COBBLE HILL — Foodies in the neighborhood who want a taste of old-school Jewish staples can head to Shelsky’s Smoked Fish for its variety of sandwiches inspired by the classic cream cheese and lox combo.
Shelsky’s, located at 251 Smith St., is known for its variety of smoked and pickled fish, salads and rugelach. But the best way to experience the taste of these ingredients is through one of Shelsky’s creative sandwiches, said owner Peter Shelsky, 34.
“We call this generally appetizing,” said Shelsky. “It’s a name that not everybody knows. The difference between deli and appetizing is that deli was always the meats, and appetizing is the fish and the dairy.”
Shelsky’s sandwiches — like its signature Brooklyn Transplant — offer patrons a way to taste a blend of ingredients that have been prepared in an unexpected way.
“[The Brooklyn Transplant] is sort of this amazing marriage of salty, smoky, sweet and sour, and biting,” said Shelsky. “It’s a pretty awesome sandwich.”
The base of the sandwich is a dark pumpernickel bread sourced from the Upper East Side’s Orwasher’s Bakery, topped with a thick layer of cream cheese to start, Shelsky explained.
Next, he adds generous chunks of its fatty kippered salmon, sourced from Samaki Smoked Fish in Port Jervis, N.Y.
“[The kippered salmon] has the belly attached, which is why we call it fatty,” Shelsky said. “It’s got a really beautiful, complex smoke and it’s not too salty.”
The salmon is then topped with a spoonful of Shelsky’s homemade apple horseradish sauce, which is prepared from grated horseradish, freshly grated Granny Smith apples and lemon juice.
Finally, the sandwich is completed with a layer of homemade pickled herring salad, prepared with Acme Smoked Fish Pickled Herring, Orwasher’s pumpernickel bread, onions and apples.
“What I’m really proud about is that we pickle our own herring, which is pretty different from everybody else.” Shelsky added.
“We enjoy doing it. It stinks up the whole store when we do it, but it’s really exciting to be able to say [we do it ourselves].”
The Brooklyn Transplant can be served on either pumpernickel or rye bread, with a price tage of $11.
For more information and a full menu, visit www.shelskys.com.
