Sherbrook Street Delicatessen - Exquisite Smoked Meat

Winnipeg's battle for sandwich supremacy has escalated another tier. Starting off with the wonderful King + Bannatyne, followed by the sublime Nicks on Broadway, Sherbrook Street Delicatessen adds one more wrinkle by offering home made Jewish style kosher cooking that harkens back many generations. It should be no surprise to those regularly reading my blog that I love The Food Network. One of the first programs I saw featured the Carnegie Deli, a kosher style deli in the heart of New York City serving drool worthy smoked meat, salami and corned beef sandwiches. You can understand my excitement when Sherbrook Street Deli promised the same style of cooking. Thus, on a post-call day I made the quick trek to Sherbrook Street.

The beautiful restaurant is located right beside another of my favourites, Stella's, on Sherbrook Street. The restaurant has a modern sheen to it with large windows and a handsome sign that confidently boasts of the deliciousness inside. The interiors do not disappoint either with attractive large oak tables and chairs; a sprawling bar top for those diners looking for a quick bite; and a host of tasteful paintings and images showcasing life in the 1940's. Overall it works to create an ambiance of an old fashioned deli but with modern aesthetics.

The menu is simple but fully featured. The hallmark of the restaurant is, of course, their deli meats which they use to create a number of fun sandwich platters. The staples are all here including Corned Beef, Smoked Meat, and Beef Salami. Should one want to try just smaller servings, Sherbrook Deli offers each meat by weight, giving the diner the ability to customize their meal to the umpteenth. A number of soups and salads round out the sandwiches. And finally, for those wanting something more hearty, they offer a few main plates including a Rib Eye, Schnitzel and Short Ribs. Everything sounded incredible, but I was here for the deli meats!

Matzah Ball Soup is a Jewish staple soup that features doughy dumplings in a base of chicken broth. The version here was delicious with a homemade broth that had a robust richness that featured large chunks of chicken meat and vegetables, and two large tender and plump dumplings. The use of dill here was an excellent choice that added a earthiness but sharpness to the dish that cut through the otherwise one dimensional soup and dumplings. An excellent start to the meal.

I let out an audible gasp of excitement when the Earl Barish (Smoked Meat) Sandwich Platter arrived by my side. Given the option of hot or mild mustard, the artisan sandwich is paired with a bevy of homemade kettle cooked chips, a side of creamy coleslaw and a large pickle. Starting with the sides, they were simply ordinary and as you would expect from potato chips and coleslaw.

But oh the sandwich was divine. Large thick cuts of tender, juicy and fatty smoked meat is matched with a sharp and grainy mustard (I chose hot, by the way) and guarded by slices of homemade multi-grain bread. The tender meat had the perfect amount of warm juicy interiors with a slight salty crunch from the exterior crust which furthermore contrasted well with the strong mustard. In a word, delicious.

There are no amount of superlatives that can fully describe the Sherbrook Street Delicatessen. In short, they fully achieved their goal of homemade traditional Kosher style meats and sandwiches and is a wonderful addition to the bulging sandwich market of Winnipeg. From the beautiful restaurant's exteriors to the wonderful staff, delicious food and prompt service, this restaurant is an experience that every Winnipeger should behold; do yourself a favour and go.

Nick's on Broadway, A special sandwich shop

Sandwiches are the Swiss Army Knives of food. Find two pieces of crusty bread, load up whatever toppings you like, finish them whatever way you want and you will generally always have a delicious, nutritious and fast meal. Perfect for any occasion, sandwiches are the epitome of versatility. Therefore it was with excitement when I found a new sandwich joint had opened up in Winnipeg, Nick's on Broadway.

There definitely has been a novel trend in Winnipeg towards higher end sandwich shops using quality ingredients and advanced cooking techniques. Nick's motto is to "create the best sandwiches in Winnipeg while providing a show in their open kitchen". A strong confident statement for a new start-up restaurant.

Located in an office building on Broadway Street, Nick's focuses on homemade breakfast and lunch options geared towards the busy day to day professionals who long for delicious meal options that can be made promptly and freshly during the hustle and bustle during the day. Indeed, the clientele was on mass when I was dining there with many patrons making the quick jolt down from the upstairs office buildings to grab a sandwich to go. Nick's offers both a breakfast and lunch menu; their lunch menu is a nice collection of sandwiches, paninis and sides with a daily special. I was impressed by the customizability of their food, as patrons able to add on small (but still sizable) sides at minimal prices.

