When you first walk
into Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen you can easily tell this place hasn’t
changed much since first opening its doors in 1928. And that’s not a bad thing
at all. The deli is long and narrow, with stool seating on the right side and
table seating to the left. It’s a very busy spot which means you’ll most likely
be cozying up next to a complete stranger while you eat your meal. But don’t
let this scare you – it’s one of the best smoked meat sandwiches you’ll ever
taste in your life.
As I’m following our
waiter the short walk to our seats, the smell of peppered meat lingers in the
air equally occupied by the noisy chat of eaters. When I sat down I knew
exactly what I wanted but didn’t know much about the different types. My waiter
somehow knew it wasn’t my first time here – maybe it was my puzzled look while my eyes searched for an empty seat – and asked if I wanted my smoked meat sandwich either lean, medium or
fatty. Happily I order medium.
Waiting for my meal I
was thinking back to some of the reviews I read about Schwart’z and the many
complaint’s taking up space on websites. However, I had nothing but the good service. The waiters were friendly and funny, very helpful in selecting a sandwich and made us feel comfortable in the cramped joint. I do recognize however this
type of experience isn’t for everyone – I just recommend trying it at least
once before shrugging it off.
The sandwich arrives
and it looks so glorious I almost don’t want to eat it – that’s at least until
I rip a tender piece of the smoked meat off the edges and try it. The meat is
stacked about four times bigger than the mustard smeared bread. The slight bit of
fat riddled through the brisket shavings is great – giving it that extra
flavour you expect. It’s a great size. Try it with a pickle and maybe some
fries, and you’ll be stuffed. For people who like more fat, I would definitely
recommend the fatty serving – the meat and fat would melt like butter in your
mouth.
There’s not a whole
lot more I can really say about this place. If you’re craving a smoked meat
sandwich and you happen to be in Montreal, get down to Schwartz’s – you won’t
be disappointed.
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