In my quest to find the best pastrami-on-rye in the Valley, Chompie's is a natural choice as it's probably the most famous -- if not the oldest -- Jewish deli around. I ordered my usual sampling of a full sandwich with mustard and cole slaw, this time to go. Would you believe me when I tell you that the price displayed on the cash register was ... wait for it ... $14.15? Seriously.
"Uhm," said I, "let's go with a half instead." This approached $9.00.
But this was the tastiest of the four places I've thus far sampled. Although I very much appreciated the "clean" taste of the nicely lean meat at Goldman's, Chompie's pastrami is warm and fatty and served on the best rye yet. Yum. And the bread actually tastes like rye, not white bread with caraway seeds. And it holds together nicely. The crust is actually crusty with a cornmeal crunch.
Although lacking in flavor distinction, the pickle was nonetheless "bright" - obviously freshly made.
Well played, Chompie's. After I finish my pastrami sandwich survey, I MIGHT be back. But I just can't see awarding four stars for an almost $15 sandwich, nice as it is.