I’m not going to spend too much time reviewing the new restaurant Kutsher’s, which just opened a few weeks ago in Tribeca, for a number of reasons. First off, I’m really only including them on this blog because they do serve pastrami. Secondly, they’ve been opened just under a month and I understand it takes time to get the restaurant on its feet. And finally, it really wasn’t very good when I went.

You may recognize the name Kutsher’s as the historic country club/restaurant up in the Catskills. If you don’t, odds are your parents or your grandparents do. The restaurant up there is known for Jewish comfort food in a kosher setting. Nothing fancy, just classic stuff.

The new Kutsher’s, which is backed by the original owner’s son is sort of the opposite of that. It’s not kosher and the food is refined, hip versions of those Jewish classics. The ambiance is strange in the new restaurant. If you squint, you’d think you were at a Jewish diner circa 1970, but the lights are dim, the staff is attractive, and the music is all wrong (they were playing 90′s alternative rock and the owner annoyingly kept changing the soundtrack mid-song).

We ordered a bunch of appetizers (Jewish food is supposed to be appetizing, right?) and there were a few hits and misses (mostly misses). Everything was severely overpriced and overall, I think this sort of food has never been successfully refined for a reason. This is rustic food for sustenance, it’s really pointless to refine it.

Alright, enough already. I said I wouldn’t critique the restaurant itself and I already got way too involved. Let me get back to the pastrami. It was one of the options on their Delicatessen Platter, along with some deli staples like tongue, chopped liver, and spicy salami. We picked three options (for a hefty $16), yet due to some miscommunication in the kitchen, we received four.

Nobody explained to us which meat was which and when I asked the manager (who turned out to be the owner himself), he wasn’t sure either. Well, I think there were two types of pastrami on the plate: flat and deckle. The menu hinted that they were one in the same, but the owner told us otherwise. He also told us the leaner one was deckle. Um, I don’t think so. I know deckle is the fatty cut of brisket and, flat, I believe is the leaner one. So if it’s one in the same, shouldn’t it just be pastrami? Oy vey! Whatever.

Well, I’m not sure which was which, but one (I assume the deckle) was much better than the other. The first one we tasted was dry and tough! Even the mustard and rye bread couldn’t liven it up. It was so tough, I had to use my fingers to pull this apart and I actually exerted force. This should never happen at a Jewish restaurant. We don’t want to do work!

The other cut of pastrami resembled corned beer and was slightly better since it had some more juicy fat marbled throughout, but it too was lacking much flavor beyond that. And the idea of eating small slices of pastrami on slices of toast seemed totally inappropriate. I don’t need an over-the-top deli sandwich, but Jewish comfort food should not be refined to small, dainty portions. It just doesn’t make sense.

Alright, I think I’ve hinted enough at my disappointment at Kutsher’s. Perhaps it will get better with time (the early online reviews have been mostly positive). And I realize it wasn’t time to review them yet. But based on that experience, I don’t really want to go back.

Is Kutsher’s the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? Well, they only serve the pastrami and in a much different setting than the classics. But the meat is on the dry side and one cut was almost inedibly tough. So forgetting the other disappointments in our meal, the meat gets a paltry 5 out of 10.

There’s a photograph on the wall at Jay and Lloyd’s from the 1940′s that shows dozens of deli men at an association meeting together. They were all happy and seemingly good natured. And they all owned delis in New York. Unfortunately, a big meeting like that can’t happen in this city any more because there are now just a handful of old Jewish delicatessens left. And many of them are no longer independently owned.

But when I started talking to Lloyd Lederman and he showed me around his restaurant, I realized the passion and dedication of these deli men is still alive. Lloyd has been working in delis pretty much his whole life. There are also photos of him with his father and grandfather at the family’s former delis. In 1993, Lloyd opened Jay and Lloyd’s (with his partner Jay) on Avenue U in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, quite a schlep from the subway.

I was surprised this place is only 18 years old because it has the feel of a much older, classic Jewish deli. Perhaps it’s the vintage photographs on the wall celebrating the culture, perhaps it was the pastel pink color scheme, or perhaps it was the genial staff and passionate owner.

