Pastrami, as we know it, is made from beef. But it wasn’t always that way. In Romania, the first pastramis were probably made from some sort of fowl, like duck or chicken. And at Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side, they make a special salmon pastrami. Pastrami really refers to a meat that’s been cured with spices (for preservation) and smoked. So it really could be anything. How about some bacon pastrami? Anyone?
Ok, I’m sorry. I know that was out of line. Pastrami and pork should probably never be uttered in the same sentence for fear of making the idea of deli meat completely treif (non-kosher). But at Char No. 4, you can order both a unique type of pastrami and good old fashioned spare ribs. And like the bad Jew I am, I couldn’t resist either.
Char No. 4 sits on the very food-centric block of Smith Street in Cobble Hill. They’re known for their massive bourbon and whiskey selection and their Southern-influenced dishes that seem to pair nicely with the sweet, smoky notes of American whiskeys.
I find it strange that Time Out lists the lamb pastrami as a sandwich because although it is served with two pieces of toast, this is not in league with those other corned beef/pastrami sandwiches I’ve been tasting on my other food journey.
The meat was sliced very thin and reminded me much more of a prosciutto than a pastrami. It did have some smoky notes and the lamb flavor was there but awfully subtle. I enjoyed the interesting take on pastrami and I thought it paired very nicely with the Four Roses bourbon I was sipping. But I wish the flavors were a bit more intense and that the meat was a tad thicker. That might be tough since lamb is so delicate and fatty to begin with, but I wanted more since my expectations were incredibly high.
But anywhere that serves great whiskeys and takes risks on classic dishes with care and thought, is worth a visit in my book. I would come back to Char No. 4 in hopes of finding something new and savory.
Would Char No. 4’s Lamb Pastrami make my Top 100 of the year? In concept more than execution, yes. So it gets a 7 out of 10 because the flavors were interesting but nothing that blew away my tastebuds or my preconceived notions.
