Montreal Meat

I'd waited long enough. It was time to venture to Boerum Hill for a taste Canada. So, I headed to Mile End, an ode to the classic Jewish delis of Montreal -- the Quebecois ying to Katz's Lower East Side yang. Their speciality, pictured above between two slices of Orwasher's rye and a slathering of mustard, is Smoked Meat. And, fine meat it is, glistening slices of melt-in-your-mouth cured beef brisket bathed in coarse salt, black pepper, fresh garlic, and an assortment of different spices.

But something was missing. I was feeling the sandwich, but I wasn't feeling all sortsa Montreal.

Then I hit upon it. No French on the menu. No French spoken by the waitstaff. In other words, no Frenchified anything unless I wanted to order french fries (a.k.a. Frites).

Next time, I'll try to order my Smoked Meat Sandwich in French (with a Quebec accent, if possible) and see what happens.