Stachowski Market and Deli, 28th and P Street in Georgetown, Featuring Jamie Stachowski's Charcuterie

[DanielK]

Actually, I think $13 probably is the current price of the Pastrami sandwich. It literally can feed 4 people for lunch.

[deangold]

Actually, I think $13 probably is the current price of the Pastrami sandwich. It literally can feed 4 people for lunch.

One time I got half an Italian grinder and most of half of a pastrami down by skipping the bread and taking from noon till 5pm to do so.

[DanielK]

One time I got half an Italian grinder and most of half of a pastrami down by skipping the bread and taking from noon till 5pm to do so.  

With a Lipitor chaser?

[KeithA]

I really enjoyed the roast beef french dip sandwich today. It is a pretty large sandwich - although thankfully not gargantuan like the pastrami (I said it upthread that this is too big) - at $13 and worth it. A nice lightly crusty roll filled with a generous portion of rare warm roast beef topped with a few sweet and bunch of rather spicy peppers (I told them to hold the cheese). The dipping juice was piping hot and so flavorful you could tell this was the real deal cooking liquid from the meats with added aromatics - not some reheated beef stock that you often get with a dip sandwich.  I saw that they also have another roast beef sandwich done baltimore style with tiger/horseradish sauce - likely worth a taste next trip.

[DonRocks]

I phoned Stachowski's the other day and ordered a couple Pastrami Sandwiches ($14.99 each), and when I opened them, was surprised to find out that they were on thick-cut pumperknickel; not rye. Looking at the online menu, there's apparently a choice between the two, and I didn't realize the "default" was going to be pumperknickel (we had kind of a sketchy phone connection, and the gentleman on the other end seemed to be doing two things at once).

Regardless, this was good pumpknickel, and you don't order these massive sandwiches for the bread - at $14.99, they're *easily* enough for two people, maybe even three. On one side of each sandwich was two slices of bread, so you had three slices of thick bread per sandwich. The pastrami was as good as ever, although it's amazing just how fatty the meat is - even the pieces that look lean. There was a nominal slathering of mustard on each sandwich, and each one came with a full, sliced dill pickle.

Does anyone actually eat these as sandwiches? I've always opened them up on a plate (or in the foil), and picked up the meat, occasionally taking a bite of bread (I figure most people do this, and that's why they come with three slices of pumperknickel).

Still the best pastrami sandwich in the area - gluttonous, New York-like, enormous, delicious, fattening - everything that's so right and so wrong about a great pastrami sandwich. It had probably been a year since I've had one, and they haven't changed a bit with the possible exception of the fattiness in the meat (but that varies on a slab-by-slab basis).

[The Hersch]

Regardless, this was good pumpknickel

Funny, I had a sandwich with Stachowski's pastrami for lunch today, after buying a pound of it and making the sandwich at home (with a modest portion of the meat, which was superb as always).

I write now not to correct your spelling of "pumpernickel" (you need to lose the first k), but to inform the readership of the colorful derivation of the word. It comes from early modern German Pumper, fart, plus Nickel, pet form of the given name Nickolaus. In other words, it more or less means "farting Nick".

The OED article comments: Although the meaning of the earliest attestation of the word in German is not entirely certain, it is clearly depreciative. As applied to bread it was apparently also originally depreciative and was perhaps originally applied to Westphalian bread by outsiders. This type of bread was probably so called either on account of its being difficult to digest and causing flatulence or in a more general allusion to its hardness and poor quality.

[DonRocks]

Funny, I had a sandwich with Stachowski's pastrami for lunch today, after buying a pound of it and making the sandwich at home (with a modest portion of the meat, which was superb as always).

I write now not to correct your spelling of "pumpernickel" (you need to lose the first k), but to inform the readership of the colorful derivation of the word. It comes from early modern German Pumper, fart, plus Nickel, pet form of the given name Nickolaus. In other words, it more or less means "farting Nick".