I didn’t meet Lloyd until after I finished my sandwich, so I’m confident I got the same treatment as everybody else. Although after Lloyd discovered I had a blog, he offered me complimentary homemade apricot rugelach (you can taste the difference) and whipped up a sample of his zucchini pancakes, which had a sweeter, earthier flavor than the typical potato variety.  He was also more than eager to pose for a photo with his signature hot dog hat (they’ve received much attention for their kosher franks).

But I was here specifically for their corned beef and pastrami sandwich. They had been on my radar during my official deli meat search, but I just never found the right moment to travel all the way out here. I had some time on a Saturday afternoon recently and I hadn’t stuffed myself on deli food in quite a while, so I figured my arteries could use the work out.

The place was rather empty when I showed up. It was a little after lunch on a very hot weekend, so maybe some people were at the beach. Or I guess, this kind of comfort food is not the usual light summer fare. Or it could be because the neighborhood has changed from being mainly Jews and Italians to being predominantly Vietnamese. Regardless, I was treated politely and waited on like at a real restaurant.

This is one of the few delis where customer service is evident and the waiters seem to care about your experience. I didn’t waste any time and I ordered their Classic (the corned beef/pastrami combo). Lloyd later mentioned his Smokin’ Joe sandwich which is extra smoked pastrami that is then char-grilled. I sort of wish I had tried that. But my Classic was pretty classic.

The cole slaw and pickles that came out were incredibly fresh and flavorful. Both types of pickles were crispy and full of flavor (one was sour and garlicky; the other was sweeter and salty) and the cole slaw was creamy without being overwhelmed by the mayo. And then came my sandwich. I had asked for a half sandwich, which some delis are more resistant about then others. The waitress told me they have a Jr. version with less meat. That was perfect for me, since I’m trying to watch my boyish figure, you know.

The sandwich came out very hot, almost cooking the soft rye bread. I opened it up to douse on the mustard and realized this was the perfect amount of meat. The first bite was warm and buttery, the meat melting away to some notes of garlic, pepper, and plenty of salt. I found the corned beef pretty exceptional – it was flaky and tender and truly fell apart to the touch. I thought the pastrami was a little bit tougher. It had lots of layers of fat (as pastrami tends to) but didn’t fall apart as easily. And the pepper notes were a little overwhelmed by the buttery fat and the salt.

But it was a good sandwich and just what I needed (my doctor would disagree), since I hadn’t eaten one of these things in months. But meeting the passionate and generous Lloyd and having a true old-fashioned deli experience in Brooklyn, is worth any trip to the doctor. Although, I bet he’s glad there are no longer hundreds of Jewish delis in NY for me to slowly kill myself eating.

Is Jay and Lloyd’s the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? They get an 8 of 10 for their incredibly tender corned beef, comfortable service and atmosphere, and interesting takes on classic kosher food (that zucchini pancake was truly something), not to mention Lloyd’s entertaining shenanigans and love for what he does.

In order to gain credibility for the web series, Brian brings his work friend Anthony (an authentic Italian) along on the search for the best pizza in NYC.

Starring
Brian Hoffman
Adam Lerman
Anthony Merlino
Erin O’Brien

Brian is forced to choose between the affections of two girls, during his search for the best corned beef/pastrami in NY.

Starring
Brian Hoffman
Adam Lerman
Lindsey Gentile
Magdalena Rogowski

Brian promises to wait until Adam returns from his summer job to film the next episode. But when he discovers that another food blogger is also making a video about NY’s best ice cream, the competition becomes too much.

Starring
Brian Hoffman
Adam Lerman
Lawrence Weibman
Marianna McClellan
Isaad Gellis

Directed by
Shelley Butler

When Adam doesn’t return his phone calls, Brian searches for a new sidekick to help document the search for NY’s best dumplings. He finds somebody who looks like the perfect replacement. But looks can be deceiving.

Starring
Brian Hoffman
Adam Lerman
Alan Pittman
Jiji Lee

With
Jonathan Monk
Mark Emerson
Amy Heidt

Directed by
Shelley Butler

And it was Ted who IMed me one day to let me know that National Pastrami Day (January 14) was approaching. I have a tough enough time keeping track of President’s Day and Columbus Day, so you can imagine that this is the first I had heard about National Pastrami Day. I learned it was started by sandwich chain Togo’s, which is less manipulative than Hallmark’s holiday creations, but still rather silly. Regardless, I took Ted’s advice and decided to get myself a pastrami sandwich in honor of the holiday.

