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| DSG's Pastrami Sandwich |
Washington's transformation into "New York Jr." wouldn't be complete without a go-to Jewish deli. DGS Delicatessen qualifies as such, although it's modern and shiny (without the character of say... Morty Krupin's former haunts on Wisconsin Avenue.) But you can't eat character, can you? You can however eat the best pastrami sandwich (hands down!) in the area, and that's more than enough to win this critic over.
Open seven days a week in Dupont Circle (1317 Connecticut Ave., NW) DGS caters to a business and after-hours crowd with no shortage of dining options. To compete, they've designed a beautiful space that carries a WOW factor never before seen in the DC deli race (was there ever a DC deli race?) You can order a sandwich on the street level for take away, or go upstairs and eat in style (we're talkin' duck fat matzo balls and hot smoked salmon with golden beet latkes.) It's a gorgeous dining area.
Me? I'm simple: I ordered a 1/2 pound pastrami sandwich to go at the "Sandwich Shop," open Monday-Friday from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. It ain't cheap ($13) but delicious rarely is. Stacked inside two slices of double baked rye bread, and slathered in DGS' house mustard, this sandwich is a joy to devour. I'm not a big fan of pastrami, but I'm always open to change. The bread's crust has a wonderful crunch, although the rest of it is a little soft to handle all the meat inside. It starts to break up a bit, unless you eat it quickly. For 13 bucks, I prefer to take my time and savor the goodness. Pickles are pickles... I usually leave them on my plate; but the ones here look appetizing (maybe next time.)
Speaking of next time, I plan on making DGS a weekly tradition. Smoked salmon pastrami on a Montreal bagel and the corned beef 1/2 pounder are begging to be had. Kudos to owners David & Nick Wiseman for filling a big vacancy in the DC dining scene.
