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| Photos by Susan Krashinsky |
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"I love this concept for a sandwich," said the vegetarian, "just a pile of meat." Andrew was here with four other panellists to settle the question that plagues us all: is Schwartz's really the king of Montreal smoked meat?
Hypothesis: The idea for this experiment was hatched when my brother came for a visit. Naturally, a Schwartz's lunch was high on his list of priorities. Founded in 1928, the restaurant has become a Montreal institution, and the noonday line-ups are a testament to its reputation. My boyfriend was especially hungry, and stared forlornly across the street. "Why don't we just go to The Main?" he asked. "Their sandwiches are just as good." This was clearly blasphemy; others in line turned and stared at us contemptuously. It made us wonder, is there really a difference?
Method: The freshly bought sandwiches, both medium, were put on two plates labelled A and B. The panel consisted of five Montrealers; one die-hard Schwartz's fan, one in the Main camp, and three undecided guinea pigs.
Everyone noticed that the bread was almost identical to the first sandwich, leading one to muse, "Do you think there's a rye bread mafia in Montreal?"
Observations: Participants weighed in on sandwich A (The Main): "I like the peppery taste," said one. Most tasters appreciated that it was on the lean side of medium - though the Schwartz's enthusiast found it a bit dry. "It's just right," another argued. "It falls apart in your mouth." After cleansing their palates, the group moved on to sandwich B (Schwartz's). Our dissident insisted that this one - with the meat sliced thicker - was tenderer, while the others thought it was dry and tough. Everyone agreed that while it didn't have the same spice as the first one, the smoky taste was intact. Everyone also noticed that the bread was almost identical to the first sandwich, leading our Main supporter to muse, "Do you think there's a rye bread mafia in Montreal?"
Conclusions: Four out of five chose A (The Main) as their favourite sandwich. "B definitely gave my mouth more of a workout," said one person who appreciated the tenderness of The Main's meat. Andrew the vegetarian thought that he detected a "metallic aftertaste" from the Schwartz's sandwich: "It tasted like jerky." "I liked the overall experience of A much better," said another. Our lone wolf on the side of sandwich B (Schwartz's) appreciated its fattier texture and the thicker slices; "something I can sink my teeth into."
Although pro-Schwartz Nathalie insisted at the outset that she would be able to tell the difference, she and three others guessed wrong, with only one person on the fence. Despite her cheatin' taste buds, Nathalie stood by her sandwich: "It must have been a bad day at Schwartz's." She insisted that the overall experience counted as well. "I love Schwartz's because they're grumpy," she said, "and because you sit and eat your food with total strangers. That part I really like."
Our other panellists were excited by the unexpected results. The lapsed vegetarian summed up the evening: "Thanks for opening our minds," he stated dramatically, "opening our palates, opening our hearts."
Do your own taste test?
Schwartz's: 3895, boul. Saint-Laurent; (514) 842-4813; Sun.-Thurs. 8 am to 12:30 am, Fri. 8 am to 1:30 am, Sat. 8 am to 2:30 am
The Main: 3865, boul. Saint-Laurent; (514) 843-8126; deli open 24 hours
Other local favourites
Ben's: 990, de Maisonneuve ouest; (514) 844-1000
Dunn's Famous: 1249, rue Metcalfe; (514) 395-1927
Reuben's Restaurant Delicatessen: 888 rue Ste-Catherine ouest; (514) 861-1255; and at 1116, rue Sainte-Catherine ouest; (514) 866-1029
Snowdon Deli: 5265, boul. Décarie; (514) 488-9129
Le Roi du Smoked Meat: 6705, rue St-Hubert; (514) 273-7566
Jarry Smoked Meat: 6549, rue Jarry est; (514) 322-3220 |
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