One of the delis I never made it to on my journey is Berger’s in midtown and since I had to be in midtown for a tour, it was a no-brainer where I should celebrate National Pastrami Day, although I bet Togo would have liked me to commence the eating festivities at one of their establishments. It’s their holiday after all. I don’t think there are any Togo’s locations in the city and even if there were, I probably would not think of them as a pastrami destination. Sorry, Togo’s.

Berger’s used to be a classic deli in the Diamond District. It catered to the kosher community for over 50 years, but unfortunately shuttered in 2006. I actually got to go to the original years ago and felt right at home. It wasn’t as extravagant or delicious as Katz’s, but it had a more modest old school charm. I was terribly sad to hear it closed.

But the good news is that Berger’s was re-born on 39th Street. The bad news is that it has none of that old fashioned character that made it so wonderful. Now it looks much like any generic sandwich chain in midtown (ie, PAX or Europa Cafe), which I imagine is why it doesn’t get nearly the amount of press it would if it maintained the feeling of a Jewish grandmother’s kitchen. Now it may as well be called Togo. The sign outside even calls it Berger’s on the Go. Where have all our Jewish delis gone?

The counter felt very sterile and I was confused as to where to order. Besides deli sandwiches, you can now get wraps, paninis, and build your own salads. I convinced the guys to give me a corned beef/pastrami combo sandwich in a half size. Even though this was a holiday, I still need to keep my boyish figure. It blows my mind how impossible it is for them to do this. I offered to pay extra, which finally convinced them, but how hard is it to make a combo half size?

The guys at the cash register seemed like they came from that old school deli world, so that was comforting. And so was the price. Even though I paid extra, the half sandwich still only cost me $6.25. That’s ridiculously cheap for a corned beef and pastrami sandwich in this town.

I took the sandwich to a nearby indoor public space (that’s the beauty of midtown). It was freezing outside, so I imagine I did a little harm to the heat of the meat. It wasn’t completely cold when I unwrapped it, but it was also not as warm as I expect. The meat still managed to melt in my mouth and impart quite a bit of flavor. The pastrami had a smoky saltiness and the corned beef had some nice garlicky savoriness.

But both meats were rather greasy. I’m not sure if it had to do with the temperature change, but there was a shiny film on the meat as if it had been soaked in fat. It even caused the rye bread to go soggy rather quickly. And as the sandwich came to an end, the meat got even colder (I was inside by now) and it felt like I was eating cold fat. This was a real shame because the flavors were strong and I enjoyed the sandwich at the beginning of the meal. I wonder if I would have had a different experience if I had ignored the restaurant’s name and didn’t take “on the go”.

All in all, it was a pretty good Pastrami Day except for the fact that I didn’t get any cards or texts or anything. I hope Ted’s holiday consisted of better deli meats and more presents.

Is Berger’s On The Go the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? I enjoyed the flavor of the meat despite some grease and temperature issues and since dining in the shop at one of the few tables might be a different experience, I can’t give them less than 7 out of 10.

But one group that seems to appreciate the stuff is the African American community. David Sax mentions this in his book Save the Deli as surviving delicatessens in places like Detroit, New Jersey, or Chicago notice that their clientele is changing from older Jewish eaters to African American diners.

So I guess it’s not surprising that an almost 40 year old Jewish deli is surviving on the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant, a predominantly African American neighborhood. David’s Brisket House has been a religious venture from the beginning. It is now owned by a Muslim family (who bought it from a Jewish family) so instead of closing completely on Saturdays (for the Sabbath) they now only close for a few hours on Friday for prayer. And they tend to close early so we found the perfect time on a Saturday afternoon.

The huge sign out front made me think this would be a Katz’s size restaurant with bus boys and matzoh ball soups flying everywhere. Not the case. This place is tiny with maybe two small tables in the back and one long narrow deli counter. The employees were happy to hear we were dining in (I’m sure it is mainly take-out here) and they delivered our food to us.

We ordered the brisket sandwich (since it was on my Time Out list) and the corned beef/pastrami combo. At $13, this combo sandwich is the most affordable in the city. And it comes with a free drink! It might not be as comically massive as Carnegie’s, but it’s still enough for at least two meals.

