Oh boy… The Hat. I cannot begin to understand how anyone can drive past you without violently jerking the steering wheel… and swerving across multiple lanes… and smashing through your front doors… Because now that I’ve taken a dip into The Hat, the home of the Pastrami Dip, everyone else on the road should proceed with caution. It’s been on the Grub List for some time now, waiting its turn… planning its attack. And I tell you my Good Grub allies… The Hat came packing heat. At first you think… eh, why do I need to check out the Hat when I’ve already had some pretty good pastrami sandwiches in my day? To which I reply… just because you’ve had that freeze-dried, taste-like-paste-mixed-with-chalk, astronaut ice cream stuff as a kid, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t jump at the opportunity to fly to the moon. Because at the Hat it’s not just about Pastrami sandwiches… it’s about Pastrami Dip sandwiches. Think French Dip crossed with your classic Pastrami… and now try not to hyperventilate. It’s one of those life changing moments, where the wheels in your head start spinning… yes, I can see it now Bean and Cheese Burrito Dip… Pepperoni Pizza Dip… the possibilities are endless!... and they should be. Because we’re telling you… when you bite into that perfectly juicy French roll, with über-savory-fist-sized-pile-o-Pastrami, and a sneaky layer of pickles and mustard… please prepare for takeoff. The Dip was an obvious choice, but what to pair with this magnificent creation…? To which I turned to one of the rules-of-Grub… if it’s the only thing boxed in red on the menu… you go for it. “Chili cheese fries, my good sir.”… To which the Grub guru behind the register responded… “Do you want pickles and tomatoes?” Asking this to the Good Grub is kind of like asking a little kid if he wants to meet Batman. “Of course, good sir. Pile it on.” But when they brought my order, I realized they should have been asking, “Do you want 5 or 6 other people to help you eat this mound, upon mound of chili and cheese topped fries.” Seriously, how did these guys let me order a sandwich and this monster of a “side” dish. Luckily I brought Grub backup, but still we got some funny, one-part-envious and one-part-fearful-for-our-safety, looks as people passed by our table. One person asked if we were going to eat them or climb them… to which I thought… is this bad? I even took a healthy layer of the chili cheese goodness and threw them into my pastrami dip. Who knows? Maybe a Good Grub Pastrami Dip is destined for the menu. But for now… all we can say is that our hat is off to The Hat... and to the victor goes the Grub.
