Montreal Smoked Meat!!!

Centre Street Deli

1136 Centre St. (at Vaughan Blvd.)
Thornhill
(905) 731-8037

Yesterday, I had the craving for a hot, Montreal smoked meat sandwich. On the recommendation from my colleague Arthur, I headed to Thornhill (very close to my in-laws) to the Centre Street Deli.

Located in a non-descript strip mall, my craving was satisfied - a regular sized medium, with fries and slaw (with pickle and pepper) did the job ($10). My brother-in-law Victor also shared a good sized beef Knish – a hot, slightly sweet pastry filled with beef, covered in gravy. Not a healthy choice, but good Jewish comfort food. Isabella thought her her chicken noodle soup was nothing to write home about.

Other establishments in Toronto that serve decent Montreal smoked meat is Katz's Corned Beef Emporium Delicatessen (very close to Yorkdale Mall) and the Pickle Barrel restaurant. I like Katz’s generous portions of meat, fries with gravy, and is one of the few places you can find Vernor’s ginger ale – a distinct taste usually only found in the Detroit/Windsor area. In recent years, the Pickle Barrel is a chain that has expanded and gone more mainstream – I’d say it is less focused on its traditional fare and clientele - but still provides an outlet for adequate (but not excellent) smoked meat sandwich if you are in a pinch. Both yhe Dunn's and Shopsy's restaurant franchises are also options, and Dunn's apparently sells their meat at Costco (Price Club).

Of course, true aficionados of Montreal smoked meat swear there is no substitute for the original sandwiches found in Montreal, and I would have to agree with this statement. Places I always visit (usually multiple times if I can get away with it) are Schwartz's and Ben’s. Similar to Centre Street, décor is not a consideration…. But why look for something else when the smoked meat is oh so good?

Regardless of what time of the day it is, you will probably have to wait for a table at Schwartz’s, and usually end up sharing it with people you don’t know. Try the fries, pickles, with a grape soda. I almost had a cow when a friend of mine told me he ordered a roast beef sandwich last time he was there... I didn’t even know they served roast beef. Stick with the medium smoked meat. Loaded on rye bread, with mustard – it is smoked meat sandwich perfection.