dogs

Many residents of Brooklyn Heights have noticed JJ’s Holy Cow food cart serving up their most raved item: breakfast burgers – with “bacon,” a fried egg, garlic aioli sauce, sauteed onions, served on a pretzel bun. People walking on Court Street between Livingston and Joralemon streets find themselves falling in love with the smell of fresh burgers on the grill. The food cart normally in Brooklyn Heights visits other parts of Brooklyn experimentally – most recently visiting communities in Crown Heights, Bushwick, and Flatbush. Whenever they leave homebase – Brooklyn Heights – they make an announcement over social media.

Eliyahu, his wife Shaindy, and JJ

Born and Raised in Brooklyn Heights, Eliyahu noticed that most of the religious Jewish community that comes to the area for work were restricted to two options: they were either tupperware lunchies – lugging their lunch from home — or they have to run to Duane Reade and pick up OU pretzels and hummus. There are some restaurants with hashgachot in the area, but none are fleishig and they rarely offer the chance to get a filling lunch. Eliyahu said, “sometimes after a long morning at the office, lunch needs to be more than rice and veggies from an old plastic container at home. Until now, people who keep Kosher in Brooklyn Heights couldn’t sink their teeth into a burger. They couldn’t grab a simple hotdog.” JJ’s serves meat that’s from a Chabad schita, so even those who keep to the strictest kashrus can come and eat there.

The Line for Lunch Rush in Brooklyn Heights

JJ’s Holy Cow is now starting to take catering orders, with access to kitchens for parve and fleishig events. Maura Wallfisz was one of JJ’s first catering customers. She said to me, “I hired JJ’s to make dinner for one of my sister’s Sheva Brachot, but our family consists almost entirely of vegetarians — so I asked for a vegan meal. I honestly had no clue how beautiful JJ’s food was going to be. His staff was extremely respectful and prompt, and I truly felt like I was eating at another wedding — I forgot for a second that I was in my own home.”

JJ’s is currently taking catering orders for Sukkos chol hamoed, and they’re excited to meet new clientele on both sides of the East River. It’s a perfect vendor for any autumn festivals, and a perfect caterer for your shul’s dinner. So what are you waiting for? Go and grab a burger and plan your next event!