Jaunted - Tag: Sandwiches

Philadelphia: Best Jewish Delis: Philly's 'The Famous'

BS — 2009-05-12T11:21:53-05:00

The world of Jewish delis can be divided down a very distinct line; there are those that try to put a modern, all-inclusive spin on the classic delicatessen and those that will tolerate absolutely none of that blasphemy.

Firmly a member of the latter, authentic camp is Philadelphia's Famous 4th Street Delicatessen, which has been luring hungry diners to the corner of 4th Street and Bainbridge in Queen Village since 1923. From the very retro signage to the massive, art deco dining room, the restaurant almost looks like it should be viewed in black-and-white.

Indianapolis: Best Jewish Delis in the World: Shapiro's in Indiana

BS — 2009-04-24T08:56:43-05:00

When Shira Lazar went behind the counter at Schwartz's Deli in Montreal, it got us craving some overstuffed pastrami sandwiches and potato latkes with applesauce. So this week Jaunted is taking a look at the Best Jewish Delis in the World. Got your own suggestion for tasty goody delis? Let us know.

If there's one thing we've learned in researching our best Jewish delis series, it's that there are a boatload of genuine delis in places you wouldn't necessarily expect. So if you think everywhere between Katz's and Langer's is just deli flyover country, think again.

One such institution with an extremely devout following is Shapiro's, which opened way back in 1905 in Indianapolis. Unlike its coastal cousins, this deli is known more for its corned beef than its pastrami. Of course, the concept is not that different—hot, salty meat, sliced thin and piled high on rye, plus mustard, cheese and a pickle to boot.

London: Best Jewish Delis in the World:: London's New York Deli

BS — 2009-04-22T08:41:42-05:00

As a native New Yorker, I consider delis as much of a necessity as by-the-slice pizzerias, meaning that whenever I travel outside the City I get really upset that there isn't one on every corner. This is a particular problem in Europe, so I was pretty excited to learn that London finally got a centrally-located New York-style deli.

The Soho-area eatery opened a couple of years ago under the name Zvika, but the owners quickly realized no one had any idea what kind of restaurant "Zvika" would be, so they just changed the name to "New York Deli."

New York: The Best Jewish Delis in the World:: Katz's in New York

BS — 2009-04-20T14:37:13-05:00

It won't be easy to determine which deli counters make the cut, but at least the first entry should be obvious. Katz's Deli on Manhattan's Lower East Side is by most accounts the oldest of New York's old-school delis still standing (it opened in 1888…a looooong time before LES got hip).

Today, Katz's attracts its fair share of tourist crowds (mostly because the interior was the setting for Meg Ryan's famous faux-orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally), but somehow still hasn't lost an ounce of credibility among New Yorkers.

New York: The Five Best Comfort Food Restaurants in New York

BS — 2009-04-07T15:18:15-05:00

If we have one rule about eating in New York, it's never frequent any establishments that promise to specialize in more than one cuisine. If you see a pizza/chicken/subs/Chinese food joint, keep walking. There's no reason to settle for a restaurant that does five things decently when there's a specialty shop for everything.

In that spirit, we're running down the list of our favorite New York one-stop-shops for comfort food classics:

Paris: France Enters the Sandwich World

Victor Ozols — 2009-02-08T12:39:10-05:00

Sandwiches have been a big part of my life ever since I started working desk jobs. Lunchtime rolls around, and I head to the deli for my roast turkey with mustard on nine-grain, which nails the trifecta by being tasty, healthy, and cheap. Naturally, a proper meal in a restaurant would be better, but who has the time and money for that these days? Not me. And apparently, not the French either.

Chicago: Anthony Bourdain Visits America's Heart Attack Capital

BS — 2009-02-03T09:48:28-05:00

Anthony Bourdain finally made it to Chicago this week, and while he gave the Second City plenty of props for being a genuine high-end culinary town, he still was able to do what he does best—find the city's most outrageous, over-the-top, questionably-edible offerings.

In Chicago, that of course means an awful lot of plates that scream the phrase "heart attack." Bourdain hit all the usual suspect—the foie gras hot dog at Hot Doug's, the mile-high pork-and-egg sandwich at Silver Lake Restaurant, and the five-pies-squeezed-into-one at Burt's Pizza. But he impressed us most by discovering one Chi-town delicacy we've never heard of: The Mother-in-Law sandwich. It's a simple but terrifying concept.

Just take the idea of a Chicago hot dog—loaded with peppers, onions, chili and all the toppings, but take the dog out of the bun and replace it with a hot tamale. It's an unholy combination that seems like a recipe for an instant and long-lasting upset stomach, and we have to say even Bourdain looked a little grossed out wolfing one down. Of course, he smiled afterwards and declared it pure genius, but we wonder if this monstrosity was too much for even him to handle.

Has anyone tried the fearsome Mother-in-Law? What's the verdict? Insanity on a bun or genius brewing on Western Ave? Let us know.

· Chicago Travel Guide [No Reservations]
· Hot Dogs at Hot Doug's [Jaunted]
· Chicago travel coverage [Jaunted]

Photo: [Southern Foodway Alliance]