Salt Beef in Borough

Well, because the meats are divided into a class system. You got Pastrami and Corned Beef in one class and Salami and Bologna in another. That's not right!

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Race”)

I visited the other day Borough Market. Definitely one of my favourite places in London, even though is full of tourists and everything is like in slow motion for the fast pace of London. I decided to get salt beef sandwiches, the luck was on my side as Nana Fanny's and Northfield Kitchen (part of the Northfield Farms) were selling their versions.

Northfield's Salt Beef

Both were quite good, in Nana I went for the traditional bagel one (sourced from Bricklane), while in Northfield just one option the rye one. The salt beef of Northfield was definitely my favourite, better execution and the flavour of the beef was much more rich.

Nana Fanny's

Northfield's Kitchen

Nana Fanny's

T: 078 8535 8900

Street Food

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Borough

Borough: Southwark

Twitter: NanaFannys

Northfield Kitchen

T: 077 1281 7097

Farm / Street Food

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Borough

Borough: Southwark

Twitter: Northfieldfarm

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Bell, Beer, Brisket, and Plenty Salt Beef

He stole back the rye?

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Rye”)

My last treat in Kerb was a Salt Beef bagel. Yes the salt curing preserving meat method popularized in Keighley Yorkshire. The vendor is no other than The Bell & Brisket. Bel Shapiro left her job and got into the street food circuit to offer a London interpretation of the traditional Salt Beef and a perfect beer to go with.

The food truck

They offer a handful of options of fillings on bagel or rye. I went for the Lord Rupert, pickled cabbage, and melted cheddar on a bagel. Really nice flavours, good crunchiness from the pickles, and it’s kind of cool to see how they melt the cheese with a blowtorch.

Bagel time

The Bell & Brisket

T: 078 8761 1268

Street Food / Salt Beef

Approx Damage: £8pp

Various Locations

London

Twitter: brisketbel

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Monty’s Reloaded

Well, because the meats are divided into a class system. You got Pastrami and Corned Beef in one class and Salami and Bologna in another. That's not right

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Race”) 

I came back to Ropewalk market in Maltby St, and looking for Monty’s Deli I pass by and thought they weren’t trading that weekend. What was my surprise when I saw they took one of the locals. Similar to the other warehouses, some sort of antique store, old furniture or should I say vintage? The popular Jewish food vendor is trading in a new house. 

The new place

Reflexions

In Action

Busy as usual, not as usual probably a mix of the new place with the rain, and the bank holiday weekend. I got to the counter and yes I was able to get my Reuben special. 

Reuben Special

The Reuben special is a monster sandwich with Pastrami and salt beef on top. Amazing, double the size, double the flavour, all the flavours of the traditional Reuben with the salt beef addition just the kind of sandwich I like to eat. 

Jewish delight

Definitely one of my favourite sandwiches in London. Still only on Saturdays, my recommendation is go early so you can go special, go big, go tasty.

Monty's Deli

T: 020 7394 8061

Jewish Deli

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Bermondsey

Borough: Southwark

Twitter: MontysDeli

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A Monster Sandwich in Sin City [On the Road: Las Vegas]

I came back to Vegas a year after, this time business and not pleasure, but still had the chance to eat in a couple places. One of them was Carnegie Deli home of the best pastrami and corned beef in town. The original place was opened in 1937 in NYC and these days they have another four locations including one in the Mirage hotel. 

Carnegie

Who said Pastrami?

I went big got the Woody Allen the sandwich that made Broadway Danny Rose famous. The only way to describe the sandwich is obscene, huge, big, giant, immense, you get the concept. The sandwich was the height of my two fists together. It’s the one of the biggest sandwiches I have ever tried. A great sandwich, excellent flavour, lots of pastrami and corned beef, even though that took me a couple days to finish it, the meat kept the flavour, really nice. 

That's what I call a sandwich

A pastrami and corned beef explosion

Now I understand why my American friends complain so much of the wafer thin sandwiches we got here in London, size wise they are just like a Lilliput’s sandwich offered to Gulliver. 

Woody Allen

Great sandwich, nice place, my only advice is be prepared to indulge and don't wear a belt. 

Take away

Pastrami reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Race” 

Mickey: What does that mean?

Kramer: Well, if you've got needs and abilities that's a pretty good combination

Mickey: So what if I want to open up a delicatessen?

Kramer: There are no delicatessens under Communism

Mickey: Why not?

Kramer: Well, because the meats are divided into a class system. You got Pastrami and Corned Beef in one class and Salami and Bologna in another. That's not right

Mickey: So you can't get Corned Beef?

Kramer: Well, you know, if you're in the Politburo maybe

Carnegie Deli

T: +1 702 791 7111

Deli

Approx Damage: $20pp

Area: The Strip

Las Vegas

Twitter: CarnegieDeli

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In Feast We Trust

An event I really enjoyed last August was Feast. This time the ticket is a bit more expensive 7,5 quid, new location in an abandoned North London mail centre building in Islington Square, 4 days instead of 3, and a new line up with some familiar faces coming back. 

The place

The location was stunning, perfect place for the event and full of food vendors and punters. My first stop was Yum Bun. The popular steamed bun, they always have a long queue. My choice a slow roasted belly pork, hoi sin sauce, cucumber, spring onions, and shiracha. Great flavours as usual, my only critic is that they are having a miniaturisation effect as the pork on my bun was quite tiny and my final bites were plain soft bun. 

