#14 – RUTH WILENSKY SANDWICH at MILE END

Once again Time Out New York released their Top 100 Dishes of the year and once again, I’m going to eat my way through every one. And no price point or subway delay will stop me. In no particular order, here’s my take on their Top 100.

It’s official. I looked through the tags for all my blog posts since I started Eat This last year. And my suspicions were correct: Mile End has been tagged more than any other restaurant on this blog (with Di Fara pizza a close second). Which means I’ve reviewed, praised, and brown-nosed Mile End more than any other place this year.

So I was incredibly pleased when I got Time Out’s list and saw a sandwich from the Montreal-influenced Brooklyn diner included.  I may have lost oodles of respect for the publication if they hadn’t. But I was a little surprised to discover it wasn’t their phenomenal smoked meat sandwich, but rather the less-talked about Ruth Wilensky that made the cut.

The first time I had the sandwich (many months ago) I asked the question I imagine most people ponder: “Who’s Ruth Wilensky?” Rae Cohen (one of the owners of Mile End) explained to me that Ruth Wilensky (now 91 years old) is a deli personality and owner of Wilensky’s Light Lunch in Montreal. The sandwich is inspired by the Wilensky Special which is a pressed sandwich of grilled bologna and salami with a helping of mustard. The mustard is so integral to the sandwich that Wilensky won’t make it without and Mile End charges a nickel if you order the sandwich sans the condiment.

Biting into the warm sandwich, I experienced that first joy all over again. The roll (called a pletzel) is studded with bits of charred onions not unlike an onion bagel. Here, they forego the bologna, but to make up for it, Noah Bernamoff (chef and co-owner) makes the beef salami in house and uses all the finest local ingredients. Those ingredients make for a nostalgic sandwich (even if you’ve never tasted Wilensky’s original). It makes me think of a really great crispy hot dog wrapped in a perfectly tender onion bun.

Clearly, I love all the food (and the ambiance and service) that Mile End produces. The Ruth Wilensky may not be my favorite (I prefer both the smoked meat sandwich and the smoked salmon Beauty), but there’s no question that this is a scrumptious throwback to some great comfort food with all the right ingredients. I could go on and on about it, but I think I’ll save it for another Mile End post.

Would Mile End’s Ruth Wilensky make my Top 100 of the year? If I could put all their menu items on my list I would, but since other things here reign supreme I give this an 8 out of 10. It‘s still a delicious option, but I only have room for so much at each visit.