The rye bread was fresh and soft. And the meat was really good. I don’t know why my expectations were low for a place so far away from the tourists, but I really loved their meat. The pastrami was smoky and just fatty enough to melt in your mouth but not overwhelm my arteries (who am I kidding?). The corned beef was a lot leaner but still had a lot of garlicky, salty brine flavor. The only major downfall was the limp and overly sour pickle that accompanied the sandwich.

I’m pretty sure visiting kids from middle America won’t make it out to David’s Brisket House. That’s probably best for us locals to keep this little gem to ourselves. But if deli meat this fresh and flavorful existed across the country (maybe replacing all those McDonald’s), I think we might be able to save a dying cuisine.

Is David’s Brisket House the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? It’s a great little gem in the heart of Brooklyn. And even though I give it an 8 out of 10, I’m hesitant to tell anybody because it’s one of those places you want to keep to yourself.

No question that the smoked meat from Mile End was where I would go. I got in touch with Rae Cohen and Noah Bernamoff, the owners of this new Montreal restaurant in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. They were so incredibly nice and gracious to allow me to spend a weekend eating and filming this little video.

So here it is, my audition video. For the record, I don’t think I got the part as I should have heard by now. But it was a fun experience (it was the main reason I shaved my beard) and I learned a lot so that when the next cable show comes calling, I’m ready to book it!

The Big Apple BBQ gets a lot of press in June, but on Sunday, July 11, the first public Meatopia will take place on Governor’s Island. It should be an excitingly delicious afternoon of meat, music, meat, contests, and more meat.

One of my favorite things, as many of you know, is walking around food events and just tasting as much as I can. There will be 30 chefs participating making dishes as varied as whole roasted lamb and grilled bacon sandwiches. And with a $25 ticket, you’re guaranteed three tastes from the chefs of your choice. Bring a friend, each buy a ticket, and then taste as much as you can.

Among others, Noah Bernamoff from Mile End (who makes an amazing smoked meat sandwich) will be slicing his briskets and Sam Barbieri from Waterfront Ale House will be making a house cured pastrami and smoked brisket. I just might be inspired to write another pastrami review.

For a list of all the chefs and their meat menus, check out the website. The festival lasts from 11:30 to 4:30 so that should be plenty of time to sample as much as possible. Plus, Sixpoint Brewery will be selling special brewskies for the event, including a smoked beer (one of my favorites).

It will all happen just a ferry ride away from Manhattan (or Brooklyn). Let’s just hope this heat cools off a bit so we can really enjoy gorging ourselves on pork, beef, and lamb! And maybe some chicken while we’re at it.

Hope to see you all on Sunday!

But now, I’d rather not see the fat. I guess I’m just as bad as the carnivore who doesn’t want to know where his meat comes from. And I do have a hard time watching a lamb being butchered. I don’t want to think about the fact that my hamburger was once grazing around a farm. So I prefer fat that is well-marbled throughout rather than a big chunk of fat on the side of my meat. I would never eat the leftover lard from a prime rib, but would have no problem devouring a well-dispersed and marbled kobe steak.

The fat on the corned beef at Mill Basin Kosher Delicatessen was pretty dispersed but it seemed to almost overwhelm the meat. There were little nuggets of deliciously buttery pickled meat, but the fat definitely outweighed the protein. The pastrami didn’t seem quite as fatty, but the smoky spicy flavors were there and scrumptious.

I had been wanting to come to Mill Basin earlier on my journey, but it takes some commitment and time to get out here. It’s all the way on the outskirts of Brooklyn. There isn’t even a subway that comes directly to the restaurant. I had to take a subway to a bus and watch the Brooklyn neighborhoods change for a good thirty to forty minutes. You can’t forget how big this city is (counting all five boroughs)! The ride out to Mill Basin was pleasant enough, but it was difficult finding my way back as the direct bus stop was tough to find and I had to take another bus and transfer to another subway station. And as long as that took, I could have walked and burned off some of those calories.

When I did arrive at Mill Basin, which is located in the very quaint and suburban neighborhood of the same name (it’s on Avenue T, if that gives you any sense of how far it is), I was surprised and impressed by how crowded it was on a weekday afternoon. It was so removed from the city that it reminded me of the suburban delis in South Florida that I grew up on. But as soon as I entered, the intense aromas of pickled meat pervaded the air and I realized I was in fact within the five boroughs.

