Mile End

Anyone who knows me is aware of my intense love of Jewish deli food. I'm taking a pound of Katz's hard salami with me to college, and of course my well worn Yonah Schimmel shirt. Naturally I was exited when the food scene was lit up by the recent opening of Mile End Delicatessen, located right off Atlantic ave in Brooklyn Boeurm Hill neighborhood. The deli gets its name from a part of Montreal known as Mile End which is home to the city's Jewish population. What makes Mile End distinctly Canadian are its Montreal bagels, which are smaller and sweeter then their New York counter parts. I was a little disappointed by the bagels, which Mile End has delivered daily from Canada, not because they tasted bad but because they don't taste that different then your normal NYC bagel. However that was my last complaint about Mile End. I don't like to get extreme in my reviews, but I really was blown away by the quality and the taste of the deli's modern takes on Jewish staples. While the bagels and poutine (french fries in gravy with cheese curds) make the deli Canadian, it is the innovative flavors combined with traditional cooking methods make Mile End stand out from the established Jewish eateries around the city. In contrast to a deli like Katz's Mile End's smoked meats are heavily flavored, with herbs and spices rubbed carefully into the skin of the meat as it is cured. Despite the flair that extra flavoring brings Mile End's deli remains no nonsense, much in the tradition of other Jewish Delis. The smoked meat, as complex as it is, is served with mustered on quality rye, no frills, just like it should be. Even though Mile End's bagels may be from Montreal, you can still get them with capers and thin sliced lox, and even a spread of creme fresh. The deli's decour follows its no nonsense attitude, with clean wood and metal surfaces, minimal decorations, and a deli counter in clear view of the kitchen. In many ways Mile End will feel familiar to fans of New York Jewish food, but it is certainly and exciting and delicious new niche for a cuisine known more for tradition then innovation.