Dunn's, Vancouver - Not Quite A Deli

When I think of deli sandwiches, I picture a pile of bright pink slices of meat stuffed between two rustic slices of bread. That mental image must have been planted in my head by the movies I've watched usually involving old men sitting around in delis, since I had never actually tried one of these things myself until my recent visit to Dunn's in Vancouver.

The inside of Dunn's looked like it was entirely furnished and decorated by an upscale department store like David Jones. It was classy enough, but everything looked shiny, and of an identical age. It had a slightly plastic feel which was well out of line with how I pictured any deli sandwich shop to look. At least it was clean, and there were plenty of spare seats.

Sadly there were no weathered old characters at Dunn's when I was there. They probably don't go to Dunn's anymore since it went non smoking. Undeterred, I ordered the classic six ounce version of the Montreal Smoked Meat Deli Sandwich. The concept of protein-heavy smoked meat sammy's originated in Montreal, over on the other side of Canada, but I wanted one now.

And before long, it was delivered to my table, looking like it was chopped in half with an axe, judging from the gaping sandwich in front of me. The halves were splayed open, revealing the layers and layers of cured, smoked then steamed beef brisket, dribbling juices all glistening and warm.

The rye bread was fresh enough, but it looked very small and mass produced; once again not quite fitting within the concept of a true deli sandwich. Luckily the meat was superb. At least ten layers of meat all heaped together, with a small smear of mustard on the bread being the only other flavour imposed on the sandwich. Half a dill pickle was slumped over the side of the plate, and there were a couple of the standard sauces on the table as well, just in case anyone wanted to smother the delicate flavour of the meat.

Thanks to the softness of the meat and the freshness of the bread, the whole thing was just a little too easy to gobble down, and it was all over in a matter of seconds. I wouldn't say that the sandwich was small, but I would have expected a bit more for almost ten bucks. It wasn't as filling as you might think either, and I could have easily ordered another one, if only I hadn't been acutely aware of how that would affect the cost of my lunch.

AVERAGE

Dunn's offer larger versions of their sandwiches, with eight ounces of meat instead of six, as well as combo deals that come with salad and fries, but those start to get very expensive. I enjoyed my brief visit to Dunn's, and my time spent sampling their best known sandwich, but I won't be going back. The atmosphere verges on tacky and the sandwiches reflect that vibe as well. On top of that it just isn't good enough value to justify a repeat visit. I've been there now, I've ticked it off my list. Now I just have to wait until Montreal before giving this style of cuisine another shot.

The bill (for 1):
1 x 6oz Montreal Smoked Meat Deli Sandwich - CA$9.50
1 x Lager - CA$5.50
TOTAL: CA$15 (before tax) (Approx. US$14.50)

Restaurant address: Dunn's Famous BC, 827 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5J3, Canada
Website: dunnsfamousbc.com

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