ONE DISH – Larry’s Hot Pastrami
enRich Bistro is serving up one hot sandwich!
I’m Particular About My Pastrami. I’m not a deli snob. I just know what I like (and what I don’t). In my world, the gold standard of pastrami is Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Yes, I’m from Chicago, and some of my friends will call that statement treason. But it’s true. Make no mistake, there is great deli food in the Windy City. Manny’s has been and still is my “go-to.” But when it comes to pastrami, the very foundation of the Reuben Sandwich, it’s Katz.
This is what a proper “deli” Reuben Sandwich should look like.
(🎥 SEE HOW IT’S MADE!)
I say “deli” because we’re about to take a leap down the Reuben rabbit hole. Come on along! 🐰
First, this Larry is not me, Larry. This Larry is enRich Bistro’s Executive Chef Larry Lane. He’s the culinary creator behind our ONE DISH feature today, the self-titled Larry’s Hot Pastrami.
Before we dive into Larry’s Hot Pastrami (which, if we’re being honest, is really a Reuben Sandwich variation), we should talk about the place where this unique lunchtime treat is served, enRich Bistro (5239 Manatee Ave W. (941) 289-1299).
Yes, enRich is located in a Bradenton strip center (don’t judge). It shares its Fairway Center Plaza location with a salon, a pizza place, and a VFW Hall. There’s a little bit of everything at the Fairway Center.
This location was part laundromat and part senior services center (I think I’ve got that right?) before it was transformed into what it is today. A super comfortable dining and gathering place for a crowd as varied as the menu.
The main dining room is the white tablecloth variety.
The bar area is upscale sophisticated but not the least bit stuffy.
It is as welcoming as you could imagine and staffed with some super friendly folks. Liz was my server/bartender today. And she did an outstanding job! 😊
Here’s a little enRich bonus for you…
They’ve got a “Board Room!” This cozy little private dining room would be the perfect place for a lunch meeting or a company dinner get-together. 📝 I get a lot of email asking for this exact type of setup. There aren’t many places in our area that can accommodate a small group in a private setting like this. Mark it down!
OK, we’ve got all of the prelims out of the way. Now is the time to get down to what we came here for. Larry’s Hot Pastrami. 🥪
First, I think we can amplify what the sandwich description already states so clearly, that this is a “Labor of Love!” There is just no other way around it.
Chef Larry either:
🅰️ Has nothing better to do with his day than spend hours and hours curing, seasoning, and smoking Angus Beef briskets.
OR
🅱️ He loves making delicious pastrami so much that he just can’t help himself.
I’m guessing B every time!
📝 I’ve made pastrami myself (a lot of it!), and I can tell you from experience that it is a long, slow, and very detailed process. Especially if you want to have anything that comes close to being edible at the end.
Second, let’s just cut right to the chase. This IS NOT a typical deli Reuben.
This is something quite different. Yes, it has all of the elements of a traditional Reuben (pastrami, kraut, cheese, a condiment, and rye bread). But that is where the similarities end. Chef Larry has tweaked these ingredients in such a way that it gives this sandwich its own very distinct personality.
Let’s compare. The meat is homemade pastrami (good so far!). The kraut is a caraway-infused version. It’s Gruyere instead of the customary Swiss cheese. A mustard aioli is subbed in for the usual 1000 Island or Russian dressing. And to finish things off, the whole thing is piled on sour rye bread versus a standard deli rye. It’s a Reuben, but it’s not!
👀 All right, enough talk, let’s take a look…
You don’t have to be a Reuben aficionado to see that this doesn’t even look like the regular Reuben pictured at the beginning of this piece. It’s mind-twisting to realize that all the parts are there, but the whole tastes SO different from the expectation.
This is not a cheap lunch (this sandwich only appears on the enRich Bistro lunch menu). This sandwich clocks in at $24.50. It’s at the upper end of the Reuben scale, to be sure. Considering the time, effort, and skill that goes into making it, it seems justified.
Liz (remember her from the start of this article?) told me, “You can definitely get a cheaper sandwich someplace else, but it won’t be this.” Liz, I couldn’t agree more!
💵 A quick check of competing local Reuben prices: $24.00 (Wolfie’s Rascal House), $22 (Palm Ave. Deli), $13.85 (Madison Ave Deli), and $9.29 (Corkscrew Deli).
✅ BOTTOM LINE – This is a super creative spin on a traditional sandwich favorite. It bursts with a flavor that perfectly illustrates the skill, inventiveness, and patience necessary to reimagine a classic that’s been enjoyed for generations. Give this a try. It may just broaden your sandwich horizons!
📝 After writing a little bit and thinking about this, I thought maybe a better, more descriptive name for this sandwich would be Larry’s Gourmet Reuben. But considering how different this version really is from a “real” Reuben, they probably nailed the name! Good Job. 😁
📊 WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
enRich Bistro (5239 Manatee Ave W. (941) 289-1299)
CUISINE: American Bistro
RESERVATIONS: Yes – ONLINE RESERVATIONS FORM
MENU: HERE’S A LINK TO THE LUNCH MENU
PARKING: Parking Lot
DRINKS: Full Bar
NEIGHBORHOOD: Bradenton
~ LH
🗓️ New On Sale Date! – Helene and Milton have forced a lot of changes in the past month. One of them is the on-sale date for the Sarasota-Manatee Originals, Forks & Corks Grand Tasting. Those GA tix now go on sale TUE NOV 19TH at 7PM. That’s one week from today. Go get ’em! – HERE’S THE LINK!
🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD EVENTS 🗓️
Here are some upcoming local food events that we think you might find interesting. All you need to do is make that reservation. We’ve provided you with a link to more info.
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We’ve got a few things for you to do in the next days, weeks, and months. Get out there and take advantage of what our Sarasota restaurant community has to offer! ⬇️
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