Hungry? You probably will be after seeing "Why Detroit Jewish Delis Might Just Be The Best Around," as the national dining site Food Republic puts it.
Fuhgedabout supposed palaces of pastrami in Manhattan, writes Brad Cohen, a former suburban Detroiter who moved to New York. Detroit area delis serve corned beef that "is, invariably, more tender and more flavorful than any corned beef you’ll find on either coast," he writes.
The best local delis serve tender slices with perfectly marbled layers of fat. Nearly all of them get their uncooked, pickled brisket from the king of Midwest deli, Sy Ginsberg, owner of United Meat and Deli, and cook it onsite — giving each a slightly different character.
Bread Basket Deli last spring added a 16-ounce "Pound It" sandwich. (Facebook photo)
Ginsberg founded that supplier on Detroit's west side in 1982 after running two delicatessens.
Cohen also slathers on praise for Bread Basket Deli on Grand River in Detroit, Stage Deli in West Bloomfield and Steve's Deli in Bloomfield Hills.
Metro Detroit has had the best rye since Jack Goldberg opened Stage & Co in 1962. Unsatisfied serving anything but the freshest bread, he began ordering his loaves just short of fully cooked. He finished them off in a steaming oven in-house, and served sandwiches on warm, fresh bread. The method soon caught on, and double-baked rye became the standard in Detroit area Jewish delis.
That last-minute steam gives the loaf a soft, moist inside and a crackly crust. It’s thick enough, and strong enough to support the hulking pile of fatty meat without falling apart, which can be a difficult task. Stage, and other local joints like Steve’s Deli and the Bread Basket, all use roughly inch-thick, hand-cut rye that employs considerable doses of actual rye flour mixed with the white flour, unlike most of the loaves in New York masquerading as Jewish rye.
Rounding out the list, in a 40-mile geographic stretch, is Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor -- which is on Detroit Street, after all.
Related coverage:
Free Press: 5 Places To Get Great Corned Beef Sandwiches, May 20
