Reuben sandwiches are ubiquitous in Melbourne right now, but when the sandwich is your namesake, maybe you have a head start in making a killer version? Certainly, the pastrami on rye toastie at Amanda Ruben’s new Armadale deli is a cut above, mostly because of the extraordinary pastrami.
Cape Grim brisket is brined for a day, rubbed with a house spice mix that goes big on pepper and paprika, then smoked overnight on beechwood in a low oven that eases the meat into juicy, tender, quivering submission. Layered up with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on rye, it’s an instant highlight at the sandwich and provisions store.
The shop adds to the joys of a burgeoning southside food precinct that includes The Leaf Store grocery, Phillippa’s Bakery, Lune Croissanterie, Albert’s Wine Bar, and Victor Churchill butcher and restaurant.
It’s also just up the road from the site where Ruben ran her first business. When she opened Cooper and Milla’s in 2006, it was among the first Melbourne cafes to pile a bountiful salad selection in a display cabinet for eating in or taking home. She leaned into her Jewish heritage at her next venue, Miss Ruben in Ripponlea, a busy catering operation and eat-in cafe, which she ran for five years until 2020.
Read the article by Dani Valent in WAToday.