The OED article comments: Although the meaning of the earliest attestation of the word in German is not entirely certain, it is clearly depreciative. As applied to bread it was apparently also originally depreciative and was perhaps originally applied to Westphalian bread by outsiders. This type of bread was probably so called either on account of its being difficult to digest and causing flatulence or in a more general allusion to its hardness and poor quality.

I corrected it on dcdining.com, but I have to leave the errors intact here because your comment is so priceless.

[Barbara]

I meant to mention this a couple of weeks ago but forgot. Smucker Farms on 14th Street (a block or so above U and across the street from Kapnos) sells a variety of Jamie's sausages in their frozen meat section. And, since it is a whole lot easier for me to get to, I was very happy to learn this.

[darkstar965]

I was in yesterday but was thwarted as they're not currently selling pancetta or guanciale, which I needed for a dish we were making. Sounds like they won't be selling either for awhile but the salesperson who helped me wasn't entirely sure why or when. Still, all the sausages are now in frozen packages at left when you enter so made do with some of those and a thick slice of prosciutto di parma.

[DaRiv18]

On 11/13/2013 at 4:01 PM, KeithA said:

I really enjoyed the roast beef french dip sandwich today. It is a pretty large sandwich  . . . A nice lightly crusty roll filled with a generous portion of rare warm roast beef topped with a few sweet and bunch of rather spicy peppers (I told them to hold the cheese). The dipping juice was piping hot and so flavorful you could tell this was the real deal cooking liquid from the meats with added aromatics - not some reheated beef stock that you often get with a dip sandwich. 

This Butcher Shop Dip sandwich is now my favorite, the beef is great and the peppers are really interesting. The pastrami is still strong, but I prefer the prissy version at DGS more.  The meatball sandwich here is a big miss for me, I much prefer A. Litteri's version.  

[DaveO]

Prissy version??  Now what does that mean??  I have Stachowski pastrami now.  Also prefer dgs version.  Not sure how to characterize it.  Is Batmanianian a word??

[DaRiv18]

I just think DGS is very dignified, certainly more lean, and business appropriate.  Stachowski is a dinosaur portion of excess, and can be really messy.  Both of them, always delicious.

[DaveO]

On February 14, 2013 at 1:57 PM, deangold said:

Holy Fucking Shit! I just consumed 1/2 of a Pastrami Sandwich. Well, 1/2 less 6 slabs of the eat, meaning I had 2/3 the meat of 1/2 the sandwich. And I am in a blissful smoky haze as well as the bearer of a distended belly. The only thing stopping me from eating more was the fear of explosion!

Now to enter an argument offered on various threads: Is the the best Pastrami Sandwich I have ever had? The sandwich purposely offers no resemblance to a {in descending order, your list may vary, but it is wrong!} Katz's, Brent's, Art's, Canter's Nate & Al's,Langer's, Juniors, or any other "Jewish Deli." The meat is thickly sliced, thickly smoked and lacks the elasticity of Jewish style corned meats. Who the fuck cares? It is a work of art... or Jamie as the case may be.

But the total experience landed me smack dab in between a classic Jewish deli sandwich and the brisket I had at many a name unremembered Austin Hill Country BBQ Barn ventured into whilst escaping from the endless purchasing meetings I suffered thru at WFM. While the corning was there, the smoke and the succulence and the proper chew of the meat was what drove this sandwich.

So is it a riff on classic Jewish Deli Sandwiches? I'd say probably, but it blows apart themodel and thats what counts.

 

And last add: to the lady who flipped me off when I got the parking space right in front.... HA HA HA!

I thought Dean did a nice job describing this pastrami several yrs ago, including sentence 1 and the concluding paragraph.  I think dgs pastrami is more traditional.... and ends up being my preference.

 

Oh the taste testing has been so rugged!!

[Al Dente]

Last Saturday, I happened to be driving along in Gtown, and passed by the sign for this joint. Having heard so many great things and having never been, I grabbed a rockstar parking spot across the street, and headed in. A very friendly and helpful dude behind the counter helped me select a charcuterie platter for my dinner that night. Great stuff-- as was the pastrami I picked up to make sandwiches.

