Ben's Delicatessen

I've been looking forward to this culinary treat. Real Montréal smoked meat in a real Montréal deli. While you can get the smoked meat in Vancouver (flown in direct from Montréal), you can't get the old fashioned deli ambience. Walking into Ben's at 990 boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest is like stepping back in time. The interior decor hasn't changed since the 1950's. The staff looks like it hasn't changed since the 1950's either. On the back wall are photographs of some of the famous patrons. I spotted fading black and white photos of Arnold Schwartzenegger, and Gilles Villeneuve. There were many photos of Montreal Canadiens players.

I seated myself at the mustard yellow laminate counter on a worn red vinyl stool. For $12 you get the smoked meat sandwich meal with fries, pickle, cole slaw, and glass of Coke. The large slab of smoked meat is thinly sliced and tastes peppery and satisfyingly salty. Without a doubt this is the real Montréal experience I was hoping for.