Double Vision
Cleveland's European immigrants brought with them a history of curing meats. We look at two restaurants carrying on that practice.
Traditional
The lean, tender corned beef in a Slyman's sandwich ($14) is as automatic — always tender, always delicious — as the deli slicers that run continuously at the more than 50-year-old family-owned restaurant. Even first timers familiar with this sandwich's lore can't believe their eyes at the 14 ounces of melt-in-your mouth savory brisket piled so high it's barely contained by three (yes, three) slices of Jewish rye bread. 3106 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland, 216-621-3760, slymans.com
Inventive
Cork and Cleaver Social Kitchen chef and co-owner Adam Bostwick has cast a spell on us with his Reuben ribs ($10) that taste more like the common deli sandwich than a rack of baby backs. To perform the Harry Potter-esque transfiguration, Bostwick corns and brines pork ribs, places them on a bed of Napa cabbage slaw and finishes the delicious deception with Thousand Island dressing, Gruyere cheese and rye salt. But we've got a trick up our sleeves too — we always make the plate of ribs disappear. 8130 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, 440-627-6449, ccsocialkitchen.com