I don't always go to Georgetown, but when I do, I'll hit Stachowski's. 

[DonRocks]

20 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

I don't always go to Georgetown, but when I do, I'll hit Stachowski's. 

Do you have a Mars bar for dessert? 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is what a nice person Jamie is. I'm not sure what compelled me to say this just now, but the guy has always been a champ - remember when he was working out of his garage? Hell, remember Restaurant Kolumbia? That place was good! Remember Carolyn at Citronelle?

Stachowski Market also has a really nice website now.

[DaveO]

On 4/15/2013 at 7:59 PM, cheezepowder said:

Just out of curiosity, were your pastrami slices cut thinly or thickly?

BTW:  When buying cold cuts you can ask for thin slice and thicker slice.  For something like pastrami I'll buy some for sandwiches and some for cooking.  I'll get thin slice for sandwiches and about twice as thick for cooking (ie pastrami and eggs, pastrami hash, etc etc.).  I think they can do a lot of thicknesses, but you need to ask.

[DaveO]

On 12/17/2014 at 3:44 PM, DonRocks said:

I phoned Stachowski's the other day and ordered a couple Pastrami Sandwiches ($14.99 each), and when I opened them, was surprised to find out that they were on thick-cut pumperknickel; not rye. Looking at the online menu, there's apparently a choice between the two, and I didn't realize the "default" was going to be pumperknickel (we had kind of a sketchy phone connection, and the gentleman on the other end seemed to be doing two things at once). 

Regardless, this was good pumpknickel, and you don't order these massive sandwiches for the bread - at $14.99, they're *easily* enough for two people, maybe even three. On one side of each sandwich was two slices of bread, so you had three slices of thick bread per sandwich. The pastrami was as good as ever, although it's amazing just how fatty the meat is - even the pieces that look lean. There was a nominal slathering of mustard on each sandwich, and each one came with a full, sliced dill pickle. 

Does anyone actually eat these as sandwiches? I've always opened them up on a plate (or in the foil), and picked up the meat, occasionally taking a bite of bread (I figure most people do this, and that's why they come with three slices of pumperknickel). 

Still the best pastrami sandwich in the area - gluttonous, New York-like, enormous, delicious, fattening - everything that's so right and so wrong about a great pastrami sandwich. It had probably been a year since I've had one, and they haven't changed a bit with the possible exception of the fattiness in the meat (but that varies on a slab-by-slab basis).

I shop at Stachowski's periodically and sporadically....but I've also purchased these types of sandwiches and cold cuts or thicker cuts for decades.  I've seen plenty of pastrami sandwiches on pump vs rye.  I think thick crusty rye and thick crusty pump work equally well, and they are similar  to one another....but each person will decide for themselves.  ......and sure I eat them as sandwiches.  I hadn't been to Stachowski's for a bit, nor had I read this thread for a bit.  What's it like with these enormous gut busters???   go back up thread and read what Dean Gold wrote after his first visit here.  That describes it pretty well for me too.

[silentbob]

We enjoyed two of the pastrami sandwiches recently.  Meat was the same smoky-fat goodness as always.  I think that next time we'll buy the pastrami by the pound, use only some for sandwiches, and the rest for hash topped with a soft-cooked egg.

The 4 Meat Grinder was the surprise second-favorite of folks in our family.  Boy is it spicy!

[Scott Johnston]

Great News! Stachowski brand sausage and meats will be in 17 local Harris Teeter stores starting January 9th. You no longer have to wait and buy them at the farmers market, travel to Georgetown or do a "drug" deal out the back of his car at a unknown location (anyone remember this?).

Show our own Jamie Stachowski some love and buy a package or two the first week! He will appreciate it and you will get to sample some fine sausage! 

[silentbob]

1 hour ago, Scott Johnston said:

Great News! Stachowski brand sausage and meats will be in 17 local Harris Teeter stores starting January 9th. You no longer have to wait and buy them at the farmers market, travel to Georgetown or do a "drug" deal out the back of his car at a unknown location (anyone remember this?).

