currents - Pacific San Diego Magazine

taste
WHAT’S COOKING
COCKTAIL
DINING OUT
RISING
SON
The next in line
grabs the reins of
the family business
B y G e n e v i e v e A . S u z u k i
P h o t o s b y J e f f “ T u r b o ”
Corrigan
As Jewish deli D.Z. Akin’s
bounds into its third
decade, another generation
of Akins has stepped up
to the plate to continue
pushing Matzo ball soup on the masses.
Having studied film at USC in LA,
Elan Akin, 29, never imagined returning
home to assume general management
duties of his family’s restaurant just east
of SDSU. He was working as a television
producer for HGTV when his parents,
Debi and Zvika (“D” and “Z”) told him
they were thinking of selling the place.
His older brother, Neal, who everyone
had thought would take over the
business, had opted instead for a career
in real estate. Younger brother, David,
works in the bakery, but at age 19, he’s
still too young to take over.
“[Neal] always wanted to do this. I
didn’t feel strongly either way,” Akin says.
Nevertheless, when D and Z told their
middle son about the possibility of a
non-Akin-owned deli, he returned to San
Diego without regret, despite admitting
that, at the time, he didn’t think he was
“leaving-leaving” LA for good.
Akin soon warmed to the idea of
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: D.Z. Akin’s
famous Reuben
sandwich; Elan Akin,
the new GM; the
mighty elixir, matzo
ball soup
A Family of Fare
Keeping it in the family runs in the family when it comes to the Akins and the Epsteins. Brian’s 24, a Gaslamp restaurant popular among the
post-clubbing crowd, was passed on to the next generation of Epsteins after its owner, Steve Epstein, died a few months ago. Steve was Debi
Akin’s (the “D” in D.Z. Akins) brother. He was also a good friend of PacificSD, offering warm support and kind guidance. We miss him a lot.
Working with his mother, Steve’s son, Brian, has asumed the role of running the restaurant, which serves up breakfast 24 hours a day.
Coincidentally, Brian’s 24 was not named for the new guy in charge.
“There had been two Brian’s restaurants in San Diego, but eventually the owners split the businesses, and the one who owned the downtown
Brian’s sold it to my family,” explains Elan Akin, Brian Epstein’s cousin. “The Epsteins did wonders to improve the restaurant into a success, day
and night alike. They’re especially proud of their pancakes—fresh daily with all real ingredients really make these hotcakes stand out.”
62 pacificsandiego.com {January 2011}