Smoked meat sandwich is an obligation when you visit Montreal, along with the infamous poutine. That's what I'd heard, so that's where I headed. To the best smoked meat sandwich place in Montreal, Schwartz's.

The road was long and uphill. My sister, who eats even less meat than I do, quickly regretted accompanying me. We passed the hippie op shops, the graffiti-ed walls. I would have liked to stop by but Sis just wanted to get out of the neighbourhood. It's difficult when your travelling companion has such vastly different tastes as you. 

Schwartz's on Boulevard Saint-Laurent has two entries. The right hand side, which is the one we reached first, is the restaurant. For takeaways - or take outs, as the North Americans say - you need to enter through the left hand side door. Emporter. 

The classic smoked meat sandwich. Not sure what the difference between this and a Reuben sandwich is? This consists of two small sandwich breads slathered on with yellow mustard, and a whole heap of meat in between. Actually, I should say, its a whole heap of meat with two small mustard-ed bread squares on either side. That's a more accurate description. There is, pretty much, only meat. I had one half for lunch and saved the other for later. I just couldn't handle so much meat in one go. 

If I had been my sister, I would have regretted not having tried, even one bite. 

Schwartz's Delicatessen

3895 Boulevard Saint-Laurent

Montreal, QC H2W1L2