One of the cool (kitschy?) things about this deli is that they are also a full-on modern art gallery. The owners have collected works of such famous artists as Marc Chagall and Roy Lichtenstein. So instead of having a collection of celebrity photos hanging on all the walls, there’s real art! You can experience a nirvana of great comfort food while critiquing the works of Erte.

Besides the fatty corned beef (which some would look at as a good thing), my only real complaint was that the pickles and cole slaw were not automatically delivered to the table. The bus boy asked me if I wanted them. Seriously? Maybe they’re trying to prevent waste, but this is a Jewish deli. That’s like asking if you want cheese on your pizza.

I should also mention the latke chips. I read about them before coming out to Mill Basin and even though I had already ordered enough fat calories, I figured I wasn’t sure when I would get out here again so just had to try them. And I’m very glad I did. They were a creative treat. The latkes are sliced thin and fried until crispy so that they really are somewhere between a pancake and a potato chip. Greasy doesn’t do it justice, but delicious will suffice.

And with all that fat and greasy, I left satisfied (if a bit bloated). No wonder I fell asleep on the subway ride home. And I dreamt of deli sandwiches, Art Deco, and long commutes.

Is Mill Basin Deli the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? The corned beef is a bit fatty for my tastes, but it tastes great and the pastrami’s deep flavors helped round out the sandwich. With an 8 out of 10 score, it’s close to a work of art.

Most of the restaurants (and delicatessens) I frequent in the city are not 75 stories high so they’re often difficult to maneuver through either thanks to crowds, poor spacing, or just lack of space.

So it’s always amazing to me when I stumble upon a huge dim sum palace in Chinatown or a big IMAX movie theater hidden above the streets. Or a giant kosher deli in the middle of midtown.

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen is a palace in the hinterlands of the west 30′s. If it didn’t say kosher cuisine on the marquee, you’d think you were entering a casino. It’s below the lights of the Theater District and just above the rundown Fashion District and not a whole lot happens here except people moving from one part of town to the next. So I find it surprising yet encouraging that Ben’s is still in business. And it’s huge (bigger than Katz’s) and I can only imagine what they pay for rent.

Most of the tables were empty when I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, but there were a few parties dining and were this a smaller more compact dining room, this place would have seemed positively crowded. Their very cute slogan proclaims: “We cure our own corned beef. Our chicken soup cures everything else.” What’s really great about this (besides the obvious double play on the word “cure”) is that they make their own corned beef. And this place is actually a chain. From what I’ve read, every single Ben’s across the country (there are only seven) have barrels and cure their own meat.

That’s right, Ben’s is a chain. Normally, I would stay away from operations like this. I didn’t try Sbarro when I searched for the best pizza. But Ben’s is a smaller chain and really seems to thrive on the importance of freshly homemade dishes. Plus, their other locations are in Long Island and South Florida. They may as well all be in Jewish Manhattan.

You’d think this wold be a tourist spot, but it’s off the beaten path and not in many of the tourist brochures. Which I guess leaves all this empty space for local New Yorkers. And maybe the daytrippers visiting from Long Island. They’d feel right at home.

The service was disappointing, but it seemed like the waitress was trying her best. Somehow it felt like the cavernous room just swallowed her up. She just couldn’t get to places fast enough and would often disappear for long stretches. Maybe she was in another room of the restaurant. It really was that big. But she made it over to me and I ordered the Double Dip, which is half a sandwich and half  soup. This is my favorite option at these delis because I can have a good taste of the sandwich without killing myself and I won’t have to deal with leftovers. I mean, as much as I love them, I don’t need to eat a corned beef sandwich on my days home away from this project.

The matzo ball soup (is there any other option?) was decent. The balls themselves were soft (never thought I’d say that) but rather bland. The noodles and broth may have come from a can. The pickles were also bland, which is kind of tough to do. Maybe they focus too much on curing their corned beef.

The sandwich arrived and the meat was just lukewarm. Not sure if it had been sitting around for a while. The pastrami was rather dry, but the corned beef (that homemade corned beef) was great. The flavors were much richer and the meat much more tender. I got some deep garlic flavors and it fell apart in my mouth. Both were sliced a little too thin for my tastes, but the sandwich ended up being good enough, especially for a chain trying to make a consistent product.

