Sandwich review: New York deli style pastrami from M&S Count On Us… range

The official description for this sandwich is –

"Pastrami, Emmental and mustard dressing, spinach, gherkins, sauerkraut on rye bread"

"No mayo" boasts the packet of this low fat sandwich from Marks & Spencer.  That's no bad thing – I don't regard mayonnaise as the evil the calorie-counters do, but regular readers will know I deplore the overmayonation which blights so many of the sandwiches we buy.

Unfortunately, when M&S took out the mayonnaise, they also took out the flavour.  This recipe promised so much – I had expected the mustard dressing, the gherkins and the sauerkraut all to be strong-tasting and make their presence known, but sadly it wasn't to be.

I am hesitant to say that this disappointing blandness is simply a feature of "low fat" recipes which is simply to be expected, as I don't think generalisations are helpful in reviewing sandwiches, but if this example is representative of the genre then the outlook is not good.  I shall try not to let this prejudice me, and put me off trying other calorie-conscious sandwiches, but I shan't be buying this particular sandwich again.

Sandwich review: New Yorker, from deli2go

The official description for this sandwich is -

Pastrami with Emmental cheese, Iceberg lettuce, gherkins, Ameican style mustard, sour cream mayonnaise and red onion on malted bread with millet and sunflower seeds.

Quite a list, eh?! Well, there's a lot going on with this sandwich - and that means a lot of different flavours to balance...

deli2go make a valiant effort of this - and, on the whole, they don't do too badly at all. Each bite of the sandwich gives you something slightly different, while still managing to paint an overall picture of the whole.

The "American style" mustard is pleasantly tangy, without being overly tart or off-putting; likewise, the gherkins and red onions. The coolness of the sour cream mayonnaise compliments these flavours nicely, while the Emmental cheese sings out above the while ensemble in clear, nutty tones.

The only criticism I would have, then, is that the pastrami gets a little lost amidst the cacophony of other tastes flying around. That's not to say that it's bad, or that you don't notice it - it could just do with being a bit (if you'll pardon the pun) beefier.

Maybe using slightly better quality pastrami could help? Or, if not, another layer in the sandwich, just to help it stand out a little better?

Other than this (very slight) issue, I enjoyed this sandwich, and I would definitely buy it again.