About DGS Delicatessen
So what if there are no crusty waiters, the sandwiches aren’t
packed to the rafters, and they won’t serve you chopped liver and tongue
in one sandwich? Here’s what’s also missing: packaged meats, Wonder-soft
bread, and pickles from a jar.
Taking its place among a new generation of artisanal delis that
have popped up in Brooklyn, Portland, and San Francisco, DGS bids to bring
corned beef and knishes out of the Sysco age by embracing the from-scratch
values that reigned a century ago.
Chef Barry Koslow, who impressed at Mendocino Grille and
Tallula, has lightened the rib-sticking dishes of Ashkenazi Jews without
sacrificing their character. The pastrami is sliced thick in the style of
Montreal’s legendary smoked meat, the matzo-ball soup is superior to any
bubbe’s we know, and the chopped liver finds the seam between the overrich
deli classic and a good pâté. And no old-school deli has a wine or
cocktail list half this good.
Don’t miss: Borscht; pickle
plate; latkes; kreplach; Schmutzy Fries, with smoked meat, Swiss cheese,
Russian dressing, and sauerkraut; almond-sprinkled doughnuts; babka bread
pudding.
Open: Monday through Friday for lunch and
dinner, Saturday and Sunday for brunch and dinner.
Moderate.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
