SumiLicious deals in Montreal smoked meat, in sandwiches, plates, platters, combos and by the pound.

The deli is named for the master behind it all, Sumith Fernando, who once worked at the famous Schwartz’s.

It’s unmistakably a deli in here, from the checkerboard interior to the pounds of smoked meat steaming right behind the counter and case filled with pickles and peppers.

AAA beef brisket for their smoked meat is marinated in a dry rub for ten days, a secret blend of spices though of course it’s obligatory that it be heavy on the peppercorn. 

Those, and any other smoked meats, get smoked for eight hours in a gas smoker.

Briskets for smoked meat then sit whole in the steamer before being sliced to order, by hand, against the grain. Ask for anywhere from lean to medium, fatty or extra fatty meat.

About half a pound of smoked meat goes into sandwiches ($8.99), on Future rye with Heinz plain yellow mustard by default.

Apparently our cut is medium fatty, and it still melts down to nothing on contact with the tongue. There’s a hit of texture provided by a crackly black crust that ripples throughout the ribbons of meat, just a few millimetres thick, neon red and pulling apart into tender strands.

Nutty, tangy, earthy rye perfectly supports the juicy meat, the mustard providing a good extra level of spice that rounds everything out. Make your smoked meat sandwich part of a combo with coleslaw, fries and a pickle for $13.99.

They also pile their smoked meat onto poutine ($7.99), hand-cut fries with “special Sumi seasoning” topped with Quebec cheese curds and vegetarian gluten-free gravy (if you’re really sure you don’t want the meat). 

It seems rich gravy and squeaky curds are the only things that could possibly enhance this smoked meat further, the cheese stretching into satisfying gooey strings.

Essentialists can do sliced smoked meat plates ($15.50 for a small plate, $17.50 for a large plate of roughly a pound) served with rye, everything done for you but assembling the sandwiches.

Making two generous sandwiches, this is an extravagant yet convenient serving style.

Crispy hand-cut fries ($2.99) with zesty “Sumi seasoning” are just one way to complete a meal here.

Peppers ($2.25) may look sweet to the uninitiated but are spicy, an accompanying bite for those who enjoy heat. 

They also deal in Portuguese-style chicken sandwiches ($8.50), boneless chicken thigh not smoked but marinated and grilled, with a Portuguese-style seasoning with a creeping heat. Served on a kaiser that’s also from Future, it’s finished off with spiced cabbage.

The best part is, smoked meat and chicken items are halal.