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.