Ben’s is a decent option in this neighborhood and definitely feels like a quiet, but huge spot. Is it possible to have a big neighborhood joint?  But then again, who really lives or comes to this neighborhood? Maybe if you’re a tourist and you took a wrong turn. Not that it’s unsafe, it’s just unusually big in a very small neighborhood.

Is Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? The homemade corned beef is impressive, but the dry pastrami and the overwhelmed waitress subtracted some points, giving their meat a 6 out of 10.

But when I’d travel somewhere with my Jewish youth group or spend the summer at sleepaway camp, I had no choice but to keep kosher for the duration of the trip. As much as I tried, there was no smuggling lobster rolls.

Nobody likes sleepaway camp food, so maybe that tainted my idea of kosher meals, but I always found them rather bland, greasy, and sort of gross. My memory is of dry chicken or tasteless hot dogs with bottomless refills of bug juice. And I’ll never forget that the days we were served meat prevented me from going to the camp convenience store and indulging in an ice cream sandwich. They wouldn’t sell them on “meat” days because you can’t mix meat and dairy. Forget about bacon flavored ice cream.

There aren’t many kosher restaurants in the city, but I know that there are some out there that prepare their food well (not just in regards to the kosher rules), with a great balance of flavors and textures, all while being observed by a Rabbi. Check out my review of Taam Tov.

Unfortunately, Gottlieb Restaurant, in the very Hassidic community of Williamsburg, did absolutely nothing to dispel my preconceived notions of this holy style of eating. Gottlieb is run by Hassidic Jews, all wearing payos and the usual conservative black garb. Stepping inside this sanctuary was really amazing. While there were a handful of customers not wearing yarmulkes (there was even one woman!), most people seemed to know each other and it felt like this has been their tradition since they started Yeshiva school many years ago.

I felt a bit uncomfortable, but I think that had more to do with my own insecurities. Even though I was raised Jewish and I know both this food and the melody for the Birkat Hamazon (the blessings for after the meal) that has been laminated and included with every menu on the tables, I still felt very out of place. Which is so ironic since I have no problem walking into an authentic Chinese restaurant deep in the heart of Chinatown or a Jamaican bakery where I’m the only white face for miles. I think this was a bit awkward because it was actually closer to who I am but yet world’s apart. Anybody ever read The Chosen?

I found myself a table in the corner and studied the menu. I was amused by the inclusion of some Chinese influenced items. I thought the Jewish obsession with Chinese food was a stereotype and I certainly didn’t know it reached into the Hassidic community. But there it was: a pastrami egg roll.

As tempted as I was by that and the pastrami knish, I resisted and requested my usual corned beef/pastrami combo. I figured if I was still hungry and the spirit moved me, I could always do some more ordering.

And then came that sandwich. It looked limp and sad. The bread didn’t resemble any sort of rye that I’ve encountered thus far. This was akin to a wonder bread version of rye.

The meat was cold and tough and reminded me of something you would buy at a grocery deli – but worse than that. The corned beef had a layer of congealed gelatin-like fat hugging the meat. The pastrami looked overly processed. And together I couldn’t help but think of spam (although I could guarantee this didn’t have any pork in it).

I took a deep breath and bit into the thing. It was everything I had feared. The meat was dry and tough. It had a very salty flavor but nothing more. The pastrami fared a bit better than the corned beef because I could taste some seasoning. But I gave up and decided to save my calories.

This was really the first sandwich I chose not to finish. It actually grossed me out a bit. This is the pastrami and corned beef I’d expect to find in Middle America, surrounded by chain restaurants and a miniscule Jewish population. But this is New York City, for Moses’ sake!

I imagine Gottlieb fares better with more substantial kosher meals (they have all the usual suspects on the menu). I would hope at least. Because this place is a very neat piece of history and a unique experience. And the only deli I’m aware of in NY that caters specifically to the Hassidic community. And I hate to say it, but they can keep it for all I care

Is Gottlieb Restaurant the best corned beef/pastrami in NY? It saddens me that my lowest rating yet, 3 out of 10, has to go to this place. The sandwich was just awful and unappetizing, but the experience and restaurant deserve better food.