Deli a St. B staple

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This article was published 15/11/2022 (1050 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Directly across from the main entrance of the St. Boniface Hospital, there’s a seven-storey building at 400 Taché Ave. that houses medical and healthcare-related services. But it’s also home to a long-time delicatessen that’s been serving its particular brand of comfort food to the community for nearly 40 years..

Customers usually learn about Pastrami & Things largely through word of mouth. Its location makes it ideal for nearby staff or those with medical appointments to grab a quick lunch in a cozy space.

Cecile Hull is the lively proprietor who, at age 82, shows no sign of slowing down, although she does like to joke about it.

“I’m starting to look forward to freedom 85,” she says with a laugh (referencing the advertising slogan promoting retirement from work at a much younger age, with freedom 55).

Hull says the neighbourhood has changed a lot over the years she’s worked in the area, but she maintains her friendly demeanour, greeting customers as they come in, chatting with them while they dine, and waving at some of the newer regulars through the window as they walk by.

“I love coming to work every day. I like cooking. We have such nice customers,” Hull says, adding that when they seem to be having an off day, she doesn’t hesitate to joke with them to lighten their mood.

“We make everything with love, and that makes the difference. I was tired of what I was doing. I was doing office things, and my friends always told me everything I made was so good, I should go into the restaurant business. And here we are,” Hull says, citing her daughter Tracy’s extraordinary sandwich-making skills as central to still being in business.

What started as a small corner deli doing takeout and catering in a section of its current location quickly grew. Over the years the family business expanded, took over what was then a smoke shop, then added a former jeweller’s space on the other side. Since the mid-’80s, the deli has offered seating for up to 45 people.

Colleen Kizuik is one of many workers at 400 Taché who takes advantage of the convenience and easy access to quick and fresh food. In her 18 years working in the building, she’s appreciated the tasty food from the family-run business. And best of all, she doesn’t have to leave the building.

“I have enjoyed having Pastrami & Things close by to get a soup and sandwich for lunch or muffin as a snack. I was addicted to their turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo at one time.”

The deli walls feature an eclectic mix of adornments: on one wall, the work of local artists and a collection of framed stories about the family business; on another, a group of Marilyn Monroe images. That the business draws in people like Kizuik is what keeps Hull motivated.

“I love talking to people. It’s like Cheers, the bar. People eating together, enjoying food; everything goes hand in hand,” Hull says.

After almost four decades of running the deli, Hull remains very much a part of the community and revels in sharing some of the highlights from the early years. She remembers putting in long hours, serving up coffee and refreshments to the nurses during the 1991 strike. She donated a full day’s revenue from the deli to the St. Boniface Hospital Research Foundation drive to raise money for the purchase of a magnetic resonance scanner. By organizing a raffle and donating deli revenue, she raised money for a young man with leukemia recuperating from a bone marrow transplant.

“I eat well. Everything we make here is healthy. We were so ahead of the game when we started. I do a lot of reading and research.”

Besides the namesake Pastrami sandwiches, the deli offers staples such as corned beef, Reubens and BLTs. Evolving with the times, the menu also includes more vegetarian items such as protein Buddha bowls, chickpea curry dishes and an array of fresh salads.

Pastrami & Things Delicatessen offers catering, dine-in and takeout and is open Monday to Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.