When seeking the perfect brunch location, a delicatessen is not normally the first image to pop into one’s mind, but then again, “Gruman’s Delicatessen is no ordinary deli.” Run by a family from Montreal, Gruman’s is a Jewish Delicatessen that offers traditional Jewish fare such as home cured lox and slow-roasted brisket, alongside Montreal-style deli foods, all made from family recipes. The owner, Peter Fraiberg, has been running restaurants and catering businesses in Calgary for over twenty years. In addition to this, Gruman’s offers other breakfast and lunch fare, making it a unique and refreshing brunch alternative to brunch places that one may be more familiar with.
Gruman’s restaurant is not one of Calgary’s urbanite brunch places where everything is trendily renovated. It is a rather plain squat building with sensible furnishings, but photos of the family dating back to the days of black and white photography furnish the walls and there is a celebratory feel to the restaurant that speaks of tradition and liveliness. The space is not lavished with all the newest styles, but walking in, it is easy to see that Gruman’s is run with a sense of familial pride; outstanding reviews lavish the front entrance and the deli counter at the rear of the restaurant is brimming with deli fair ranging from Montreal-smoked meat to Baba Ganoush. Walking in their front entrance, there are two ratings that stand out among the flood of praise; Gruman’s was recently featured on Food Network’s “You Gotta Eat Here,” and was voted Top New Restaurant on Urbanspoon in 2012.
Gruman’s is typically open on mornings and during lunch time, catering primarily to the influx of people from Calgary’s downtown area. On weekdays between 7 and 9 a.m., Gruman’s offers an early bird breakfast special, where patrons can get such quick and satisfying breakfasts on-the-go as a bagel with cheese, meat and egg for only $5.
At 11 a.m. on a Sunday, the light airy restaurant is, as most places throughout the city, quite full, and there is a short wait to be seated. That being said, the wait was nothing compared to other places, where the wait can often be 45 minutes and upward. For those hard of hearing, Gruman’s may not be the optimum brunch location as it was loud and busy, with lots of background noise. That being said, it could be quite the challenge finding a place that is not loud and busy during Sunday brunch. The staff at Gruman’s was friendly and informative, quick to answer questions about the restaurant and explain it’s history. During the typical “brunch” hours, at Gruman’s items off of the breakfast or lunch menu can be ordered.
Gruman’s offers a Smoked and Poached Breakfast Poutine, hashbrowns mixed with cheese curds and bits of Montreal-smoked meat, topped with poached eggs, and smothered in a lemon Hollandaise sauce, with a side of toast ($13). The cheese melted from the heat of the potatoes, and was gooey and delicious, especially combined with Gruman’s awesome Montreal-smoked meat, which had a smokey, rich, nutty flavour and was extremely tender. Their meat can be bought at their deli, and is definitely worth bringing home to bring sandwiches to the next level. The eggs were
poached perfectly, done as requested, and the Hollandaise was rich and creamy, with subtle and not overpowering tangs of lemon. The biggest complaint about this dish would be the hashbrowns, which could have been crisper. Also, rather than serving toast on the side, this dish would benefit from an extra smattering of curds or meat, or perhaps a side dish of fresh fruit to even out the artery-clogging meal. That being said, overall Gruman’s breakfast poutine was highly comparable to other high-end breakfast places, with the Montreal smoked meat being its winning feature.
For lunch fare Gruman’s offers a selection of traditional Jewish foods,
soups, salads, sandwiches, such as the Chicken Club, and other popular lunch fare (such as poutine). The Chicken Breast Club comes with herbed chicken breast on a toasted bun topped with “applewood smoked cheddar, pancetta tomato, lettuce, red onion, and caramelized onion aioli” with a side of coleslaw, and a side of fries that can be subbed for another deli selection, such as Gruman’s popular potato salad ($15). The chicken was tender and well done, with the cheddar adding a hint smokey aftertaste and the pancetta providing the slightest salty, mouthwatering flavour. The coleslaw was vinegary, but flavoured with skill, not overpoweringly of vinegar, but not sweet either, like it can be at some places. The potato salad was mild, creamy, and again, not sweet, like can often be the case. Overall, the chicken club was a healthy, protein-packed lunch selection that also doubled as a deliciously savoury treat.
All in all, Gruman’s is a quaint, family-run deli worth supporting. The love
and care that is put into the recipes, which have been handed down over generations, is outstanding, and the products Gruman’s offers proves it. The Montreal-smoked meat is phenomenal, as other selections such as the lox surely are, and Gruman’s is definitely a place worth going back to try all of the selections. It is also helpful to note that Gruman’s caters even, so if hosting an event, Gruman’s would be a unique independent to choose, and sure to be enjoyed due to its superior quality and flavour.
Gruman’s is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. It is located at 230, 11 Ave SE.