May the Schwartz be with you

Schwartz's
Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen

http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/

3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Montreal, QuebecH2W 1X9Canada

Tel.: (514) 842-4813

Menu: Self described Hebrew Delicatessen

Kid Friendly: Didn't see a kid the whole time I was there, long line=hungry irritable kids

Prices: Very reasonable, for large portions

Atmosphere: Meat, Meat and more meat, festive, loud.

I am finding that a couple days in Montreal has resulted in a lot of eating out and many entries into my blog..

This story is about the World Famous Schwartz's! When Lou and I first got to Montreal, our friend Guy drove us around town showing us all the sites. Schwartz's is one of the places he pointed out. He said it was one of the most popular places to get smoked meat, and there was always a line outside. What is smoked meat, is the first question that came to my mind.

Wikipedia describes smoked meat as follows: Smoked meat is a method of preparing red meat (and fish) which originates in prehistory. Its purpose is to preserve these protein-rich foods, which would otherwise spoil quickly, for long periods. There are two mechanisms for this preservation: dehydration and the antibacterial properties of absorbed smoke.

My definition after seeing and tasting it, smokey cornbeef. Now I have to admit, I am not a big fan of the big meat sandwhich. Deli's that pile on the roast beef, or cornbeef, or pastrami... It just isn't my thing. Give me a sandwhich with equal parts meat and cheese and I will be much happier. I say this because, if you like this sort of thing, you may LOVE Schwartz, so keep that in mind as you read my experience.

When I wrote about the Restaurant Jano Grillades, I mentioned we biked to Schwartz's with the intention of eating there, but when we arrived, we were starving and the line at Scwartz was long, so we ate next door at Jano. Although the line was long at Schwartz's, we did notice they had a take out door. We couldn't come all this way, hear about how great it was, and not try it. We decided after our lunch, we would get a smoked meat sandwich to go.

I did not get to see the Schwartz's restaurant, but I have heard it is part of the experience. Tables supposedly sit multiple parties, and like I said there is always a line out front. In the window of the restaurant there are huge briskets of the smoked meat. Honestly, it looks a little like a food borne illness waiting to happen, but if that was the case, I guess they would have had a lot of law suits by now, and not such a huge line out front. The to go side of the restaurant was basically a long deli case, with a 10-15 person line in front of it consistently. Anything you can order in the restaurant, you can order from the Deli Counter to go. They also sell their special spice rub if you want to try your luck at smoking your own meat. (Interesting)

I walked in the to go side with Lou and was immediately nauseous from the smell. I had to leave. I don't know what it was. It was definitely a smokey smell, a meat smell, but there was something else. It just hit me horribly, and no I am not pregnant. I also worked in a butcher shop for many years, so being around all that meat wasn't the issue. I don't know what it was. Lou ended up in the line by himself at first. I waited outside, but felt terrible that I would miss this experience based on what we had heard, so I decided I could try it again and breath only through my mouth. This time I made it several minutes enough to observe what was being sold, but then decided I had to get out of there again.

Lou opted for the original smoked meat sandwich to go, a bargain at $5.50 Canadian. When he came outside, we found a nearby bench to sit on so he could enjoy his sandwich. (see the pic). Here is Lou's take: If you love pastrami, corned beef, the meat lovers meat sandwich, you will love this sandwich. There wasn't much on the sandwich but bread and meat and for it to have been packed with so much flavor was a true feat. The spices they use will make anyone who likes this type of fare thinking this is the best sandwich they have ever had. He also pointed out, those who don't like this type of sandwich, like me, probably won't be won over no matter what the taste. I have to agree. Even after being overwhelmed by the smell twice, I still felt obligated as a foodie to taste some of the meat. I took a very small piece off of Lou's sandwich and ate it. Sorry smoked meat lovers not my thing.

My final take on Schwartz? It is a meat lovers paradise, but much like many tourist hot spots, it didn't live up to the hype for me. Maybe my expectations were too high. Oh and if you are already very hungry before you get in the Schwartz line, you might want to eat at Jano! Happy eating, and smoked meat people, may the Schwartz be with you.