. "4"^^ . "2017-08-14T00:00:00"^^ . . "3"^^ . "This place is named after the person who invented the Reuben sandwich.\n\nTechnically, the founder worked over at Schwartz's where the lines are long.\n\nBut there are many fine smoked beef establishments in Montreal including this one. Eating in any of the top twenty will get you something decent.\n\nAt smoked beef places, do your ordering with care, even if everything is going to be good.\n\nWhat is the issue?\n\nThis more than any restaurant I know is a \"combo\" restaurant rather than a pure ingredient restaurant.\n\nNormally, I am a straight ingredient kind of a guy.\n\nI like straight steak, straight pastrami, straight whiskey, no ice, no mixers.\n\nThat is NOT how Reuben's is designed and for good reason.\n\nOne of the differences between a Montreal smoked beef and an American/Irish corned beef - \n\nis that Montreal beef is dry cooked rather than boiled.\n\nThis means that more of the brining chemicals stay in Montreal smoked beef than you get with the American/Irish corned beef\n\nNothing boils out into water.\n\nThis gives Montreal deli an excellent taste but a very strong taste.\n\nA Reuben sandwich is a distinct local solution to the highly flavored meat.\n\nBy combining smoked meat with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and bread, you give some complementary flavors to balance out the brine. \n\nWITH the trimmings, the sandwich is perfectly balanced and a delight.\n\nWithout the trimmings, it is a stronger raw-er commitment.\n\nRelated principles apply to their chopped liver.\n\nThey do an excellent chopped liver.\n\nBut since the restaurant thinks in combos -\n\nthey combine the chopped liver with WONDERFUL WONDERFUL caramelized fried onions.\n\nBoth ingredients are good by themselves.\n\nBut the whole is greater than the sum of the parts -\n\nand a mouthful of BOTH onions and liver is definitely better than a mouthful of onions followed by a mouthful of liver.\n\nSo dilute things down, mix and match and build those combos.\n\nReuben's is a place where flavors work in teams."^^ . "5"^^ . "4"^^ . .