Kensington Market is considered Toronto's cultural centre; an eclectic mish-mash of Vietnamese, Jamaican, Chinese and European establishments, to name a few. A short stroll through the bustling marketplace will open your eyes to the wonderful co-existence of a variety of cultures. What many people do not know is that Kensington Market actually used to be called the Jewish Market. It was founded in the early 1900's by European Jewish immigrants. Over time the market was settled by other immigrants, and the Jewish community slowly moved into other parts of Toronto.
Today, Caplansky's Delicatessen has a presence in the market thats about as strong as its horseradish mustard, which packs a mean punch. Caplansky's is a Jewish Deli that is famous for its smoked meat sandwiches, amongst other Jewish fare. The smoked meat is phenomenal. You can choose medium or fatty. As you would anticipate, fatty is... well fatty and juicy. I decided on the medium, and was quite pleased with my choice. The meat is cut into thick juicy pieces, and is nicely marbled. The brisket used for the smoked meat is rubbed with spices, cured for up to three weeks, and then hardwood smoked, resulting in a tender and flavourful cut of beef. It is presentled simply on rye, and you can apply whichever mustard you fancy: horseradish, garlic honey, deli, or plain. I went with all of the above and it was quite enjoyable. For $11 you can get the 7 oz. sandwich and a side of either salad, fries, poutine, or soup. The poutine looked amazing, but I did my coronary artery a favour and went with the salad.
Having grown up in Montreal, I've had my fair share of highly acclaimed smoked meat from places like Chenoy's and Schwarz's Deli. Montrealers are almost snobs when it comes to their city's famous dish. I know Montreal Smoked Meat has a nicer ring to it than Toronto Smoked Meat, but I think Caplansky's has the potential to give Montreal a run for its money.
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