Montreal Day 2: The wrecking ball waits for Ben’s
I’m going to let you all know off the bat that I’m going to make you wait for the Schwartz’s post till the very end, but be prepared for some serious smoked meat shots, videos, and a guest appearance by someone flown in just for the occasion. Big time.
I was walking in downtown Montreal yesterday afternoon, passing by some of the once hallowed and now less cherished delis, like Dunn’s Smoked Meat and Reuben’s (whose turkey sandwich was always a favorite of mine back in the day).
I decided to pass by the site of Ben’s Deli and Restaurant, a 100 year institution that closed down last December after a slow and bitter death. At one point Ben’s was the place to go in Montreal for smoked meat, packing in hundreds like Katz’s, and making Schwartz’s, Lester’s, and others play second fiddle. The walls were lined with the photos of stars who passed through town, to the point that both Mel Brooks and Freddie Roman remember it fondly. But time did not play kindly to Ben’s and the owners let it slide well past the point of repair until it was a sad albatross of a deli. It all ended in a labour dispute that had the workers locked out, striking for such arcane things as tomatos and air conditioning. No way to go. There’s a short film coming out soon about the strike at the end. Tim Rideout made it, and you can see the short preview on his website here.
Now the building, which is an art deco classic, is slated for demolition, and the Art Deco Society of Montreal is trying to save it. It’s a worthy cause, and they will be holding a protest on June 14th at 12:00 pm, in front of Ben’s, at the corner of Metcalfe and de Maisonneuve blvd.
Photos like this is why we have to save delis. Soon the images will be all that’s left of one of the world’s most revered delis. Sad
June 28th, 2007 at 8:22 am
I remember eating at Ben’s in 1995 when I first arrived at McGill and being shocked at how bad it was. It’s not easy to have such bad service, especially in relation to the generally low deli standards. And the meat - it tasted like pre-wrapped Loblaws no-name product. I’m surprised they weren’t putting mayo on the smoked meat…