Zakos Deli. No way VanMag!

Really?? Van Mags Best Things to Eat and Drink in Vancouver.

No Way! Are the people at Van Mag insane? Read this:
" As close as you can get to experiencing Schwartz's in Montreal without boarding a plane"

I've been to Schwartz's and Zakos's isn’t  even close. BTW, just out of coincidence Follow me Foodie just posted a blog on Schwartz this week. Check out the photos and compare. My god, no comparison.



There is no soul at Zako's. OK, the smoked meat is pretty good, but the Sandwich is sloppy, there's no TLC.
In the end it's just a very average sandwich. The best smoked meat in the lower mainland, which I've had so far (happy to take recommendations because I probably won't be going back to Zako's) is at Estrellas in Langley. They get their meat from Montreal as well but they tend to give a damn. Check both out and you'll feel and taste the difference.
I'm looking forward to one day trying locally produced "Montreal Smoked Meat". I'm surprised no one in Vancouver is doing this. And if you are please let me know.



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Estrella's Montreal Deli & Cafe. Langely, BC

There are many places that advertise Authentic Montreal corn beef sandwiches but in the end they fall short with some of the most egregious throwing down a few slices of corned beef from Costco and calling it a day.

Happily Estrella's is the real deal. The corned beef is imported from Montreal and the sandwich is stacked beautifully.

The rye bread is perfectly soft and insanely small compared the mountain of succulently juicy beef. If you want the real deal check out Estrelle's.  I was wondering between bites of my sandwich that as good as this is why do they have to import the beef. I was informed by the lady at the counter that nobody makes Montreal style corned beef in Vancouver, the recipe and the expertise is somehow locked away in the boroughs of old Montreal. I'm not exactly buying that, I think it would be cool to make the corn beef locally as long as obviously you can achieve the same quality. Who knows, aghast, you may even do it better!

Never the less setting aside my lunchtime mussing, Estrelles makes a damn good "Montreal style" corn beef sandwich.

Now I'm on a mission to discover a local Vancouver producer.

Any suggestions out there?