SMACK DELI

London, UK

Forget cupcakes and burgers, the biggest craze on the London eating scene is lobster, more specifically lobster rolls, which are the now the new ‘thing’. The most recent arrival is Smack Deli that is conveniently, yet not so nicely, located off Oxford Street across from Selfridges; not the best area to be in on a weekend. Designed as a fast food place with high stools for seating and a concise menu, Smack Deli delivers a reliable and cheap lobster roll ideal for a quick bite or to eat on the go. There is however nothing ‘fast food’ about the quality, which is high and made us crave more. Having stopped at the Deli for an early weekday lunch with a friend, we each ordered a California Roll with two orders of Courgette Fries, two Smack Colas, and we opted to share a Mexican Roll. The California Roll is as pretty as it is delicious, and comes served with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and mayonnaise. It is a light and refreshing roll, which made us dream of warmer summer days. The Mexican Roll comes served with chipotle mayonnaise, jalapeno, corn and cabbage, and provided a spicy uplift and kick that was also very yummy. The Courgette Fries, although a bit too thick for my liking, were fried to a good degree and did not drip of oil; they were adequately crispy. The Smack Cola on the other hand did nothing for me and I would have preferred a regular coke; it was too flat and almost seemed as a healthier alternative to Coca Cola, which while welcome is not what one is after when looking to have a coke. With a very reasonable total price tag of 30 pounds, it was the perfect lunch spot and one I will definitely be returning to in the very near future.

www.smackdeli.com

DAMSON & CO

London, UK

It seems like London restaurateurs have become obsessed with the no reservation policy and merely accommodate a first come first serve basis, which usually turns out to be an hour long queue. The auteur and godfather of all queues belongs to the highly popular Burger and Lobster, and unwilling to wait for three hours to get a table at their Soho outpost, we went onto Brewer street and came across a cute, charming and rustic looking delicatessen Damson & Co. It was midweek around 6:30 in the evening and it wasn’t very busy, and as such we managed to get a table fairly quickly. The best way to describe Damson and Co is to compare it to a country cottage, it's very cozy, warm and small, and the wait staff is extremely friendly and attentive.  The interiors are pastoral with timber flooring, white painted wood paneled walls and leather padded seats with studded trims that make the place feel all too charismatic. The dining and drinking options are clearly displayed on chalkboards all through the restaurant, and advertised as a café / deli it surprisingly has an extensive drinks list. In truth even though we wanted to dine at Burger and Lobster we were not that hungry but wanted to nibble. We ordered the house salad, a salmon tartare, the steak tartare and the sea bass ceviche. To drink we each ordered a bottle of their homemade iced tea; yes, bottle, as all their drinks come in mini bottles branded with the restaurants name, a nice touch. The food came quite quickly; it was all raw after all. The salmon and steak tartare surprisingly came unprepared, in that we were presented with a piece of salmon, and a piece of steak where the waiter would show us what we were about to enjoy prior to slicing it down to its expected presentation. They both came served with garnishes and relishes to add on the side; an unusual albeit nice surprise. Both tasted fresh and exquisite, although the portions could have been a bit bigger; each dish was finished after four bites. The sea bass ceviche was as equally tasty and refreshing, and the house salad that is a traditional salad of mixed greens and radish was very crisp and delightful. At a price tag of 25 pounds a head for four dishes (tapas portions I may add) and three iced teas, Damson and Co is definitely not cheap, as such won’t rank high on the hanger meter as for that price I’d expect more generous portions; it’s a deli in Soho after all, not a restaurant!

21 Brewer St, London W1F 0RL

www.damsonandco.co.uk

KATZ'S DELICATESSEN

A Manhattan legend, Katz is a place of pilgrimage for any meat lover and exemplary New Yorker. Katz arguably offers the best beef pastrami in the city at great prices and overly generous portions. The presentation of the deli is uncomplicated; you can either choose self service at the very long deli counter or table service. Upon our visit it wasn’t very busy and thus we opted for the self service, which is usually the most popular alternative. When it came to ordering it was no question that we would have the classic pastrami on rye with cucumbers on the side. When ordering at the counter you are invited to sample slices of pastrami in order to give the nod of approval that you are satisfied with the quality and taste of the pastrami (a sort of deli equivalent of a wine tasting). The sandwich was simply sublime; the pastrami melted in my mouth and the spicy Dijon mustard flattered the texture and taste of the meat. With a side of their signature cucumber pickles and a Pepsi this proved to be quite the delicious meal at a great value and price in the Lower East Side of New York. 

205 E Houston St  New York, NY 10002