Yum Bun

The pork buns

My next treat was Anna Mae’s famous mac n’ cheese. I’ve wanted to try their creamy cheddar, Monteray jack, and mozzarella cheese mac for a while. I pimped it up with jalapeños, chipotle, sour cream, and fresh coriander. Amazing, comfort food at its best. 

Anna's menu

Mac time

Bowl of flavour

Another of my favourite of the day definitively was Mishkin’s. The salt beef muffin with shallots relish and English mustard was to die for, just amazing. 

Mishkin's in action

Great salt beef time

Next victim was Rainbo, voted as top 3 gyozas in London by Evening Standard. The homemade chicken and coriander gyoza dumplings were nice and full of flavour. 

Rainbo Ford

Menu

Gyoza's

Then I couldn’t resist having the Elliot’s cheeseburger. Surprisingly there was no queue at all. A great 50-day aged beef, perfectly cooked in a house made bun, with Comte, Ogleshield, caramelised onions, dill butter, and cucumber pickle. One of the top burgers in London no doubts. 

Elliot's menu

Burger time

Glorious burger

Finally, to end the day I went for Gordon Ramsay’s York and Albany. A stunning pretzel salted squid, great flavour, one of the best squid I have had, salted, a bit spicy, not oily at all, great food from chef Kim Woodward. 

Gordon's Y&A

Squid

Many other stalls I didn't have the chance to try, including my Pizza Pilgrims friends, Abiye's Big Apple Hot Dogs and Hanna's new project Nordinary. Excellent food, great atmosphere, one more day to go so if you are still hesitating hope this post will help convincing you.

Inside

The salt beef reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Blood” 

Jerry: Didn't go for it, huh?

George: No

Jerry: So, she didn't appreciate the erotic qualities of the salted cured meats?

George: She tolerated the strawberries and the chocolate sauce, but eh, it's not a meal, you know? Food and sex, those are my two passions. It's only natural to combine them

Jerry: Natural? Sex is about love between a man and a woman, not a man and a sandwich

Feast

Food Festival

Approx Damage: £7.5 entry

Area: Angel

Borough: Islington

Twitter: wefeastlondon

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An Institution in Brick Lane

If you talk about Brick Lane probably the first thing that comes to mind is a Beigel or a Bagel if you prefer American spelling. The Biegel Bake Brick Lane Bakery open since 1977, twenty four seven, always busy, from night riders looking for a bite after a hard night out to even celebrities who cannot resist the delicate and simple flavour of the beigels they sell.

The Place

The bakery goes perfect with the area, this bohemian, hippie, traditional, trendy but jet simple place is the best example of what Brick Lane offers. With a little shame I have to say that is only a handful of times I have eaten in the place, but the other day with my friend Armando after wandering around extensively we decided to go.

Street Art near Brick Lane

 Menu

Beigel Land

The option well just simple as their name beigel, I have to recommend the salt beef and the salmon with cream cheese, they are superb, good flavour, plenty amount of salt beef and salmon in the beigel, and extremely cheap, do you need more reasons to try it, all of the above is why Londoners keep coming back. In conclusion Beigel Bake is an institution.

Salt Beef 

Salmon

Salt Beef in Action

Bagels remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Strike”.

Kramer: Great news! Yeah, the strike has been settled. I'm going back to work.

Jerry: What strike?

Kramer: Yeah, H&H Bagels. That's where I worked.

Jerry: You?

Elaine: Worked?

Jerry: Bagels?

Kramer: Yeah. Look, see. I still have my business card. Yeah, we've been on strike for 12 years.

Elaine: Oh, I remember seeing those guys picketing out there, but I haven't seen them in a long time.

Kramer: Yeah, well, H&H wouldn't let us use their bath room while we were picketing. It put a cramp on our solidarity.

Elaine: What were your demands?

Kramer: Yeah, 5.35 an hour. And that's what they're paying now.

Elaine: I believe that's the new minimum wage.

Kramer: Now you know who to thank for that! Alright, I've got to go.

Jerry: Why didn't you ever mention this?

Kramer: Jerry, I didn't want you to know I was out of work. It's embarrassing!

Beigel Bake

T: 020 7729 0616

Bakery

Area: Shoreditch

Borough: Tower Hamlets

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Brass Rail Salt Beef Heaven

I’ve been looking for some sort of Katz deli here in London, so a lazy Saturday with no plans at all I decided to go investigate a couple places I had in a list for a while. One of them was The Brass Rail in Selfridges. A simple menu of sandwiches in a corner of the food hall.

Brass Rail

The procedure is quite simple, grab a tray do the queue, and then shoot to the beef carver what you want. That includes the size, the type of bread, the meat, type of mustard, and finally the classic gherkin. In less than 10 seconds you decide the succulent meat sandwich you will have. I went for two halves, but which ones to get salt beef, tongue, or pastrami, at the end I chose salt beef and pastrami. English mustard in a rye completed my option.

Salt Beef Paradise

Amazing, I just love it, will be coming back regularly there. Simple, great flavours, and the closest I have found for the Kosher style New Yorker deli.

Simple and Tasty

Salt Beef and Pastrami

All these meats remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Race”.

Kramer: Each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Mickey: What does that mean?

Kramer: Well, if you've got needs and abilities that's a pretty good combination.

Mickey: So what if I want to open up a delicatessen?

Kramer: There are no delicatessens under Communism.

Mickey: Why not?

Kramer: Well, because the meats are divided into a class system. You got Pastrami and Corned Beef in one class, and Salami and Bologna in another. That's not right.

Mickey: So you can't get Corned Beef?

Kramer: Well, you know, if you're in the Politburo, maybe.