Best Thing I Ate All Month: Judah’s Delicatessen’s Pastrami on Rye

A WW staffer shares their favorite meal from April.

Maxx Hockenberry (Maxx Hockenberry)
By WW Staff

Staffer: Maxx Hockenberry

Job title: Director of Advertising Sales

The meal: Pastrami on rye at Judah’s Delicatessen.

What was so good about it: “Half a pound of house-smoked pastrami cured to perfection with a subtle, peppery bark, piled high on fresh rye bread with a generous slather of tangy yellow mustard and a crisp pickle spear riding shotgun. The rich fattiness of the pastrami had a melt-in-your-mouth quality—salty, smoky, peppery and indulgent. Comfort food with an attitude. This was perfectly counterbalanced by the sharp cutting tang of the vinegary yellow mustard and the savory pickle spear to cleanse the palate between bites. This sandwich was truly a work of art—a beautiful dance between fat and acid, resting upon a hearty, slightly sour foundation of rye bread that lent it an Old World depth I would expect to find only in New York. For all of Portland’s culinary laurels, finding authentic East Coast deli fare is a tall order in this town. This was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had, and I will certainly be back to try the rest of the menu.”

TRY IT: Judah’s Delicatessen at Rose City Food Park, 5221 NE Sandy Blvd., rosecityfoodpark.com. 7 am–8 pm Sunday–Saturday.

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