Awesome.  When you say "meats," does that include pastrami as well?

[Scott Johnston]

1 hour ago, silentbob said:

Awesome.  When you say "meats," does that include pastrami as well?

I think its just a few of the sausages to start. You still need to go to the mothership for Pastrami and Corn Beef

[eatruneat]

I've had my eye on this place since it first opened, especially when I pass it nearing the end of my long runs, but being without a car and generally trying to avoid Georgetown, I hadn't stopped in for a visit until this past weekend. After an afternoon of kayaking on the Potomac, @MichaelBDC walked up to Stachowski's and grabbed a 4 meat grinder and some potato salad for dinner. A few hours later, I inhaled my half of the sandwich though I did start just focusing on the meat and insides with about 10% of the sandwich remaining. @MichaelBDC ate a little over half of his portion and wrapped up the rest for later. We deemed it a GREAT sandwich and compared it to the 9th St. Italian Sandwich from Taylor Gourmet. For the same price, the sandwich at Stachowski's is not only leaps and bounds better, but also larger. Taylor Gourmet is only a few blocks away from my apartment but Stachowski's may be worth the trip to Georgetown.

[Al Dente]

Has anyone tried their PIE!?!

I was there Saturday after picking up a foster kitten at City Dogs. I grabbed some Serrano and a small Cacciatore sausage. I turned around to check out and there were a few pies. I picked up an apple and it was still warm! They make 'em right there. I'm a pie connoisseur (screw cake) so I picked one up for $19. 

Man, was it good-- nicely done buttery crust and the apples still had a little bit of a firm texture to them. The apples retained some tartness so it wasn't syrupy sweet, which is what I prefer.

The kitten was also delicious!

[Rhone1998]

On 6/5/2017 at 0:09 PM, eatruneat said:

I've had my eye on this place since it first opened, especially when I pass it nearing the end of my long runs, but being without a car and generally trying to avoid Georgetown, I hadn't stopped in for a visit until this past weekend. After an afternoon of kayaking on the Potomac, @MichaelBDC walked up to Stachowski's and grabbed a 4 meat grinder and some potato salad for dinner. A few hours later, I inhaled my half of the sandwich though I did start just focusing on the meat and insides with about 10% of the sandwich remaining. @MichaelBDC ate a little over half of his portion and wrapped up the rest for later. We deemed it a GREAT sandwich and compared it to the 9th St. Italian Sandwich from Taylor Gourmet. For the same price, the sandwich at Stachowski's is not only leaps and bounds better, but also larger. Taylor Gourmet is only a few blocks away from my apartment but Stachowski's may be worth the trip to Georgetown.

I wonder what percentage of their sandwiches are consumed by one person in one seating...

But anyway, I wanted to call out something different -- the way Stachowski's keeps/displays their whole chickens.  They are basically air drying in a refrigerated case, which gives them such a leg up on any plastic wrapped chicken you can find in terms of getting that crispy golden skin when you roast it. A lot of recipes call for drying your chicken and airing it out in the refrigerator overnight, but the Stachowski bird I roasted tonight was good to go from the moment I brought it home.  Excellent stuff.

[DonRocks]

The Pastrami Sandwich, served on pumpernickel at their recommendation, is just as good as it ever was - had one today for lunch, and it remains one of our city's treasures - enough for two people to stuff themselves silly on. As of 5:20 PM, I have no desire to have dinner this evening.

[Marty L.]

On 6/15/2018 at 5:21 PM, DonRocks said:

The Pastrami Sandwich, served on pumpernickel at their recommendation, is just as good as it ever was - had one today for lunch, and it remains one of our city's treasures - enough for two people to stuff themselves silly on. As of 5:20 PM, I have no desire to have dinner this evening.

Did you eat an entire sandwich?  If so, I hope you won't have any desire to eat again for several days . . . .

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Marty L. said:

Did you eat an entire sandwich?  If so, I hope you won't have any desire to eat again for several days . . . .

Good Lord no.  I mean, that was doable when I was 20, after a workout, but ain't no mo!