We tried the new Aberdeen location of the Pastrami House today. My prediction: It will be successful, but for the wrong reasons.
The reason it will be successful is that it is close to the Aberdeen-Matawan train station (any closer and you would need TSA identification to get in), so it will undoubtedly be popular with commuters who want to just pick up dinner (and don’t feel like Mexican food from Aby’s across the commuter lot).
But frankly, that’s about all it has going for it. We split a 10-ounce pastrami sandwich on rye ($15.99). (They also have 4-ounce and 7-ounce sandwiches.) There was enough pastrami, but it was very fatty and gristly, and cold. The bread was so soft that it fell apart as soon as you picked up the sandwich to try to eat it, making it a total mess. The chairs are bare metal, which I personally find uncomfortable.
The sandwich comes with half of a half-sour pickle and a couple of tablespoons of coleslaw. (By comparison, Fred & Murray’s gives you complimentary pickles and at least used to give you pickled tomatoes as well.) One extra pickle is $1.95; a green tomato is $2.95 (if I am reading the menu correctly).
Thanks for taking one for the team. Is this where the bagel place was or somewhere else? I’m not over there often unless I’m picking up someone from the train.
I am really saddened by the state of pastrami in our area. I popped into a Jewish deli on rt 9 in Freehold, right next to Tokyo buffet, and I saw a the guy prepping a piece of pastrami for slicing and he just cut all the fat off and threw it away. WHYYYYYY
I used to be able to ask for and get fatty pastrami at Richard’s, but the last two times I asked for it there was almost no far, and I have since stopped ordering it there. Now I have nowhere to get my pastrami fix.
At Pastrami House they charge extra for extra-lean pastrami et al. Frankly, while a little fat is okay, I find huge chunks of it pretty gross (not to mention unhealthy). By the way, the Jewish deli is the Fred & Murray’s I mentioned. Why didn’t you ask for the fat there?
I forgot to quote Mark re Pastrami House; he described the pastrami sandwich as something created by someone who had only read about it in a book.
I didn’t actually eat there, just popped in before going to the buffet next door. But I did seriously contemplate asking them to give me the fat they had just trimmed off.
According to their sign they use Hebrew National pastrami. Is it any good? Seems kinda expensive for something I imagine you can just get at a supermarket deli. But overall seemed like a nice place to eat.
I personally would just rather not eat pastrami unless it has tons of fat on it. I say fat is healthy and no one’s talking me out of it!
When I corn beef or make pastrami I trim the brisket some but it’s just not good without the fat. I’m with Joon there. If I want it lean, or need it lean for some reason I’ll corn a round instead of a brisket.
I tried the one in Lincroft. I cried all the way home… Only the extra charge Pickled Tomato was good. They even took a genuine Brooklyn knish, split it open and flat top grilled it to crispy oblivion… Sigh.
It may be a drive, but I swear by Eppes Essen up in Livingston
