Kaplan’s Star Deli
1059 Alberni St
Vancouver, BC
A stereotype of sandwiches is that of a lot of deli meats stacked high, served with a pickle on a side. I am not sure who started it but, in a way, I think that’s a bit silly (for the lack of a better word). After all, won’t that be similar to eating a huge pile of meat with sliced bread on the side? Well, to test that, I dropped by Kaplan’s Star Deli, where, as per a sign outside, does exactly that. How good is it? Do they really stack the meats that way?
I arrived way before lunch time as I had to run an errand nearby. When I entered, there was one couple, with the rest of the tables empty. As a result, I couldn’t use the lack of customers to gauge this place.
Although for some dishes I will have catsup, for sandwiches, it has to be mustard… Honey, dijon and yellow seen here.
Their special that day was Montreal Smoked meat sandwich with coleslaw, soup and a drink and that’s what I ordered.
So, it passes test 1; indeed, in the dead middle of the stack, it was about 5cm (~2″) high! As for the width/length, each half would be slightly larger than the area of a playing card. One thing I did not miss was the butter/oil usually added to the bread. If there was any, I will have to say I did not notice it. The meat itself, cut to order with a slicer, was warm, as it was kept in a warmer/steamer rather than a fridge. It was good in its own way. And to answer that question, yes, indeed, it felt like eating slices of meat with bread on a “side”.
Ah, the stereotype. Here is the pickle on top of the coleslaw. While I am not crazy for pickles, I will eat it if it is part of the sandwich. But, I really liked the coleslaw. It was crunchy and tangy, a change from the usual creamy coleslaw.
Finally, the soup. I have mentioned previously that I am a sucker for peas/lentils/beans. So, I will rather skip any comments about it! ^_^
So, how was it? Despite the sandwich has qualities of its own, I am not sure if I want to come back. The one reason is price: The dish above plus a can of pop/soft drink was just under $15. Had I gone for the sandwich alone, it would have been $10. Go ahead, call me cheap if you want but, then again, I must compare it to the sandiwches I have had from La Grotta del Formaggio. In this case, sandwich to sandwich comparison, I feel La Grotta’s is better.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, that’s an expensive sandwich! It looks good though. I might pop in one day.
Not only expensive but that’s a massive chunk of meat! The bread looks pretty weak though. A shame you don’t like pickles, I love them!
Jessica, $10 for a sandwich isn’t that bad, specially considering the amount of meat in it. But, yes, based on my comparison with La Grotta del Formaggio, it is expensive.
shokutsu, yes, regarding the bread, it was weak indeed. Had it been sourdough… Now, I don’t dislike pickles (sorry for the double negative). I just don’t care too much about it. I am unlike a lot of people, in the sense, I don’t have a jar of pickles in my fridge… ^_^;;;
Haven’t been to this place, but being from NYC, it looks like a pretty typical Jewish Deli sandwich (including the hefty price tag). I don’t know how the “pile of meat on bread” got started, but it is an east coast tradition. The bread is usually some kind of light or dark rye, and never seems to distract from the huge meat pile. Do they give bread options at Kaplan’s? The slaw is also typical NYC deli style (ie. no mayo) and it is my absolute favorite! I find one of these sandwiches will make two meals for me, so perhaps $15 isn’t so bad!
Vox, welcome! I was not given the option for other breads (they do have others); however, I would stick with the “original” version at least once. I must mention that I have a big appetite… ^_^;;;
Having just revisited Kaplan’s, I can honestly say… not worth it.
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