Deborah J.
Yelp
I'll echo the other reviewers in saying that the pastrami really is all that, but would emphasize the true miracle here: the bread! You would think that in the land of Brot, and particularly Bauernbrot, it would not be difficult to find such lovely sandwich bread -- crunchy crusted, pliable insides that hug sandwich contents firm and soak up sauce, just the right amount of slightly tart tang -- but really, this was such a treat.
My friends and I all ordered either pastrami or reuben sandwiches (wish the latter, like the former, were available in a small), which arrived on boards with little crocks of coleslaw (a good basic, but nothing special) and a nice, crisply brined pickle (yum). We also split three desserts: the chocolate mousse (yum), the cheesecake (too light and crumbly to be called NY style, but I like German-style, so this was okay), and the apple-cinnamon crumble (needs work -- apples were undercooked and bland, no chunks in the topping, tasted of white sugar and not of cinnamon, and left me wanting to bring the kitchen some oats and brown sugar).
I was puzzled by the appearance of pulled pork on the menu, not only because this is ostensibly a Jewish-style deli in a building of Jewish heritage, but also because you would never find barbecue at an American deli. Delis are for deli meats and barbecue pits are for barbecue; they should never be confused! That said, I understand that Germany is not the U.S., and that pulled pork is having a moment, and I'm super happy that Germans have discovered that the U.S. has food to offer beyond burgers. I also imagine the decision to add pulled pork to the menu wasn't one made lightly. But may I suggest barbecued brisket? This is quite distinct from Braten, and you could join the barbecue craze while honoring Jewish roots and standing out from the crowd! You've got one guaranteed customer.