Carshon's

You know how sometimes on the weekends, you don't really want a sandwich because you've had sandwiches all week long? So for lunch on Saturdays you go get a burger or mexican food, right? You are wrong to do that. Wrong I say. Here's why. As my lawyer friend said, "it doesn't count as a sandwich if your hands are shiny after eating it." And that's why you should go to Carshon's for lunch on Saturdays. Your hands will be shiny.

Everybody has been telling me to go to Carshon's and I, like a fool, procrastinated and put it off. Although my heart appreciated that delay, my stomach, brain, and eyes have suffered.

If you are unfamiliar with Carshon's, it is a deli, with a restaurant in the back. But I don't imagine a lot of people go in without getting a sandwich and pie. According to the internet (the world's source of truth) its been around since 1928. Because I refuse to research any further, we'll go with that.

Now, don't let my initial paragraph throw you off. I really liked the food here, but they are filthy liars there at Carshon's. We'll get to that after I reminisce and drool for a minute.

First, lets start with the sandwich. I have never had a Reuben sandwich. I'm not really sure that I have ever wanted one. I don't know what corned beef is and I'm sure that is on purpose. I was the guy that had to ask Flo, "what is this" on a menu, in America, that serves sandwiches. I'm cultured.

But, despite my greasy-sandwich blindness, I ordered a reuben with pastrami and asked for the kraut on the side. Even without knowing much about reubens, I do know about kraut. That can stay as far to the side as they can get it. My lawyer friend ordered the sandwich with cream cheese that stands about 8 inches tall. He really liked his, but as you've learned, my friends don't share so I can't tell you if he was lying about how good it was or not.

The Reuben came with melted swiss cheese and a really sweet rye bread that had unique flavor for which there is no substitute (the sandwich as a whole, not just the bread). The sandwich is warm with a greasy mound of pastrami on top and melted cheese holding on tight to the top part of the meat. The bread is crusty and not to thick or too thin. The sandwich, sans kraut, is the perfect size. The eight inch cream cheese sandwich is a bit more unwieldy.

The sandwich also comes with a pickle.

After consuming my sandwich and my pickle, Flo walked to another table with two delicious looking pieces of pie. A quick glance to my side revealed a white erase board with the daily specials. On it, was chocolate coconut pie. mmm... I have never been so excited in my life for food. Even in the greatest days of my yucatan chicken thigh quest I never hungered as much as I did right then. I asked Flo to bring me a piece of chocolate coconut pie. Flo said no. Apparently, despite the fact that both words "chocolate" and "coconut" were grouped to make it appear as though a chocolate coconut pie was available, they were separate options. The white board lied to me.

I settled for chocolate pie. It was amazing, but somehow I had lost my zest for pie. If you'll refer back to my Trinity Bistro write up you'll realize that I hate to get excited about one thing, only to be pleasantly surprised by a different thing. The pie was great. It had a warm filling which makes me think it was fresh and it was topped with meringue. But it wasn't chocolate coconut. I'm not sure if I'd even like chocolate coconut, but for a brief, fleeting moment, I was going to find out.

I will be back. Numerous times. Until my doctor or fiance tell me to start eating healthy. In which case I'll go, but wont report here about it. The sandwiches were fantastic. The pie was fantastic. Flo was fantastic. You can drink fairly inexpensive Rahr beer for lunch, which is fantastic. All in and all, I'm a fan.

If any of you know Flo or the Carshon Clan, will you see if they can make a chocolate coconut pie? Just shoot me an email at fortworthholeinthewall@yahoo.com when they are going to be serving it.

Carshon's is on Cleburne (which is what 8th seems to turn into) just past Berry. Its open from 9-3 or something like that. If you're dining in, just go straight to the back and have a seat. Flo will be with you shortly.