I asked what their specialty sandwiches were and one of them came as the Broadway Beef Dip. Served on a brioche bun, Nick's plants a moderate portion of herb roasted beef between the buttered buns and pairs it with a rosemary jus (and a side of pickles and coleslaw). Overall this beef dip was good but not extraordinary. The beef, extremely tender and well roasted, was a bit lacking in flavour by itself; but this was somewhat mitigated by the rich rosemary jus. The buttered brioche was a nice addition as it provided a soft pillow of crunch enveloping the tender beef.

Hot Pastrami was the other specialty of the restaurant. This was incredible. I love it when restaurants present their food simply but packed with flavour and the pastrami here was a wonderful mix of juicy tender meat with a hint of coriander. The meat mixed well with the grainy hot mustard and was all surrounded by thick sturdy rye. Although the sides given are standard for all their sandwiches, I felt the sweet pickles and crunchy coleslaw gave nice contrasts in flavour and texture to the pastrami.

Wanting to try a side I ordered a Tomato Soup along with the meal as well. I was thoroughly pleased with the hot, warm and bubbly tomato and herb soup. Impressed by the large portion size (especially for the price), the soup had a nice sharp tomato-ey flavour contrasted well by the aroma and taste of parsley.

Nick's on Broadway represents everything I love in a good sandwich shop: simple, delicious food served attractively, priced aggressively in a busy part of town. I applaud them for the thoughtful menu and think they will be an attractive alternative to the fast food, food court esque options I have become accustomed to during the lunch hour. For anyone in Downtown Winnipeg, Nick's is an easy recommendation for a wonderful lunch.

King + Bannatyne, a special sandwich shop

I love it when people get to know your love for food and come forth with restaurant recommendations. When off to a Jets game, my local Winnipeg foodie friend began speaking of the marvel that was King + Bannatyne. Touted as one of the best sandwich bars in the city, I began to listen closely and drool at the thought of homemade brisket, porchetta and meatballs. Thankfully, he stopped after seeing my eyes glaze over and my carnivorous foodie side bubbling to the fore. Needtoless to say, I made a mental note to check out King + Bannatyne at my next convenience.

King + Bannatyne is located on the corner of ... King and Bannatyne. Slightly amused at the simplicity of their name, I quickly realized there was a method to their madness. Their building, mostly devoid of advertisements and signs, would be completely missed by most if not for the easy directions in their name. Smiling to myself, I quickly whisked myself in for my lunch.

King + Bannatyne's menu works as follows. They have three sandwiches they deem their staples: The River City Brisket, The Porchetta and the Meatball. Accompanying them are two rotating sandwiches which, during my lunch with them, the Grilled Cheese and a Chorizo sandwich. The first thing one will notice is the aroma of roasted meats and fresh bread.
Mixed in with them is the clink and clatter of happy patrons. I had a good feeling about this.

Not having supper plans, I felt the need to try a few things. My entire meal consisted of the River City Brisket, the Chorizo special and the soup of the day.

The soup of the day was a Roasted Tomato with celery and fennel (?). Topped off with fresh mozzarella this was a fantastic way to start a meal. The tart and tangy soup was deceptively simple looking but had strong deep flavours. The celery cut through the tomato nicely while the cheese added much needed saltiness.

I want to pre-warn those reading this. This photograph does not do this sandwich justice. The River City Brisket was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. A heaping pile of braised brisket on a simple bun with mustard might seem simple, but you quickly realize the small details. Like the pepperiness of the rub on the brisket, or the sharpness of the mustard, or the spongy soft bread cut thick enough to keep all the mouth-watering ingredients in. This sandwich really showcases how to make brisket and is instantly one of my most recommended sandwiches ... if not dishes in all of Winnipeg.

The special of the week was the Chorizo, Caramelized Apple, Raisin, Fennel sandwich. This was good but altogether average (especially when compared to the brisket). All the ingredients were fresh and well prepared, but the chorizo was unfortunately overpowered by the strong fennel. Similarly the apples added a nice sweetness but again masked any hint of flavour in the chorizo. This was a good example of adding too much of a good thing in a sandwich.

King + Bannatyne is a whimsical tour de force on the sandwich food scene of Winnipeg. Touting amazingly fresh ingredients and utilizing bold flavours, I expect them to become tremendously popular within the coming months. King + Bannatyne ranks highly on my list of go-to restaurants. Do yourself a favour and go.